Glover Teixeira vs. Ovince Saint Preux: A Head-to-Toe Breakdown
UFC Fight Night 73 comes your way this weekend, and headlining the card will be two top-10 ranked light heavyweights.
No. 4-ranked contender Glover Teixeira meets the rising No. 6-ranked Ovince Saint Preux in the evening's five-round contest. Nashville will play host to the event, and expect a large ovation for Saint Preux in front of a local crowd.
Teixeira has dropped his last two fights but remains in the top five of the shallow division. He lost his title bid to Jon Jones and followed that up with another decision loss to Phil Davis. On the opposing side of the cage, Saint Preux is coming off back-to-back wins against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Patrick Cummins.
Can Teixeira get back in the win column and steal Saint Preux's momentum as they both try to inch closer to the title? Or will Saint Preux establish himself as a true contender at 205 pounds?
Let's break down the matchup for this weekend's fight card from head-to-toe.
Striking
1 of 5
This is an interesting fight to be had in the light heavyweight division. Teixeira spent years toiling away trying to get into the UFC, and he has largely failed to meet the expectations with which he entered.
On the other side of the coin, Saint Preux has been a welcome surprise. He has started to realize his athletic potential.
Saint Preux's athleticism gives him more options, and we see him trying new strikes all the time. This gives him more opportunities and also opens up more holes to be exploited. And that's why Teixeira has the advantage on the feet.
They both have big power in their hands, but Teixeira is more fluid overall.
Teixeira is simply more technical with his strikes. He won't expose himself as often, and that means he won't get hit as much.
Edge: Teixeira
Grappling
2 of 5
Teixeira is actually an underrated grappler. When one thinks about his grappling, it is mostly related to jiu-jitsu and his top control, but his wrestling isn't too bad.
In the clinch battles, Teixeira may have a slight advantage. Veteran experience should allow him to move Saint Preux's back against the fence.
Even still, I'm going to side with Saint Preux.
The thing that tips the scale for Saint Preux is his athleticism. He can explode through the takedowns to complete them. Saint Preux is nowhere near as talented in this area as Davis or Jones, but Teixeira has hit the turf 12 times in his last two fights. That will be an area of focus.
If Teixeira won the grappling exchanges it wouldn't be a major shock, but Saint Preux has more talent thanks to his speed and explosion.
Edge: Teixeira
Submissions
3 of 5
Perhaps this is where I depart from many: I'll give Saint Preux the submissions advantage.
There is no question Teixeira is a quality submission artist. He has two submissions in the UFC, but both were against competition that was less than. He prefers to do damage with his hands even while on the ground.
Saint Preux is a bit more inventive, and that is why I favor him in this area.
He won't be winning by a Von Flue choke this time around, but pulling that off shows he doesn't just look for the standard finishes. He even has a win by calf slicer to his credit. Teixeira will have to be mindful of Saint Preux's creativity on the mat.
Do not sleep on Saint Preux's submission ability in this matchup. He could surprise a lot of people.
Edge: Saint Preux
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X-Factors
4 of 5
Saint Preux's X-factor: Patience
This is a fight that will require Saint Preux to be patient.
He has a tendency to get wild in the cage, and it opens him up to get caught. If he does that against Teixeira, he may very well get pasted in front of friends and family. Ask Ryan Bader.
There will be times in this fight when Saint Preux can get flashy and even get overly aggressive, but he must pick those times carefully. Teixeira is a good counterstriker. This is a five-round fight, and Saint Preux should be patient in the couple few rounds.
Teixeira's X-factor: Takedown Defense
As previously mentioned, Teixeira has been taken down 12 times in his past two fights. That's not good.
Fortunately, he is not in the cage with Jones or Davis. Regardless, the threat of the takedown is still very much prevalent with Saint Preux. If he cannot stay upright, then the American will likely run away with this fight.
This could very well be Teixeira's last chance to be a top fighter in this division. He needs to show up and perform well.
Prediction
5 of 5
I have been on the fence for this fight. I like the work Saint Preux has done recently, and at the rate he is improving, we may see yet another stunning display this weekend.
However, that's a big question mark. It makes me too apprehensive on taking him against a calculated fighter like Teixeira.
I look for Teixeira to defend early takedown attempts while digging at Saint Preux's body. It will sap Saint Preux of his energy through the first 10 minutes, and after he starts sucking wind, Teixeira will turn up the pace. The cumulative strikes will finally put Saint Preux down.
Regardless of who wins, I think this fight will be determined in the opening 10 minutes. If Saint Preux can get early takedowns, then I think he will take the fight either by late stoppage or a decision. If Teixeira defends, then he will turn the tide in the later half of the fight. I don't expect a wild comeback story in this fight.
That's where I am going: Body shots and takedown defense win the day.
Prediction: Teixeira defeats Saint Preux by TKO in the third round.
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