Jiri Prochazka submitted Glover Teixeira with fewer than 30 seconds left in the main event of UFC 275, winning the light heavyweight title at the end of an enthralling, turbulent fight on Sunday.
Teixeira entered Singapore’s Indoor Stadium as the second-oldest champion in UFC history at 42 years old, making the first defence of the belt that he won late last year. Prochazka, fighting in the UFC for just the third time, was positioned as the young lion set to take over the pride at 205lbs, although the Czech challenger had collected significant experience outside the UFC before debuting in the promotion in 2020. Prochazka, 29, has held titles in other organisations but can now call himself the best light heavyweight in the world, having won the UFC gold with this rear-naked-choke victory over an aged but game Teixeira.
In the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko retained her flyweight title with a controversial split-decision win against huge underdog Taila Santos (48-47, 47-48, 49-46), after Zhang Weili knocked out fellow former women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Zhang finished the Pole emphatically in Round 2 of their rematch, defeating Jedrzejczyk with a spinning back fist. The pair had previously fought in 2020, with Zhang emerging victorious via split decision. Following Saturday’s rematch, Jedrzejczyk announced her retirement from MMA and left her gloves in the ring – a symbolic gesture for calling time on one’s fighting career.
Re-live UFC 275, below.
