:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/20084875/20130904_ajw_ooo_305.0.jpg)
Ricardo Lamas feels your pain.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight standout, Glover Teixeira, was all set to challenge Jon Jones for the 205-pound title in early 2014, after promotion president Dana White named him as (probable) division number one contender.
I guess Alexander Gustafsson didn't get the memo.
Despite being a +600 underdog, "The Mauler" turned in a career performance against "Bones" at the UFC 165 pay-per-view (PPV) event last Saturday night (Sept. 21, 2013) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (highlights), losing a close unanimous decision but doing enough damage to have fight fans calling for an immediate rematch.
And that doesn't sit well with Teixeira (via USA Today):
"Even I want to watch that fight again, but it's hard to say I'm okay with it, because I worked so hard to get this opportunity. I felt like I had my hands right there on the chance, and now they're going to take it away from me, and who knows for how long? It could be a year from now. It's really upsetting to me. There's no way I'm just going to sit around. I'm healthy. I'm good. I had a few minor injuries before the fight with Bader, but nothing major, and we're getting it taken care of. I could be ready to fight in three or four months, and I don't want to wait. If they're going to do this rematch, then I want to get in there and fight someone else. I want that title shot. That's all I want. I'll sit back and wait and cross my fingers."
"Jones vs. Gustafsson 2" is "a real good possibility" for Super Bowl Weekend.
If so, Teixeira (22-2) would need to notch his sixth-straight win inside the Octagon to keep his title hopes alive. The hard-hitting Brazilian is a perfect 5-0 since joining the ranks of ZUFFA in May of 2012, despite an "alarming" performance against Ryan Bader at UFC Fight Night 28 earlier this month in Brazil (see it again here).
If UFC does indeed make him wait, how about Glover Teixeira vs. Phil Davis for the next crack at the crown?
Get the latest gear
