Tallison Teixeira’s journey through the professional mixed martial arts ranks has been nothing short of meteoric. The undefeated 25-year-old finds himself in an unexpected spotlight this Saturday, poised to headline a major UFC event in Nashville against perennial heavyweight contender and notorious knockout artist, Derrick Lewis. This rapid ascent, occurring so early in his career and culminating in a main event spot in just his second UFC appearance, underscores the significant confidence the organization appears to have placed in the promising prospect.
Teixeira burst onto the UFC scene with authority in February, delivering a stunning 35-second knockout victory over Justin Tafa at UFC 312. This emphatic debut followed a string of similarly decisive performances on the regional circuit and Dana White`s Contender Series, where he secured a UFC contract with a swift two-minute finish. Across his eight professional victories, none have required more than one round to achieve the finish.
Facing a veteran of Derrick Lewis’s caliber represents a substantial step up, yet Teixeira approaches the challenge with notable composure. He views the high-profile main event as simply another hurdle to overcome on his path. While acknowledging Lewis`s fearsome knockout power, which he deems “absurd,” Teixeira also expressed a somewhat pragmatic, perhaps even slightly ironic, perspective on future opponents. He suggested that after navigating the challenge Lewis presents, facing others in the top 10 might appear less daunting, offering a potentially “easier” path while earning potentially higher compensation once he reaches higher pay tiers. “If you beat the toughest ones now,” he mused regarding the early stage of his career, “when you start to get paid more you have no one left to beat.”
Style-wise, Teixeira believes the match-up with Lewis is favorable. He characterizes Lewis as primarily a brawler, contrasting it with his own skillset which includes developed striking, solid jiu-jitsu, and effective takedowns. Despite the magnitude of the occasion, he maintains a fighter`s conviction, consistently anticipating a finish rather than a lengthy decision, predicting he will end the fight against Lewis within the first or second round. He rarely anticipates a bout going to the judges` scorecards.
Looking beyond this immediate high-stakes encounter, Teixeira`s ambition is clearly fixed on the ultimate prize. With Jon Jones having retired and Tom Aspinall recognized as the undisputed champion, the heavyweight division`s landscape is shifting. Teixeira confidently projects that he will be fighting for the UFC heavyweight championship by the end of 2026. To achieve this ambitious timeline, he plans to follow the Lewis fight with at least one more bout this year, positioning himself for a title challenge next year. His overarching goal is to “make history” within the organization, a feat he believes is within his potential through dedicated effort.
In evaluating the current top contenders in the division, Teixeira offered his assessment. While acknowledging Aspinall`s standing, he singled out fellow Brazilian Jailton Almeida as potentially the only fighter capable of stopping Aspinall at this moment. He expressed doubt that Ciryl Gane or Sergei Pavlovich would defeat the champion. This perspective highlights a potential future clash between Brazilian heavyweights for divisional supremacy, a scenario Teixeira seems to welcome, stating that if Almeida doesn`t claim the belt, he intends to.
For Teixeira, who was just 10 years old when Derrick Lewis made his professional MMA debut in 2010, sharing the octagon in a main event represents a significant milestone. Yet, he insists that the dynamics of youth versus extensive experience, or his unbeaten streak against Lewis`s veteran status, don`t weigh heavily on him. He views the fight through the lens of professional necessity – another Saturday, another high-level sparring session in front of an audience – a mindset he cultivates to manage the inherent pressure of stepping into the octagon with someone intent on victory. His focus remains solely on navigating this crucial test to advance his goal of making history within the organization and achieving championship status.
