UFC Champion Glover Teixeira Clarifies Plan for Retirement

Getty Glover Teixeira punches Anthony Smith

Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira recently clarified that he hasn’t made any decision on when he wants to retire despite laying out his “perfect plan” last week.

When he spoke with Globo.com, Teixeira, 42, said that it would be ideal for him to get past Jiri Prochazka next month and then defend his belt this November in New York. Then, with a win, he’d ride off into the sunset.

“The perfect plan would be winning this fight, which I have full focus on,” Teixeira said, as translated by MMA Fighting. “And fighting one last time in November, in New York, which is close to the city I live for 20 years, and close to my gym. It would be my farewell from fighting. That’s what I’m thinking right now.”

However, while speaking with Ariel Helwani on Monday’s “The MMA Hour,” Texeira changed his tune. He says he feels like a “lion” right now as he prepares for his first 205-pound title defense at UFC 275 on June 11.

Although he will hang up his gloves at some point, Texeira said he didn’t want to commit to a retirement timeline.

“Listen, I didn’t say that for sure,” Teixeira said via MMA Fighting. “If there’s a perfect [plan], it would be that if I win this fight – of course I am confident, but the thing is when you guys ask me a question way before I get into camp, it’s almost like, maybe I’ll fight one more time. But when I’m camp right now, I’m a lion. You’ve got to come see my training. Then you’ll see, and you’re probably not even going to ask that question about retirement. Because the way I’ve been training, the way I’ve been feeling, the way camp is going lately, I’m so happy about everything.

“Eventually, I do want to retire. I said the perfect scenario is me beating this guy in Singapore and hopefully fight Jan [Blachowicz] at Madison Square Garden in November and then call it a day. But I don’t want to make a decision like that. I think that’s a possibility, but I don’t want to [say], ‘Oh I’m going to retire this year, or a couple more fights,’ or this and that.”

Texeira Wants to Walk Away When the Time Is Right

Teixeira doesn’t want to be a combatant who retires but then comes back. Once he walks away from the sport, he wants to be done for good, unlike former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo.

Cejudo retired in May 2020 after defending his 135-pound belt at UFC 249 only to announce his MMA return last month.

“I don’t want to make a call and be desperate later,” Teixeira continued. “I even mentioned Henry Cejudo. Nothing against the guy, I love the kid, but you see him retired [and] he knows he wants to come back. He knows he has more. I don’t want to make this decision like that, but it would be a possibility, yeah.”

Teixeira Is Fighting for Legacy, Not Money

Teixeira made it clear that it isn’t money that’s keeping him around. It’s the opportunity to continue to etch his name in UFC history.

“I’m not doing it for the money,” Teixeira said. “I did it for the championship. Like I keep saying to people, we worked so hard in our life fighting for nothing, but now we’re making good money, and stepping away [is hard]. You’ve got to look around. Why is my life better? Why do I need more?

“It’s definitely not for the money. I’m fighting right now because I’m the champion – I want to defend this title.”