UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Glover Teixeira will get the opportunity to defend his belt for the first time when he fights rising contender Jiri Prochazka at the promotion’s May 7th pay-per-view card.
The bout is expected to take place at UFC 274, per Brett Okamoto of ESPN. MMA Fighting is reporting that the fight is in the process of being finalized currently.
UFC is reportedly hoping to host their May 7th card in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, although that plan has yet to be announced.
Teixeira claimed his championship in the fall, stopping Jan Blachowicz in the second round of a fight via rear naked choke. The veteran light heavyweight was given the title shot after a five-fight winning streak that included two prior UFC “Fight Night” main event victories.
Prochazka is getting the title fight quite early into his UFC career, entering only his third appearance for the promotion. The former RIZIN Light Heavyweight Champion earned his first UFC main event win in May 2021, knocking out Dominick Reyes in the second round of a fight.
Prochazka’s prior win came against Volkan Oezdemir in 2020.
The sole other fight reported for UFC 274 currently is a featherweight bout between Macy Chiasson and Norma Dumont.