UFC 267: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions and More

Jan Blachowicz will attempt to keep his light heavyweight strap against Glover Teixeira in the main event of UFC 267, set to take place at Fight Island in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

The Polish powerhouse has filled the void in the light heavyweight division left by Jon Jones' departure. First, by beating Dominick Reyes in a fight for the vacant belt and again by sending Israel Adesanya back to the middleweight division.

Next up is a familiar name in Teixeira who has improbably worked his way back into a title matchup. The Brazilian first fought for the title in 2014, when he lost to Jon Jones, but has returned to contention with a five-fight win streak at the age of 42.

Elsewhere on the card, Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen will fight for the interim bantamweight championship. Both are coming off losses and looking to earn some redemption and a fight against champion Aljamain Sterling when he comes back from injury.

It's a deep card that will air in the afternoon stateside. Here's a look at everything, complete with broadcast info and predictions for the biggest fights. 

Fight Card and Schedule—October 30

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Main card (ESPN+ at 2 p.m. ET)

• Jan Blachowicz (c) vs. Glover Teixeira—for light heavyweight championship
• Petr Yan vs. Cory Sandhagen—for interim bantamweight championship
• Islam Makhachev vs. Dan Hooker
• Alexander Volkov vs. Marcin Tybura
• Li Jingliang vs. Khamzat Chimaev 
• Magomed Ankalaev vs. Volkan Oezdemir

Prelims (ESPN+ at 10:30 a.m. ET)

• Amanda Ribas vs. Virna Jandiroba 
• Ricardo Ramos vs. Zubaira Tukhugov
• Albert Duraev vs. Roman Kopylov
• Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Benoît St. Denis 
• Michal Oleksiejczuk vs. Shamil Gamzatov
• Makwan Amirkhani vs. Lerone Murphy
• Hu Yaozong vs. Andre Petroski
• Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Allan Nascimento

Teixeira Wins a Gritty, Plodding Title Fight

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Jan Blachowicz has done all he can to establish himself as the top light heavyweight in the post-Jon Jones era. His performances against Dominick Reyes and Israel Adesanya have shown the kind of diverse and skilled fighter he is.

But a matchup with Teixeira could be a bad draw for the powerful Pole. His power has always been a huge weapon in his arsenal, but his wrestling defense has been an Achilles heel.

Unfortunately for him, Teixeira is as tough as they come. In 39 career fights, he has just three knockout losses. One was all the way back in 2002 in his first professional fight. Another was at the hands of Anthony Johnson who may be the most powerful striker in light heavyweight history, and the other was a fifth-round knockout to Alexander Gustafsson that may have had more to do with fatigue.

Blachowicz hasn't had his wrestling defense tested in a while. It's been three fights since someone has even attempted a takedown, per UFC Stats. The last to try was Jacare Souza who is an over-the-hill former middleweight.

In a pure kickboxing matchup, the pick would have to be the champion. But when you take into account what Teixeira brings in the grappling department and his own boxing skills, this fight seems ripe for an upset.

Prediction: Teixeira via decision.

Yan's Versatility Shines Against Sandhagen

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The interim title fight co-main event shouldn't be slept on. Cory Sandhagen is an entertaining striker, and Petr Yan might just be the best bantamweight in the world.

Yan's bid for the title came up short in a controversial way. He was arguably beating Aljamain Sterling before an ill-advised knee to a downed Sterling resulted in disqualification.

When the fighters are standing, it will be interesting to see how Yan copes with Sandhagen's unusual length. The 29-year-old stands at 5'11", which is towering for the weight class. Yan is a mere 5'7" but is explosive in an out of his movement.

The difference here could come down to grappling. Yan is a skilled kickboxer, but he also has the typical Russian wrestling and top game.

His ability to mix it up will be enough to beat Sandhagen. The striking exchanges will be fun, but once Yan starts changing levels and looking to put his opponent on his back, the difference in quality will start to show.

Prediction: Yan via decision.

Makhachev Will Round Out Dominant 2021 in Convincing Fashion

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Islam Makhachev continues to look like the heir apparent to Khabib Nurmagomedov as a dominant force in the lightweight division. In 2021, he has submitted Thiago Moises and Drew Dober. He will look to make Dan Hooker his next victim.

Hooker is brave for taking on the fight. Much like with Nurmagomedov before he won the title, there aren't a whole lot of fighters calling him out.

The New Zealander has proved to be a skilled striker with a scrappy spirit. He's going to keep coming forward as long he can.

That may work against him, though. Makhachev's takedown game is strong. And if/when Hooker gets too aggressive, it will probably wind up with him on the mat. From there, it's trouble for Hooker.

If Hooker can find a way to stick and move, keep Makhachev at distance and uncork a punch when Makhachev shoots, then he may be able to score a stunning knockout. That's a lot of ifs though.

Prediction: Makhachev via second-round submission.