Glover Teixeira opens door for UFC return after Alex Pereira urged him to fight again

Almost a year after saying he had the itch to fight again, but would stay retired, Glover Teixeira now leaves the door open for a potential return to the octagon.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion told MMA Fighting in November 2023 that he was “very comfortable where I’m at right now” as MMA coach and retired fighter, but being around so many great athletes — and sharing the mat with the likes of UFC champion Alex Pereira on a daily basis — has him once again eager for competition.

“There’s nothing [booked], but I’ll definitely go back to competition,” Teixeira said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “I keep going after challenges. It’s hard to stay [training] with no reason why, so I’ll definitely do something. I want to compete.”

Teixeira retired from the sport in January of 2023 after losing back to back UFC title fights to Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill, and won a grappling match against Anthony Smith in June of 2023.

There were discussions of maybe returning to the mat earlier this year against Rafael Lovato Jr., at one of the UFC Fight Pass Invitational grappling shows, but that didn’t materialize.

Teixeira was crucial part of three Pereira training camps this year for successful title defenses against Hill, Prochazka and most recently Khalil Rountree at UFC 307, and the Brazilian veteran, who turns 45 lates this month, is open to offers in multiple sports — even the UFC.

“I’ll do some jiu-jitsu, I wanna do… I don’t know, maybe boxing. Or even go back for some fights in the UFC,” Teixeira said. “That’s got to be it because it’s hard, man. I’m feeling great, fighting hard with the guys in the gym. I’ve rolled with some wrestlers, training with Sean Strickland and ‘Poatan’. I was doing some light sparring with ‘Poatan’ the other day, and he’s like, ‘F*ck, Glover, you have to come back!’

“I’m training well, I’m feeling well. I love this. I’m not saying I want to fight, but I want to compete. If it’s jiu-jitsu, Lovato, guys like that. I wanna do some matches, that’s for sure.”

Teixeira fought professionally 42 times between 2002 and 2023, racking up a record of 33-9 with key UFC wins over the likes of Jan Blachowicz, Rashad Evans, Ryan Bader, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Anthony Smith and Jared Cannonier. Teixeira came up short in his first UFC title fight in 2014, losing a decision to Jon Jones, before finally conquering gold seven years later to become the oldest first-time champion in promotion history at age 42.