Glover Teixeira Defeats Jan Blachowicz at UFC 267, Wins Light Heavyweight Title

It took nine years and 21 fights in the UFC, but Glover Teixeira can now add "champion" to his resume. The 42-year-old defeated Jan Blachowicz via second-round submission Saturday in the main event of UFC 267 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Teixeira went to the ground game early and often and it paid off in a big way as he found a way to lock in a rear-naked choke that forced a quick tap.

Teixeira got off to a strong start in the first round when he secured a takedown in the opening moments.

The challenger put the champion on his back and that was where he would remain for the rest of the round. The Brazilian didn't get a lot of damage but he controlled the round and even used an old-school can opener at the end of the round.

The second round proved the opening was no fluke. He landed a big left hook that rocked Blachowicz and wound up on top of him again where he went to work and found the choke that would force the tap and give him the title.

After the bout, Teixeira didn't seem like a man ready for retirement. He assured the fans in his post-fight interview he was ready to continue breaking the rules after capturing the belt this late in his career.

The win threw the light heavyweight division into an even deeper state of flux. Jon Jones had ruled it for the better part of a decade, and Blachowicz's reign will go down as an unorthodox one.

The heavy-handed Pole won the vacant belt in a fight with Dominick Reyes last September, but his first title defense came against a career middleweight in Israel Adesanya.

Teixeira is an improbable champion. His previous shot at the title came against Jones in 2014.

The Brazilian's change in approach and late-career surge make for a remarkable story. He looked washed during a 2-3 stretch from 2016-18 but is now on a six-fight winning streak.

"You've got to evolve," Teixeira said, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN. "If it's working, you keep going. But especially at my age right now, I see what can help me. What can I do to be better?"

He'll have to keep that mindset to defend the title. The light heavyweight division has long featured familiar names, but there are new challengers on the horizon who could test Teixeira.

Specifically, Jiri Prochazka has made an impression. He has just two UFC fights on his resume, but the longtime Rizin fighter has been impressive with knockouts of Volkan Oezdemir and Reyes.

Teixeira deserves to enjoy his crowning achievement, but the work to remain champion is on the horizon.