Reading and new habits lead Glover Teixeira, 42, to fight for the UFC belt

During the months leading up to the fight in which Glover Teixeira, 42, will possibly have the last chance to win a belt in the UFC, the fighter was divided between training and reading, a combination of habits he incorporated into his routine during the social isolation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The “Autobiography of a Yogi”, written by Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), an Indian who spread yoga in the US in the first half of the 20th century, was at the Brazilian’s bedside during this month when he will face the Polish Jan Blachowicz , 38, in a dispute valid for the UFC light heavyweight belt, this Saturday (30), in Abu Dhabi —Combate channel shows the main card at 3pm.

It will be the second opportunity for the Brazilian to be champion of the under 93kg category. In 2014, he lost his first chance after being defeated by American Jon Jones. Seven years later, the mineiro believes that the experience accumulated after that defeat, added to the change in habits, could be decisive for his success.

“When the pandemic came, I had to stop training, I was isolated in that boredom and that’s when I started reading. I realized that we are not in control of anything in this life and I started to change my mood, I relaxed and I dedicated myself to thinking about life,” Glover tells sheet.

That’s how the Brazilian came to the conclusion that it was necessary to change his posture in relation to training in order to keep himself at a high level after 40. The fighter turned 42 years old on Thursday (28).

“I believe I lost some fights because of a lot of training, because I went over the limit, which is overtraining. I’m sure I had some problems with that,” says Glover. “Now, I can train better and focus more. With reading, I take away all those mindless thoughts that come and go.”

But something still permeates the thoughts of the mineiro: conquer the unprecedented light heavyweight belt. On the other hand, now that’s no longer what determines his sense of personal accomplishment. “Now, I enjoy the journey more, I enjoy the training, the day to day, I enjoy the rest. Before, I used to keep the belt on my head all the time and train thinking about it. This hinders the athlete”, he recognizes.

Professional experience also made him change the volume of training. At the time he fought Jon Jones, he used to do up to nine workouts a week at high intensity. Currently, to preserve your body, alternate between three hard workouts and three with lighter exercises.

There is also greater care with food and, above all, with rest periods. Discipline is the word he most likes to emphasize, including for students at the academy he set up in Danbury, Connecticut, USA, where he has lived since 1999, when he arrived there as an illegal immigrant.

Glover recalls that he was between 17 and 18 years old when he decided to leave the city of Sobralia, about 300 km from Belo Horizonte, in Minas Gerais, towards the United States. At the time, he entered the country crossing the border through Mexico, with the help of “coyotes”, who sell the illegal crossing.

After leaving his homeland, he passed through Colombia, traveled to Guatemala, from where he departed by car to cross Mexico to the city of Tijuana, where he spent 13 days waiting for the fog to settle in order to pass through the desert.

“It took me almost two years to pay that bill. That’s when I started working in civil construction. I had a nice perrengue. I ate a lot of loaf bread with salami because salami here is cheap. At that time, I ate really badly” , remember.

In 2008, the fighter lost the chance to sign a contract with Ultimate due to his illegal status in the country. He was eventually deported when local authorities learned of his situation.

Back in Brazil, he spent three years in Sobrália, until the end of 2011, a period that lasted the bureaucratic procedure, including the payment of a fine, until he got a green card, a visa that allows foreigners to reside and work permanently in the US.

With the situation regularized, the Brazilian was finally able to sign a contract with the UFC. Today, his record has 32 wins and 7 losses — Jan Blachowicz, the title holder in the category, has 28 wins and 8 losses.

On the way to having this new chance to fight for the belt, Glover amended five consecutive victories: Karl Roberson, Ion Cutelaba, Nikita Krylov, Anthony Smith and Thiago Marreta, from 2019 to 2020. When he faced Jon Jones and lost his chance to conquer the top of the light heavyweights, also came from five straight wins.

The 33rd triumph would be the biggest crowning achievement in Glover Teixeira’s career. “I know this is a last chance, I’m doing my best.”