UFC Fight Night 171: Smith vs. Teixeira | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Tito Wordsmith
- May 21
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 171: Smith vs. Teixeira took place on May 13, 2020 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida — the second of three events the UFC staged in just six days as it roared back from an eight-week COVID-19 shutdown. With no fans in the building, Glover Teixeira delivered a dominant, relentless performance to stop Anthony Smith in the fifth round. The stoppage came much later than it should have, sparking a fierce debate about fighter safety that echoed long after fight night.
Beyond the controversy, the card delivered a rare ankle lock submission from Thiago Moises, a third consecutive TKO finish from Drew Dober, and a spirited prelim war for the Fight of the Night. FN 171 was a key piece of the UFC's pandemic-era comeback story.
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2020
📍 Venue: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
👥 Attendance: 0 (behind closed doors — COVID-19 pandemic)
📺 Broadcast: ESPN+ (UFC on ESPN+ 29)
🏆 Main Event: Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira — Light Heavyweight
✅ Result: Glover Teixeira def. Anthony Smith via TKO (Punches) (Round 5, 1:04)
🥇 Champion: Title not on the line
The Build-Up
FN 171 was the second event of the UFC's three-events-in-six-days Jacksonville run following the COVID-19 shutdown. UFC 249 (Ferguson vs. Gaethje) had taken place on May 9, and FN 172 (Overeem vs. Harris) would follow on May 16. All three were held at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena with zero fans in attendance. The UFC was staging the first major combat sports events in North America since the pandemic began.
Smith and Teixeira had originally been booked for a cancelled April 25 event in Lincoln, Nebraska. Both were former light heavyweight title challengers on winning streaks. Smith had submitted Gustafsson; Teixeira had finished both Roberson and Cutelaba. A scheduled middleweight bout between Karl Roberson and Marvin Vettori was cancelled on the day of the event after Roberson suffered medical issues attempting to cut weight after missing the mark at 187.5 lbs.
Main Event: Teixeira vs. Smith
Glover Teixeira dominated the later rounds completely, stopping Anthony Smith with punches from full mount at 1:04 of round five. The result was correct — the timing was the issue. Smith absorbed catastrophic damage across rounds three through five while neither his corner nor the referee intervened. Smith was reportedly heard saying his teeth were falling out during the fight; Jon Jones reacted publicly post-fight; and referee Jason Herzog later addressed the controversy. The controversy became one of the most referenced non-stoppages in recent UFC history.
Teixeira, 40 years old at the time, demonstrated his elite wrestling and ground-and-pound combination that would define his final title run. His 7:50 of ground control time told the story — once he dragged Smith to the canvas in the middle rounds, there was only one direction the fight was heading. For Teixeira, this performance was the opening act of a champion's story that climaxed with a second-round submission of Jan Blachowicz for the LHW title at UFC 267 in October 2021.
Co-Main Event: Rothwell vs. Saint Preux
Ben Rothwell edged Ovince Saint Preux over three rounds via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) in a heavyweight clash that marked OSP's first bout at the division after years at light heavyweight. The fight was cautious and tactical, with Rothwell controlling with his size advantage. Neither man made a significant push for title contention as a result.
Full Results
Main Card
Glover Teixeira def. Anthony Smith — TKO (Punches) (Round 5, 1:04)
Ben Rothwell def. Ovince Saint Preux — Decision (Split) (Round 3, 5:00)
Drew Dober def. Alexander Hernandez — TKO (Punches) (Round 2, 4:25)
Ricky Simon def. Ray Borg — Decision (Split) (Round 3, 5:00)
Andrei Arlovski def. Philipe Lins — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Thiago Moises def. Michael Johnson — Submission (Ankle Lock) (Round 2, 0:25)
Karl Roberson vs. Marvin Vettori — CANCELLED (Roberson medical issues from weight cut)
Preliminary Card
Sijara Eubanks def. Sarah Moras — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Omar Morales def. Gabriel Benitez — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Brian Kelleher def. Hunter Azure — TKO (Punch) (Round 2, 3:40) — Fight of the Night
Chase Sherman def. Ike Villanueva — TKO (Elbow) (Round 2, 0:49)
Bonuses & Awards
🏆 Performance of the Night: Glover Teixeira ($50,000) — TKO of Anthony Smith, Round 5, 1:04
🏆 Performance of the Night: Drew Dober ($50,000) — TKO of Alexander Hernandez, Round 2, 4:25
🥊 Fight of the Night: Brian Kelleher vs. Hunter Azure ($50,000 each)
Records & Milestones
🥊 Part of the UFC's first three-events-in-six-days run — the most compressed event schedule in the promotion's pandemic-era comeback.
🥊 Glover Teixeira, at 40 years old, began his title run here. He would claim the UFC LHW championship at UFC 267 in October 2021, aged 42.
🥊 Thiago Moises's ankle lock of Michael Johnson was one of the rarest submission finishes in UFC history.
🥊 Drew Dober's TKO was his third consecutive finish, establishing him as one of the most dangerous strikers in the lightweight division.
Legacy & Impact
UFC Fight Night 171 is part of the historic Jacksonville run that proved large-scale combat sports could operate safely during a pandemic. The three-events-in-six-days model demonstrated to the sporting world that structured bubbles could work, paving the way for the Fight Island concept in Abu Dhabi and the UFC Apex model in Las Vegas.
The main event left two legacies: the controversy around the non-stoppage became a reference point in fighter safety debates, while Glover Teixeira's performance launched the final, triumphant chapter of his career. His title win at UFC 267 in October 2021 — at 42 years old — is one of the most celebrated in the division's history, and it all started in Jacksonville in a building with no fans.
FAQ
Why was the Smith vs. Teixeira stoppage controversial?
Smith absorbed heavy punishment across rounds three through five while neither his corner nor referee Jason Herzog intervened. Smith was reportedly heard saying his teeth were falling out during the fight. The controversy became a reference point in debates about fighter safety and corner responsibility.
Why was Roberson vs. Vettori cancelled at UFC Fight Night 171?
Karl Roberson weighed in at 187.5 lbs, 1.5 lbs over the limit, and was fined 20% of his purse. He attempted to cut the extra weight after the weigh-in and suffered medical issues, forcing his withdrawal on fight day. Vettori remained as an alternate but did not compete.
Did Glover Teixeira win the UFC light heavyweight title?
Yes. After this win, Teixeira continued his late-career surge and submitted Jan Blachowicz in round two to claim the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 267 in October 2021 — at age 42. It was one of the most celebrated title wins in the division's history.
What was the significance of UFC Fight Night 171 in the COVID timeline?
FN 171 was the second of three events the UFC held in Jacksonville between May 9 and May 16, 2020 — the first cluster of major combat sports events in North America after the COVID-19 shutdown. The success of these events proved sports could operate safely in a controlled bubble and paved the way for other sports and the UFC's own Fight Island concept.
What was rare about Thiago Moises's finish at UFC Fight Night 171?
Moises submitted Michael Johnson with an ankle lock in round two — one of the rarest submission types in UFC history. Ankle locks require precise timing and positional control, and they almost never appear as finishing moves at the highest level.
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