Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. Former
Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger Thiago
Santos does not expect his upcoming headliner will last
long. Sixteen months after a historic five-round title battle against
Jon
Jones, Santos is returning to the Octagon to face another
Brazilian and former title challenger beaten by Jones. His thriller
with Jones earned him surgeries in both knees, and confined
“Marreta” to a wheelchair for two months. Despite the long absence,
Santos is ready to pick up where he left off.
“Glover is a complete fighter that looks for the knockout or
submission all the time,” Teixeira told Sherdog. “I would bet that
this fight is not going to reach the 5th round. The only assurance
I have is that fans will have a lot of fun in our fight.”
Santos also spoke about this matchup on Tuesday to Brazilian
journalist Luis Coutinho, where he expressed his feelings about
middleweight king Israel
Adesanya getting the next light heavyweight title shot. Per UFC
President Dana White, Adesanya is expected to be the next in line
against new champ Jan
Blachowicz, in a move that allowed the middleweight to “cross
the line.”
“[A] Few weeks ago, [UFC President Dana White] said the contender
would come from the winner of my fight with Glover, now Adesanya
got the place,” Santos said incredulously. “Let’s wait and see. Two
things I’ve learned in my seven years fighting in UFC: Fights are
decided by the fans, and settled only when both fighters sign the
contract. I’m sure that if me or Glover have a great [performance],
the fans will be eager to see the winner fighting for the
belt.”
Santos concluded his interview by claiming that he expects Adesanya
to be the favorite in his potential pairing with Blachowicz. He did
not look beyond his bout with Teixeira to discuss his chances with
either man should he win on Saturday.
Santos will face Teixeira atop
UFC on ESPN 17, which will take place on Nov. 7 at the UFC Apex
in Las Vegas. The co-main attraction comes in the form of a
heavyweight match as former champ Andrei
Arlovski squares off against the surging,
mullet-sporting Canadian Tanner
Boser.
