‘Lionheart’ Vs. Teixeira Set For UFC Lincoln Headliner

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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title challengers Anthony Smith and Glover Teixeira are set to lock horns at an upcoming Fight Night event on April 25 live on ESPN+ form inside Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, per a recent UFC announcement.

While the UFC Lincoln card remains a work in progress, Smith vs. Teixeira is expected to serve as the headliner, which would be the fifth-straight main event for “Lionheart.”

Smith, 31, is coming off a masterful performance at UFC Fight Night 153 in which he submitted former title challenger Alexander Gustafsson via fourth-round submission. Before that, “Lionheart” came up short in his first ever UFC title shot when he met light heavyweight king Jon Jones at UFC 235, losing via unanimous decision. All in all, Smith has compiled a 4-1 record since making his 205-pound debut in 2018. A victory on home soil should position Smith to fight his way into another title shot by years’ end.

Teixeira, 40, has experienced a bit of a resurgence of late after going 3-3 inside of the Octagon from 2016-2018. In 2019, the former UFC light heavyweight title challenger compiled a perfect 3-0 record with notable finishes over Karl Roberson and Ion Cutelaba. While the Brazilian veteran isn’t quite was he used to be when he amassed a 5-0 record to start his UFC career, Teixeira remains a serviceable contender capable of finishing almost anybody in the division.

Here are some additional matchups currently lined up for UFC Lincoln:

Women’s Flyweight: Antonina Shevchenko vs. Cynthia Calvillo
Lightweight: Evan Dunham vs. Michael Johnson
Middleweight: Andrew Sanchez vs. Zak Cummings
Welterweight: Anthony Rocco Martin vs. David Zawada

Stick with Mania for ongoing UFC Lincoln fight card news.