Preview: UFC on Fox 26 ‘Lawler vs. dos Anjos’

Light Heavyweight

Misha Cirkunov (13-3) vs. Glover Teixeira (26-6)

ODDS: Cirkunov (-165), Teixeira (+145)

ANALYSIS:: How much does Teixeira have left in the tank after 15 years as a professional fighter? How much longer can he remain one of the eight or so best light heavyweights in the sport? These questions will be central themes in many of the Brazilian’s coming bouts, as he is used as a gatekeeper to the stars in the twilight of his career. This year alone, the 38-year-old has already been used as an acid test for prospect Jared Cannonier and a showcase opponent for Alexander Gustafsson.

His network television matchup with Cirkunov is a fun mingling of styles. Teixeira’s modus operandi is well-established at this point, as he patrols the outside of the inside, pounding with heavy low kicks and capitalizing on charging opponents with big hook counters. Teixeira carries big power while also wielding a well-above-average wrestling game and a black belt in jiu-jitsu. In many ways, he is an archetypal if not perfect MMA fighter who uses his powerful standup to knock out lesser strikers and flexes on the ground against foes that are dangerous on the feet. It is also worth noting that his fight was originally scheduled for Oct. 28 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, but was postponed when Teixeira was slow to recover from hand surgery.

The 30-year-old Cirkunov had won eight in a row, all via stoppage, entering UFC Fight Night 109 in May, the same night Teixeira got waxed in Stockholm by Gustafsson. As a large favorite, Cirkunov ran headlong into Volkan Oezdemir’s right hand and went down in 28 seconds. Now, Oezdemir is fighting Daniel Cormier for the UFC light heavyweight title in January, even with an aggravated battery charge against him. In the wake of getting decked, the Latvian-Canadian has broadened his training, spending time at Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand along with his regular reps at Xtreme Couture in Toronto.

The training aspect intrigues me here. Cirkunov is in the prime of his career and sought technical betterment while the entrenched, aged and rehabbing Teixeira spent virtually all of his training time at his home base of Glover Teixeira MMA and Fitness in Danbury, Connecticut. Given the thin state of the 205-pound division, it is not like Teixeira is going to simply fall off the map as he approaches 40 -- he is still quite good -- but it is reasonable to think he could be a tad slower and rustier against Cirkunov, who despite being on the second fight of a UFC deal would like to work his way up the ladder quickly. The way Cirkunov dashed into Oezdemir’s short right hook is troubling, as it is a weapon with which Teixeira could easily ring him up. Cirkunov, for all of his offensive grappling ability, has been tapped in his other two career losses, and Teixeira’s got some clever chokes.

With that said, the southpaw Cirkunov’s boxing has improved drastically outside of his lunging Oezdemir indiscretion, his timing and chaining of takedowns is strong and he is in a more competitively confident place than Teixeira. Never mind the hand surgery and recovery, there is no telling if Teixeira is fully recovered from the beating Gustafsson put on him in May. I have much trepidation here and can see Teixeira stunting another up-and-comer in a crafty performance, but the safer bet is the fresher, younger man imposing if not finishing on the perennial standout. Cirkunov on points is the pick.

Next Fights » Midcard Prelims