The stakes have been raised!
With top light heavyweight Lyoto Machida losing a controversial decision to Phil Davis this past weekend (Aug. 3, 2013), an opening became available for the next potential number one contender.
Look no further than Glover Teixeira
The veteran Brazilian finally made his long-awaited UFC debut last year and he's done nothing but impress, going 4-0 inside the Octagon to move his overall winning streak to 19 fights. Perhaps most impressively was the fact that he took out former champion Quinton Jackson with relative ease earlier this year on national television.
And count Dana White and Joe Silva as big believers.
UFC executive Marshall Zelaznik, who was handling UFC 163 post-fight press conference duties in lieu of company President Dana White, relayed their wishes to the media:
"Dana [White] and Joe [Silva] have confirmed, with a strong victory by Glover, then he probably gets the winner of the Jon Jones fight. Glover's got an opportunity to go for that belt with a big win, so we're expecting big things in Belo Horizonte."
Teixeira will fight Ryan Bader in the main event of UFC Fight Night 29 next month (Sept. 4) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. It wouldn't be the last time a fighter has earned a title shot by beating "Darth." Current champion Jon Jones did just that back in 2011 to earn his shot against Mauricio Rua and most recently, Machida himself was supposed to have earned a shot after knocking Bader out at UFC on Fox 4.
As long as Teixeira can pull it off, the Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson will be watching with baited breath.