Glover Teixeira is looking to get back to work inside the cage, but he's taking the necessary time to make sure he'll be firing on all cylinders when that time comes.
The Brazilian powerhouse suffered a torn labrum in his loss to Jon Jones at UFC 172 back in May, in what resulted in one of the most lopsided defeats in the 34-year-old's career. The injury occurred in the early goings of the title tilt when the light heavyweight champion used a shoulder crank on the challenger while the two fighters were clinching up against the cage, and despite Teixeira's right arm being damaged, the John Hackleman-trained fighter gritted out the remaining four rounds.
While his showing against the pound-for-pound great was nowhere near the performance he had hoped to display, Teixeira is ready to get back to climbing the 205-pound ladder. His 20-fight winning streak may have been snapped in Baltimore, but Teixeira is hungry to rebuild the momentum that made him the No. 1 contender in the light heavyweight collective.
That said, he wants to make sure his body is 100 percent ready to handle business inside the Octagon. The surgery to repair his torn labrum was a success, and now he will set about building the strength necessary for throwing his signature power when the cage door closes.
"I'm feeling good, man," Teixeira told Bleacher Report this past weekend at the media day for UFC 175. "My shoulder is feeling great and I'm going to be ready to fight again in a few months. Nothing is set up right now but I would like to return in October. My strength is good in my shoulder and I'm going to be ready to start training here again very soon."
The sport of mixed martial arts is a rigorous environment that requires a hefty physical toll from the athletes involved, and Teixeira has spent more than a decade on the grind. That said, he's also discovered how to find his peace of mind and he uses a wide range of outdoor activities to offset the chaos that comes with a career in MMA.
While the Connecticut transplant was doing promotional duties for the UFC during 4th of July weekend, he still has every intention of making the most of his time before training duties ramp back up.
"Oh man, I love anything I can do outdoors," Teixeira laughed. "I like to get together with my friends and go fishing or have a barbecue. Those are great times and we have a lot of fun. I'm going to make sure I get some some of those things in for sure."
With Teixeira's most recent outing being a title opportunity, his next challenge will most likely come from somewhere in the upper echelon of the light heavyweight divisional hierarchy. While there is no opponent set at this time, there have been rumors floating around the UFC landscape that his next challenge could be former NCAA Div. I national champion wrestler Phil Davis. Ariel Helwani reported on a recent edition of UFC Tonight that the bout is being discussed, but nothing has been made official on the matchup.
"Mr. Wonderful" is also coming off a loss in his most recent outing as he was defeated by Anthony Johnson via unanimous decision. Davis' fight with "Rumble" took place on the same card as Teixeira's bout with Jones, and the potential matchup between the two would make solid sense in the bigger picture for the light heavyweight fold.
Yet, that pairing is just a rumor at the current time, but Teixeira's next matchup should be finalized in the coming weeks.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
