Glover Teixeira regrets meeting Alex Poatan too late.

Glover Teixeira (left) poses with Alex Poatán (right) and light heavyweight belt.
Foto: Reprodução / Instagram

Glover Teixeira I certainly would have liked to have met him. Alex Poatán A little earlier. The veteran, former UFC light heavyweight champion (up to 93 kg), began his partnership with the Brazilian in the final stretch of his career. Even so, he became the main coach of the former Glory champion, helping to guide him in winning two belts in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. However, the development was not one-sided, as the coach himself also acknowledges technical evolution during that period.

In an interview with the 'Dylan Napoleone MMA' channel, the former fighter highlighted that the partnership could have had an even greater impact on his career if it had started years earlier, revealing that he believes his striking performance and even his career would have been significantly better if he had worked with Poatan at his physical peak, around the age of 30.

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“I even told Alex that. Alex came here when I was already 40 years old, and I said, ‘I wish I had met you when I was 30. My striking performance and my career would have been much better,’” he said. Glover Teixeira.

Alex Poatan seeks third UFC belt.

Poatan celebrates his UFC victory. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

The first belt of Alex Poatán In the UFC, he competed in the middleweight division (up to 83,9 kg). On that occasion, the Brazilian faced his biggest rival, Israel adesanya, in the main fight of the UFC 281, and knocked out the Nigerian in the fifth round, accumulating his third victory over his opponent in combat sports. In the rematch, held in UFC 287Adesanya got his revenge, knocked out Poatan, and regained the title.

Exhausted from the weight cut, the Brazilian decided to move up a weight class. After winning Jan Blachowicz No. UFC 291, received the opportunity to compete for the light heavyweight belt against Jiri Prochazka, at UFC 295Poatan knocked out the Czech fighter, won the division title (up to 93 kg), and defended it three times.

Later, it was surpassed by Magomed Ankalayev No. UFC 313, but turned things around by regaining the throne in UFC 320Now, given the uncertainty surrounding the return of Tom aspinall to defend the undisputed heavyweight title, Poatan face Cyryl Gane In his debut in the category, competing for the interim title.