UFC Nashville headliner Tallison Teixeira believes it’ll be either him or one other Brazilian heavyweight who dethrones Tom Aspinall.
Saturday’s UFC Fight Night major event offers the prospect for a brand new name to interrupt into title contention within the heavyweight division, as newcomer Teixeira makes just his second appearance contained in the Octagon since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Following Teixeira’s 35-second debut knockout against Justin Tafa, the 25-year-old prospect has received an enormous opportunity against multi-time title challenger Derrick Lewis.
With a victory on fight night in Nashville, ‘Xicao’ expects to start a quick charge to the heavyweight king.
Tallison Teixeira plans to unseat Tom Aspinall if Jailton Almeida doesn’t do it first
Talking to MMA Fighting ahead of his second UFC fight and maiden major event, Teixeira outlined his plan to make a fast rise toward the heavyweight gold.
After getting past Lewis, the all-time leader in UFC knockouts, ‘Xicao’ expects a victory over a reputation like Curtis Blaydes or Sergei Pavlovich to set the stage for his first championship opportunity in 2026.
When he reaches the highest, Teixeira is confident of being the one to take the title from Aspinall. That’s, if considered one of his fellow countrymen hasn’t got there first.
“Now that Jon Jones has retired, and the division is finally rolling, I expect to be fighting for the belt before the tip of next yr,” Teixeira said. “Fight Derrick now, and I hope to fight yet one more time this yr, and next yr I’ll be fighting for the belt…perhaps next is Sergei or Curtis Blaydes, a reputation like that.
“I feel the just one that might stop (Aspinall) at once could be ‘Malhadinho’ (Jailton Almeida),” Teixeira continued. “I don’t see (Ciryl) Gane beating him. I don’t think Sergei wins either. So I feel the most definitely to win could be ‘Malhadinho’.
“It’s good that the belt would come to Bahia someway. If ‘Malhadinho’ doesn’t take his belt, I got it.”
It doesn’t seem like Jailton Almeida is getting his want to challenge Tom Aspinall
Should Almeida get the prospect to prove Teixeira correct contained in the Octagon, it seems that he has more work to do against a fellow contender.
After Jones retired and Aspinall became undisputed heavyweight champion, ‘Malhadinho’ was immediately probably the most vocal in calling out the Englishman. However it seems one other contender — likely Gane — has received the nod.
The Brazilian recently took to X and hinted at a possible title eliminator against the third of Aspinall’s potential next foes, Alexander Volkov, as a substitute.
“Excellent news (is) coming,” Almeida wrote on X. “Volkov already agreed. I said near his home in Abu Dhabi, he said in my home in Brazil, each said October or November, so…let’s go! I just like the fight, he likes the fight and UFC likes the fight! @Mickmaynard2 @danawhite”
Should those two be tied up in a fight, it will seemingly leave only ‘Bon Gamin’ as a viable challenger for Aspinall in the approaching months.