Glover Teixeira still aims to be Mike Tyson – just more tactical at UFC on FOX 26

Onetime UFC light heavyweight title challenger Glover Teixeira promises nothing will change about his style inside the cage when he meets Misha Cirkunov at UFC on FOX 26.

Well, almost nothing.

“I’m still going to be Glover,” Teixeira told MMAjunkie Radio of his bout with Cirkunov. “I’m still going to be that guy that comes after you with a Mike Tyson style to finish a fight. But I’m just going to take my time a little more. I’ve been working a lot on my timing (and) the right time to throw combinations.”

Like Tyson later in his career, Teixeira (26-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) no longer has the luxury of ignorant opponents. They know what he brings to the octagon, and that’s come back to haunt him in fights where a win might have put him on the path back to the title after a 2014 loss to then-champ Jon Jones.

In his most recent octagon appearance, Teixeira was figured out quick by two-time title challenger Alexander Gustafsson. A vicious uppercut led to his second knockout in three fights.

“I used to come forward and try to knock everybody out,” said Teixeira, who meets Cirkunov on the FOX-televised main card of Saturday’s event at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. “But it’s time to study the game a little more.”

The lesson is apt for Cirkunov (13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC), an aggressive talent with a penchant for catching opponents off-guard early in a fight. Prior to his knockout loss in May to current No. 1 contender Volkan Oezdemir, the No. 9 ranked fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA light heavyweight rankings finished four straight opponents, including three straight by submission.

No slouch on the ground, No. 6 Teixeira will need his grappling skills to avoid danger on the mat. On his feet, he’ll just try being a lot more patient.

“I’ve just got to adjust my game and adjust the situations,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on. I know I’m always training hard and always looking to finish fights. Maybe I’m too anxious. I’ve got to slow down a little bit.

“That’s why I’ve been working on my footwork a lot more with this fight. Footwork and timing, because I think that’s very important for the fights, especially after you’ve been in the game for a while. They start capitalizing with your game.”

And while there are no more secrets about what Teixeira brings to the octagon, he still believes he has enough skill to win a belt.

“I can’t change the past, so I’m going to try to change the future,” Teixeira said. “I’m going to try and make this happen. I still have a lot of fights in me. I still am in love with the sport. I love to train. I’m in very good shape right now, and I’m just learning and enjoying myself as a fighter. I want to become a champion. I’m right there; I’m No. 3 in the world (in the UFC rankings). I need to beat Cirkunov and get onto the title radar again.”

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