UFC 267: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Ariel Helwhiney
- 11 hours ago
- 8 min read
Introduction
UFC 267: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira took place on Saturday, October 30, 2021 at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. It was the most loaded card the UFC had ever held on Fight Island, the night a 42-year-old veteran completed one of the most remarkable late-career arcs in MMA history, and a launching pad for several of the careers that would define the mid-2020s. The card produced an estimated 400,000 pay-per-view buys.
Glover Teixeira had been signed to the UFC for over nine years. He had lost the previous light-heavyweight title fight at UFC 172 in April 2014 (a one-sided unanimous-decision loss to Jon Jones), fallen down the rankings through the late 2010s, and rebuilt his career with a four-fight win streak that included a submission of Anthony Smith and a TKO of Thiago Santos. At 42, he was the second-oldest first-time UFC champion in promotion history. He took Jan Blachowicz's back in round two, locked in a tight rear-naked choke at 3:02, and finished it. The reaction in his corner — Teixeira sobbing, his longtime coach embracing him — became one of the defining images of 2021.
The co-main saw Petr Yan reclaim half the bantamweight conversation by winning the interim title over Cory Sandhagen — a 50-45 / 49-46 / 49-46 unanimous decision after his DQ loss to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259. Khamzat Chimaev returned from an 18-month COVID-19 layoff with a first-round D'Arce choke of Li Jingliang on the main card — his first PPV main-card appearance and the start of his rise to top-five welterweight contender status.
Contents
• FAQ
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, October 30, 2021
📍 Venue: Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE
👥 Attendance: 9,500
💰 Gate: Undisclosed
📺 PPV Buys: ~400,000
📡 Broadcast: Pay-per-view (ESPN+ in USA)
🏆 Main Event: Jan Blachowicz (c) vs. Glover Teixeira — UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (205 lbs)
✅ Result: Teixeira def. Blachowicz via Submission (rear-naked choke) — R2, 3:02
🥇 Co-Main: Petr Yan def. Cory Sandhagen via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) — Interim Bantamweight Title
The Build-Up
Glover Teixeira's path to UFC 267 was the longest in modern UFC championship history. The Brazilian had been signed to the UFC in 2012 at age 32, won his first eight UFC bouts, fought Jon Jones for the title at UFC 172 in April 2014 (a one-sided loss), and then spent years in the upper-middle rankings without reaching another title shot. He had lost five bouts between 2014 and 2018, including TKO defeats to Ovince Saint Preux and Alexander Gustafsson. By 2018 he was 38 years old and widely written off.
The rebuild started in 2019. Teixeira went 5-0 over the next two and a half years, with the most notable wins being a third-round TKO of Anthony Smith in May 2020 and a TKO of Thiago Santos in October 2020. By UFC 267, he was 32-7 with a five-fight win streak and 42 years old — about to become either the oldest first-time UFC champion or the oldest contender to fall short.
Jan Blachowicz entered as the first-time defender after his UFC 259 unanimous-decision win over Israel Adesanya. The Pole had defended successfully once already (against Adesanya) and was the -180 favourite over the older Teixeira. The pre-fight cycle was respectful — Blachowicz openly acknowledged Teixeira's longevity and made clear he expected a five-round fight.
Main Event: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira
Round one was Blachowicz's. He used his straight left hand to find Teixeira's chin three times in the first three minutes, scored a takedown in the final minute, and finished the round on top. The judges had it 10-9 Blachowicz across the board. The narrative of the fight — Teixeira being too old, too slow, and too dependent on his ground game — looked accurate.
Round two changed everything. Teixeira shot for a takedown at the 1:00 mark; Blachowicz defended. They returned to the centre of the cage. At 2:30, Teixeira found the level change he had been waiting for, brought Blachowicz to the canvas, and immediately worked into a back-mount position. By 3:00, he had locked in a rear-naked choke. Blachowicz tapped at 3:02 of round two.
Glover Teixeira was the UFC light-heavyweight champion. At 42 years and 28 days old at the time of the fight, he became the second-oldest first-time UFC champion in promotion history (behind Randy Couture, who won the heavyweight title at 43). The reaction in his corner was emotional: Teixeira sobbing, his longtime coach John Hackleman embracing him, and the Brazilian flag draped over his shoulders by the time he reached the centre of the cage.
In his post-fight interview, Teixeira summarised his nine-year journey: "I never stopped believing. They said I was too old. I'm 42 — and I'm the champion." His title reign would last just under seven months. He lost the belt to Jiri Prochazka at UFC 275 in June 2022 by fifth-round rear-naked choke in one of the great championship five-rounders of the decade.
Co-Main Event: Yan vs. Sandhagen
Petr Yan reclaimed half the bantamweight conversation after his DQ loss at UFC 259. He outboxed Cory Sandhagen across five rounds, controlled distance with the jab, and avoided the spinning attacks Sandhagen wanted. Final scorecards: 50-45, 49-46, 49-46. Yan was the interim UFC bantamweight champion.
The unification fight with Aljamain Sterling materialised at UFC 273 in April 2022 — a competitive split-decision win for Sterling that Yan disputed. The Yan-Sterling series final ledger remained 3-0 Sterling across their three meetings, but Yan's striking output and overall body of work made him one of the most decorated bantamweight contenders of the era.
