UFC on FOX Sports1 conundrum: Is Glover Teixeira vs Ryan Bader the right choice?

The next big thing? The future champ? Is this really Glover Teixeira‘s future? If you ask Chuck Liddell and his camp, they would have to say yes. If you ask a bunch of fans, they would also agree. There are a bunch of fighters at light heavyweight that would disagree though.

Glover hasn’t lost a fight since 2005, and has only been finished once (in his first fight). He’s won 19 straight with 14 first round finishes. He has won fights in the WEC, Impact FC, Shooto Brazil, and the UFC. He has the record to back up the hype. So, why do some feel he isn’t at that level yet?

Chael Sonnen has said before that Glover is rated too high and needs to fight a true top 10 guy. Sonnen isn’t a top 10 guy and has already received a title shot, so maybe he should keep his mouth shut, even though he doesn’t know how.

Ryan Bader is a top ten guy, and the two were supposed to meet at UFC 160. Bader had to pull out due to injury and was replaced by James Te Huna. Glover ran through Te Huna, choking him out in the first round, adeptly adding to his first round finishes.

Rumors began to surface that Teixeira could be in line for champion Jon Jones. Facing Jones right now would be ridiculous. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely feel that Glover will be fighting for a title someday. Right now would just be way too soon. He hasn’t done enough to earn it yet.

The next rumor in line was that Glover could fight the winner of Rashad Evans versus Dan Henderson. That fight would have made so much more sense. Evans beat “Hendo” by a narrow split decision and fighting Glover would really test the Chuck protege. I enjoy the fact that Glover and his camp gave Bader the fight he was training for, but this fight doesn’t really make sense right now for Teixeira.

Even if the Bader/Glover fight made sense, it definitely isn’t main event worthy. UFC on FOX Sports1 3 is set with a Bader versus Glover main event. The card also has a fight between Yushin Okami and Ronaldo Souza, which would’ve been way better served as a main event. Glover is main event worthy, but I still don’t think Bader has reached that potential yet.

~ Final Thought ~

Bader has a good wrestling back ground with knockout power in his hands. The problem I have with this fight, is it seems like Glover is the “better/over polished” Bader. I’m not taking anything away from Bader, but Glover would’ve been better suited to take on Evans or even “Hendo” coming off a loss.

If Glover beats Bader, what does that really do for him besides finally beating a top 10 guy? If Glover managed to beat Rashad, that would actually put him securely in the title talk, plus it would actually make sense for a Fox main event.

Even if Glover beat “Hendo” it would rise his stock more than a win over Bader will. After Jon Jones takes on Alexander Gustafsson, who is really next? Glover needs to be groomed into getting the winner of that fight, and how does a win over Bader do that? And now what do you do with a “washed up” Rashad?

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