For his first title defense, UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira has a tall task ahead of him.
Teixeira is set to defend his belt against top contender Jiri Prochazka on May 7 at UFC 274. The news was first reported by UFC broadcast partner ESPN and subsequently confirmed by Prochazka, who tweeted a photo of himself signing his bout agreement.
UFC 274 doesn’t currently have an announced location, but multiple people have told MMA Junkie’s Nolan King that it’s targeted for Rio, which would serve as the promotion’s return to Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Teixeira (33-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC), 42, hopes to continue a remarkable run in the twilight of his career. No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie light heavyweight rankings, Teixeira claimed the title with a submission of Jan Blachowicz last October at UFC 267, which pushed his winning streak to six in a row. Five of those six wins have been finishes.
Prochazka (28-3-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), 29, will enter with a 12-fight overall winning streak, which includes his first two UFC bouts. Prochazka, the former RIZIN FF light heavyweight champ, won in spectacular fashion in his most recent bout, knocking out Dominick Reyes with a spinning back elbow last May. Prochazka is No. 6 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.
Glover Teixeira’s first title defense vs. Jiri Prochazka set for UFC 274 on May 7