UFC Fight Night 73: 5 Fights for Glover Teixeira

Glover Teixeira was able to get the job done at UFC Fight Night 73 on Saturday, when he put Ovince Saint Preux to sleep in the third round.

It was an important win for the Brazilian, as he was riding a two-fight losing streak heading into Saturday's matchup. Looking forward, a number of interesting opponents can be slated to face him in the future. These are five fights that would keep Teixeira relevant in the light heavyweight division.

Patrick Cummins

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Patrick Cummins is coming off a big win.

Patrick Cummins has put together a strong run since joining the UFC as a last-minute replacement in 2014. His recent stoppage of Rafael Cavalcante at UFC 190 is his biggest win to date. Overall, he’s put together a 4-2 record in the Octagon and pushed himself to the No. 10 slot in the division. Placing him against Teixeira at this point would be a good move for the UFC and both men.

Cummins is a powerful wrestler who has shown an ability to take down nearly any opponent. His striking is still the weakest point in his game, as he's been tagged by strikers. The question is whether he can take Teixeira to the ground and control him in a position battle.

A win for either fighter would keep him viable in the division, and for Cummins, it would perhaps create a new title challenger.

Anthony Johnson

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Anthony Johnson is a dangerous striker.

Anthony Johnson is a powerful striker who has left many men motionless in his wake. The former title challenger is set to face Jimi Manuwa at UFC 191 in September. Johnson is coming off a defeat at the hands of Daniel Cormier at UFC 187 and is currently the top-ranked fighter in the light heavyweight division.

If he can get past Manuwa next month, a fight against Teixeira would be a step in the right direction.

Johnson is a heavy hitter with the power to stop nearly any opponent in front of him. Teixeira is also a heavy striker, though he hasn’t finished many opponents recently. However, putting these two in the cage against each other would create a stylistic matchup that fans would appreciate.

Jimi Manuwa

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Jimi Manuwa is an excellent striker.

Jimi Manuwa is another heavy hitter who has finished 13 men in his career. Even though that success has not translated to the Octagon, there is a chance that any of his fights can end in a knockout. If he can take care of Johnson in September, a bout against Teixeira would be a step in the right direction.

When looking at these two competitors, Teixeira seems like he has more tools to win than Manuwa does. The Brazilian is a volume striker with good wrestling and strong grappling. Manuwa would have to keep this fight on the feet, and it would be compelling to see how they would match up in striking exchanges.

Mauricio Rua

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Mauricio Rua is still a name among top light heavyweights.

Mauricio Rua is a big name in the light heavyweight division. The former Pride and UFC champion has struggled in recent years. Since dropping the title back Jon Jones back in 2011, the former champ has not been as successful as he was early in his career. His record is 4-6 in his last 10 fights, but he is still the No. 8 competitor in this division.

The point of this fight would be to keep both Rua and Teixeira active in the division while not allowing them to face any up-and-coming contenders whom they can defeat. Since both men have fallen to Jones and other top contenders at this time, they should be used as gatekeepers in some regard.

Pitting them against each other in Brazil would give fans in that country something to look forward to: a bout between two of the biggest names in Brazilian MMA.

Rashad Evans

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Rashad Evans is a forgotten man in the 205-pound division.

Rashad Evans is the forgotten man in the light heavyweight division. The former champion has not competed since 2013 but is still the No. 5 fighter in the group. He’s set to face Ryan Bader at UFC 192 in October, and should he get past that fight or need a last-minute replacement, Teixeira would be a prime candidate to fill the slot.

Evans is a powerful wrestler who has developed his striking throughout his MMA career. It would be a bad idea to stand against Teixeira for extended periods of time, but he has the ability to use that aspect of his game to set up takedowns.

The question is whether Evans' lack of activity would slow him down enough to cause problems in this fight. Either way, this bout would keep both fighters active and relevant in terms of the title picture in the 205-pound group.