Johnny Eblen says training with Glover Teixeira was a pivotal moment in his career

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Johnny Eblen stayed perfect with a big knockout at Bellator 258 and said a big name in the sport was a major contributor to his current path.

Eblen (8-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) stopped Daniel Madrid (18-7 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) in the first round of their middleweight fight on the prelims at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. It was Eblen’s first finish in Bellator after three straight decision wins.

He said crossing paths with upcoming UFC light heavyweight title challenger Glover Teixeira early in his career helped set the tone for the path he’s on right now as a ranked Bellator fighter.

Check out Eblen’s full post-fight news conference in the video above.