UFC: Santos vs. Teixeira Rescheduled for November 7

Thiago Santos UFC 239 UFC Vegas 13
Thiago Santos Credit: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press

A fight between top UFC light heavyweights Thiago Santos and Glover Teixeira is expected to headline an event on November 7 in Las Vegas.

ESPN reports that the light heavyweight match-up between Thiago Santos and Glover Teixeira has been rescheduled for a third time and will headline the UFC event on November 7.  The bout was scheduled previously for September 12 and later for October 3 but positive tests for COVID-19 for both men led to the fight being moved until after the UFC returns from Fight Island.

Thiago Santos will be fighting for the first time in over a year after facing then light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones for the undisputed title last July.  Santos took the champion to the limit but would come up short in a split-decision.  During the fight, Santos took heavy damage to both knees and required surgery and rehabilitation which led to his long layoff.  Prior to the fight with Jones, Santos had moved up to 205 pounds where he went on a four fight win-streak that included stoppages of Eryk Anders, Jimi Manuwa, and Jan Blachowicz.

Glover Teixeira is currently on a four fight win-streak, his best since run since 2016.  The former title challenger has successfully turned away Nikita Krylov, Ion Cutelaba, and Karl Roberson after a rough stretch that saw him alternate wins and losses.  In May, Teixeira stopped top contender Anthony Smith in one of the more brutal finishes of 2020.