"He Was So Relaxed": Glover Teixeira Explains What Made Prime Jon Jones Virtually Untouchable
Glover Teixeira fought prime Jon Jones, and it made him a fan instantly. The Brazilian broke down what made Jones practically 'untouchable' inside the octagon.
When former UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira stepped into the Octagon at UFC 172 in April 2014, he was riding an incredible 20-fight win streak. Armed with terrifying knockout power and high-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the Brazilian contender looked like the man to finally dethrone Jon Jones.
Instead, Teixeira spent 25 minutes trying to solve an impossible combat sports puzzle. Reflecting on their legendary title fight, Teixeira recently broke down what made prime "Bones" feel virtually untouchable inside the cage.
Teixeira admitted that Jones was the only opponent in his entire 42-fight professional career who made him feel like he simply could not land anything meaningful inside the cage. The official UFC stats from that night tell a clear story, with Jones landing 138 total strikes compared to just 53 for the challenger over five rounds.
To make matters worse, Jones set the tone early in the opening round by locking up a brutal standing shoulder crank. The unexpected move wrenched Teixeira's arm, tearing his labrum and compromising his punching power for the remainder of the night.
Glover Teixeira: The Hidden Rib Injury and Supreme Composure
Despite dealing with a torn labrum and a surgical performance from the champion, Teixeira did manage to land at least one strike that caught the king's attention. After the fight, Jones casually mentioned to Teixeira that one of his body kicks had actually hurt his rib, complimenting the Brazilian on his kicking power. Teixeira could only laugh at the late revelation, admitting his hilarious instant reaction was, "What? If I knew that, I would kick more."
That funny moment highlighted what truly separated Jones from every other fighter on the planet during his legendary light heavyweight championship reign. According to Teixeira, Jones was so relaxed because he could completely dominate the action without ever needing to overextend or put himself in harm's way. He stayed cool, masterfully controlled the distance, and picked his shots with surgical precision without ever risking a dangerous counterpunch.
That supreme composure allowed prime Jones to neutralize the most dangerous strikers in the sport while barely breaking a sweat. Teixeira would go on to achieve his own dream years later by winning the 205-pound belt at age 42, proving his own elite standing in MMA history. Still, his candid memories of fighting Jones offer a fascinating look into the mind of a hall-of-famer recognizing true greatness, showing why prime "Bones" remains the ultimate benchmark in mixed martial arts.
