Mere days after UFC 249 trumpeted the promotion’s return, Factory X standout Anthony Smith will meet Glover Teixeira in the UFC Fight Night 171 main event on Wednesday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Meanwhile, former International Fight League cornerstone Ben Rothwell confronts Ovince St. Preux in the three-round heavyweight co-headliner.
Smith, 31, finds himself in the midst of a career renaissance, having posted 15 wins across his last 18 appearances. The former Cage Fury Fighting Championships and Victory Fighting Championship titleholder last competed UFC Fight Night 153, where he submitted Alexander Gustafsson with a fourth-round rear-naked choke in Stockholm. A well-rounded offensive fighter, Smith has delivered 30 of his 33 professional victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.
Teixeira has quietly pieced together a three-fight winning streak since his unanimous decision defeat to Corey Anderson in 2018. The 40-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt last appeared at UFC Fight Night 158 on Sept. 14, when he wound up on the right side of a split verdict against Nikita Krylov. Victories over Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans, Ryan Bader and Jared Cannonier anchor the Teixeira resume, which now stretches back nearly 18 years.
A closer look at the UFC Fight Night 171 “Smith vs. Teixeira” particulars:
THE LINEUP
155: Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira265: Ben Rothwell vs. Ovince St. Preux
155: Drew Dober vs. Alexander Hernandez
135: Ricky Simon vs. Ray Borg
185: Karl Roberson vs. Marvin Vettori
265: Andrei Arlovski vs. Philipe Lins
155: Michael Johnson vs. Thiago Moises
135: Sijara Eubanks vs. Sarah Moras
155: Omar Antonio Morales Ferrer vs. Gabriel Benitez
135: Hunter Azure vs. Brian Kelleher
265: Chase Sherman vs. Isaac Villanueva
THE RUNDOWN
• Preview• Weigh-in Report
• 5 Defining Moments: Anthony Smith
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