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Jiri Prochazka Beats Glover Teixeira via Submission to Win Title at UFC 275

Jun 12, 2022
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - JUNE 12: Glover Teixeira of Brazil exchanges strikes with Jiri Prochazka of Czech Republic during their light Heavyweight Championship Fight at Singapore Indoor Stadium on June 12, 2022 in Singapore. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - JUNE 12: Glover Teixeira of Brazil exchanges strikes with Jiri Prochazka of Czech Republic during their light Heavyweight Championship Fight at Singapore Indoor Stadium on June 12, 2022 in Singapore. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)

Jiri Prochazka capped off his rapid ascent in the UFC with a fifth-round submission win over Glover Teixeira to capture the light heavyweight crown in the main event at UFC 275 from Kallang, Singapore.

It didn't take long for Prochazka to see more adversity than he saw in his first two UFC fights. Teixeira scored a single-leg takedown early in the first round, and the challenger spent much of the first round trying to get back to his feet.

The second round featured some of the highl-level striking that got Prochazka his quick shot to the title. He tattooed Teixeira with a few uppercuts and controlled most of the round. Then the champion came roaring back to complicate the scorecards.

A flying knee and two clean jabs to the nose created a turning point in the third round. Teixeira absorbed the punishment but had to survive the moments after the two jabs landed flush.

The wild swings in momentum continued in the fourth round. Teixeira nearly locked in an arm-triangle choke before Prochazka slid out and did some damage of his own.

The back-and-forth came to a shocking conclusion when an exhausted Prochaazka grabbed on to a Hail Mary rear-naked choke and drew the tap from Teixeira.

Prochazka's rise to the top has not taken long in the UFC. He brought a 10-fight win streak with him into his organizational debut. Of those 10 wins, only one was by decision.

In short, Prochazka has been knocking people out since his career started in 2012. We are just now seeing it happen in the UFC.

It only took two fights for Prochazka to earn his crack at the title. Now, he's the Czech Republic's first UFC champion.

“I’m so glad to fight for the Czech Republic—to represent such a small country,” he said, per E. Spencer Kyte of UFC.com. “We’re a small country with such big potential, but not everybody is living up to that potential, so I’m just trying to live my best.”

Prochazka not only expands the global reach of the UFC champion club, but he breathes new life into the light heavyweight title picture.

Since Jon Jones left to chase the heavyweight crown, the division has seen 39-year-old Jan Blachowicz and 42-year-old Teixeira win the belt. The two combined for just one successful title defense.

Prochazka has the confidence, unique style and skills to become a mainstay in the division for a while. He'll be looking to take on all comers and establish a new era in the division.

Valentina Shevchenko Beats Taila Santos via Split Decision at UFC 275

Jun 12, 2022
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - JUNE 12: Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan exchanges strikes with Taila Santos of Brazil during their Women's Flyweight Fight at Singapore Indoor Stadium on June 12, 2022 in Singapore. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - JUNE 12: Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan exchanges strikes with Taila Santos of Brazil during their Women's Flyweight Fight at Singapore Indoor Stadium on June 12, 2022 in Singapore. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)

Valentina Shevchenko successfully showed her dominance once again with a split-decision win over Taila Santos in the co-main event of UFC 275 from Kallang, Singapore.

The first round featured a rare moment of vulnerability for the champion. Santos took advantage of a miscalculation from the champion and took her back in transition from the clinch.

Santos had a body triangle and fished for a rear-naked choke after a neck crank but couldn't get anything locked in.

The 28-year-old's title bid became even more real in the second round. She was once again able to get the fight to the ground and held top position. Despite a gogoplata attempt from the champ, she held control over much of the round.

Santos met some unfortunate adversity in the fourth round. As Shevchenko started a combination, the two combatants butted heads and Santos' eye swelled shut as a result.

The fifth round saw both fighters have their moments. The competitive round put an inconclusive end to a fight that wasn't an easy one to score.

It's been established throughout Bullet's reign as the flyweight champion that she is the best fighter in the weight class.

Her win over Santos gives her seven consecutive title defenses. That run has included wins over Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Katlyn Chookagian and Jessica Andrade.

Of course, when someone has dominated a division for as long as she has, the next question inevitably becomes centered on a superfight. Shevchenko has already fought former bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes twice.

Her two losses to the Lioness are the only ones under the UFC banner. This win may have set up a trilogy if Nunes hadn't fought for the title, but Shevchenko has already spoken on the possibility of fighting current champion Julianna Pena.

“Definitely Julianna has all the chances to win, but if Amanda is gonna be in the same fight shape as when she fought me, I think she will get back her belt, and we are gonna still come back for this third fight,” Shevchenko said, per Nicolas Atkin of the South China Morning Post. “Either way I don’t care really. I can fight both of them at the same time, like whatever."

At this point, a fight with whoever is holding the bantamweight belt after Pena and Nunes' rematch is the only obvious answer for who Shevchenko should see next. She's proved time and time again to be too much for the contenders at 125 pounds.

What:UFC 275 Where:Singapore Indoor Stadium, Kallang, Singapore When:June 11 How to Watch:ESPN+ PPV What's at Stake:Another...