5 ways Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill will end
At UFC 283, Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill will cross swords inside the octagon. Their bout will be contested for the promotion's light heavyweight crown after UFC 282's main event was declared a draw. The upcoming matchup between the two men will be the Brazilian's chance to recapture his throne.
Meanwhile, it will be the first time that 'Sweet Dreams' will take part in a title fight. The American power puncher will attempt to fulfill his dreams by extending his three-fight knockout win streak with a fourth.
Unfortunately, defeating Glover Teixeira will not be an easy task. Similarly, defeating Jamahal Hill will not come easily to the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist. Both fighters have their unique paths to victory, and this list details five such avenues.
#5. Jamahal Hill wins via KO
Jamahal Hill is a tremendously powerful athlete. He mainly operates as a striker, and it's easy to see why. Of his 11 wins, seven have come via either a KO or TKO. While he certainly won't be the first powerful puncher that Glover Teixeira will face, there's another variable the former champion must consider.
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The Brazilian grappling specialist is older now than he's ever been. He's 43 years old, and while he has a good chin, he sustained significant damage in his most recent bout. Jiří Procházka overcame him in a grueling five-round war that has likely led to lingering effects when it comes to the Brazilian’s durability.
The Czech phenom is an extremely powerful puncher. Thus, Glover Teixeira's chances against 'Sweet Dreams' may very well be affected by the punishment he took in his previous bout. If his toughness is, in any way, compromised, he'll be knocked out by Jamahal Hill.
#4. Glover Teixeira wins via submission
Other than Paul Craig, Glover Teixeira is the preeminent Brazilian jiu-jitsu master in the light heavyweight division. There is arguably no one else who can match his grappling skills. This is especially true for Jamahal Hill, as the American has no submission wins on his record.
Furthermore, his grappling skills leave a lot to be desired. 'Sweet Dreams' will be vulnerable to takedowns due to his overreliance on his right hook. He's almost purely concerned with knocking his opponents unconscious. Thus, he does a lot of work to lower his chances of being countered.
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To land a right hook, a fighter must stand close enough to potentially be hit by their opponent's right hook. This is something that Jamahal Hill understands. He often slaps his foe's lead hand down to prevent a check hook from countering his right hook. So his attention is rarely on how overexposed his hips are during striking.
Glover Teixeira can easily secure a takedown by timing a shot right under the right hook the moment his opponent squares his hips. On the mat, 'Sweet Dreams' will be a fish out of the water as he does not fight wrist grips. This is what allowed Paul Craig to set up an easy armbar, ultimately breaking Jamahal Hill's arm.
If the Brazilian manages to drag his foe to the mat, his chances of finishing him will become exponentially higher.
#3. A split-decision win for either one
Depending on the efforts of either man, a split-decision win is possible. Glover Teixeira might lose the first two or three rounds due to Jamahal Hill's natural power advantage. Furthermore, the American is a fast starter. However, due to the massive occasion of this being his first title fight, he might become overzealous.
While the BJJ black belt might sustain some damage in the first two rounds, it's possible for him to survive the initial onslaught. The chances of it happening will be higher if 'Sweet Dreams' experiences an adrenaline dump after trying to land an early KO and failing in his first-ever title bout.
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This would allow Glover Teixeira to take over in the third round and secure a split-decision win by winning every subsequent round. But the same could happen for Jamahal Hill. The American power puncher showed heart and willingness in his fourth-round TKO against Thiago Santos.
While he might gas out, he could very well dig deep and win the third round while rendering the final two competitive enough to claim a split decision for himself.
#2. Glover Teixeira wins via unanimous decision
Jamahal Hill is a more dangerous striker than his Brazilian counterpart. Glover Teixeira possesses knockout power, but it's nothing quite like the nuclear heat that 'Sweet Dreams' has in his hands. However, it might be enough to earn his foe's respect.
The American typically fights from a southpaw stance, so instead of a jab, he uses a right hook with his lead hand. His overreliance on the punch means that he's often at risk of being countered. While he mitigates this risk by slapping his opponent's lead hand down to prevent check hooks, it's still there.
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This isn't a foolproof method of defense. If Glover Teixeira can repeatedly tag 'Sweet Dreams' with check hooks, then his foe will quickly learn to respect his striking even more. This could create openings for the Brazilian's grappling. With his opponent worried about his striking, Teixeira can shoot for takedowns.
Once Hill has two variables he has to consider, his defenses will be dragged all over the place. If he's forced into a reactive fight, he'll be on the back foot for most of the bout. While Teixeira may not finish him, he may very well earn a unanimous decision.
#1. Glover Teixeira wins via TKO
If Jamahal Hill tires himself out enough by chasing a finish, he'll be a sitting duck. Due to his aggressive style and the adrenaline dump he's likely to experience if things don't go his way, he might tire out even quicker. Furthermore, if Glover Teixeira can force him to grapple, things can worsen.
After his loss to Paul Craig, 'Sweet Dreams' is almost certain to have worked on improving his grappling. At the very least, he has likely improved his defense to submissions. But for an experienced grappler like Glover Teixeira, this just means there's another opening for him to exploit.
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If his opponent is too concerned with defending submissions, he'll forget about the ground-and-pound. Oftentimes, dominant grapplers use submission attempts to create openings for brutal strikes on the mat.
A tired Jamahal Hill, experiencing an adrenaline dump and being forced to grapple far more than he's accustomed to, may very well be TKO'd. It could be similar to Anthony Smith's loss to Glover Teixeira.