Full Results
Main Card (Pay-Per-View)
Glover Teixeira def. Jan Blachowicz (c) — Submission (rear-naked choke) — R2, 3:02 — Light Heavyweight Title
Petr Yan def. Cory Sandhagen — Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) — Interim Bantamweight Title
Khamzat Chimaev def. Li Jingliang — Submission (D'Arce choke) — R1, 3:16 — Welterweight
Islam Makhachev def. Dan Hooker — Submission (kimura) — R1, 2:25 — Lightweight
Magomed Ankalaev def. Volkan Oezdemir — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Light Heavyweight
Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+)
Alexander Volkov def. Marcin Tybura — Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) — Heavyweight
Albert Duraev def. Roman Kopylov — Unanimous Decision (30-27 ×3) — Middleweight
Ricky Glenn def. N/A (Correction: Glenn fought Joaquim Silva to a Majority Draw 28-28, 27-29, 28-28) — Lightweight
Tagir Ulanbekov def. Allan Nascimento — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Flyweight
Bonuses & Awards
🥇 Performance of the Night: Glover Teixeira — $50,000 for the second-round rear-naked choke of Jan Blachowicz to claim the light-heavyweight title.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Khamzat Chimaev — $50,000 for the first-round D'Arce choke of Li Jingliang.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Islam Makhachev — $50,000 for the first-round kimura submission of Dan Hooker.
Records & Milestones
• Glover Teixeira, 42 years and 28 days old at the time of the fight, became the second-oldest first-time UFC champion in promotion history (behind Randy Couture).
• Teixeira's nine-year, 23-fight UFC journey to the title was one of the longest in promotion history.
• Petr Yan claimed the interim bantamweight title to reset the post-DQ trajectory of his career.
• Khamzat Chimaev's first PPV main-card appearance after his 18-month COVID-19 layoff — the start of his rise to top-five welterweight contender status.
• Islam Makhachev's ninth consecutive UFC win — part of the climb that would carry him to the lightweight title at UFC 280 a year later.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 267 is remembered as one of the most under-the-radar but historically significant UFC cards of 2021. The Teixeira title win was the emotional centerpiece; the broader card produced four major performance bonuses, the rise of Khamzat Chimaev and Islam Makhachev as top contenders, and the formal reclamation of Petr Yan's championship trajectory.
Glover Teixeira's title reign was brief but historic. He lost the belt to Jiri Prochazka at UFC 275 in June 2022 by fifth-round rear-naked choke in a Fight of the Year nominee, and lost his retirement bout against Jamahal Hill at UFC 283 in January 2023. He retired with a 33-9 career record and a final title-fight win at age 42 — a permanent place in the UFC's elder-champion conversation.
For Jan Blachowicz, the loss was the second of his career-defining title-defense stretch. He went 1-2-1 in the four bouts that followed (a draw with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 282, a No Contest with Aleksandar Rakic, and a loss to Ankalaev at UFC FN in 2024) before retiring in 2024.
For Khamzat Chimaev, Islam Makhachev, and Magomed Ankalaev — all of whom won on the main card — UFC 267 was the launching pad for the next two years of their careers. Makhachev would win the lightweight title at UFC 280 in October 2022. Ankalaev would receive a light-heavyweight title shot at UFC 282 in December 2022 (majority draw with Blachowicz). Chimaev would extend his UFC win streak to seven before injuries and weight-cutting issues slowed his ascent.
FAQ
How old was Glover Teixeira when he won the title?
42 years and 28 days old. He was the second-oldest first-time UFC champion in promotion history, behind only Randy Couture (who won the UFC heavyweight title at age 43 in 1997 and again at age 43 in 2007). Teixeira's nine-year, 23-fight UFC career before claiming the title was one of the longest in promotion history.
How did Teixeira finish Blachowicz?
Rear-naked choke at 3:02 of round two from a back-mount position. After losing round one, Teixeira found a level change at 2:30 of round two, brought Blachowicz to the canvas, and immediately worked into the back-mount. Blachowicz tapped within 32 seconds of the choke being secured. It was a textbook submission and the most decisive finish of any 2021 UFC light-heavyweight title fight.
What happened to Petr Yan after UFC 267?
Yan held the interim bantamweight title until the unification fight with Aljamain Sterling at UFC 273 in April 2022, which Sterling won by split decision. Yan disputed the result publicly. He fought Sterling a third time at UFC 280 in October 2022 (Sterling won by submission). Final Yan-Sterling series ledger: 3-0 Sterling. Yan remained one of the top-three bantamweight contenders through the mid-2020s.
Was Khamzat Chimaev's win really his first PPV main-card appearance?
Yes. Chimaev had debuted in the UFC in July 2020 with three consecutive UFC FN finishes (against John Phillips, Rhys McKee, and Gerald Meerschaert), then contracted COVID-19 in September 2020 — a case severe enough that he publicly considered retirement and was sidelined for 13 months. UFC 267 was his return to competition and his first PPV main-card appearance. The first-round D'Arce choke of Li Jingliang was the start of a six-fight UFC win streak that took him to a top-five welterweight ranking.
How long did Teixeira's title reign last?
Just under seven months. Teixeira defended once unsuccessfully at UFC 275 in June 2022 against Jiri Prochazka — a fifth-round rear-naked choke loss in a Fight of the Year nominee in which Teixeira was on the brink of winning by decision when Prochazka caught the submission. Teixeira retired after losing his retirement bout against Jamahal Hill at UFC 283 in January 2023.
How does UFC 267 compare to UFC 266?
UFC 267 drew approximately 400,000 PPV buys versus UFC 266 (750,000) five weeks earlier. The 350,000-buy drop reflected the move to Abu Dhabi (a less PPV-friendly market) and the absence of marquee American draws. UFC 267 was still a strong number for a non-marquee card with two title fights and produced perhaps the highest in-cage quality of any 2021 UFC PPV.
Comments