Tallison Teixeira is the tallest fighter on the UFC roster as we speak at 80 inches, and the Brazilian will tower over his UFC 312 opponent Justin Tafa this weekend in Sydney. Tafa is without doubt one of the shortest males within the UFC’s heavyweight division (72 inches), giving “Xicão” big benefit.
Teixeira, nevertheless, doesn’t deal with it as clear signal that he’ll dominate his rival within the cage.
“I usually battle guys which might be 75 inches or over so he’s the shortest to date, however he has heavy palms,” Teixeira informed MMA Combating. “I believe some individuals have this false phantasm that measurement helps loads. It does if you know the way to make use of it. If you know the way to make use of the weapons you could have… If that didn’t matter individuals wouldn’t go to basketball, they’d all go to MMA, proper?”
“I’m extra used to combating individuals his measurement than he’s combating individuals my measurement,” he continued. “I don’t assume there’s anybody with my measurement within the MMA scene proper now. The one dangerous a part of being this large is takedowns. It’s more durable to take down folks that brief [laughs]. Tafa is brief for the division however I can’t underestimate him as a result of he has heavy palms — and heavy palms damage even once they come from down there.”
Stefan Struve was the tallest fighter in UFC historical past (84.2 inches) and has scored large wins all through his 13-11 profession within the firm, defeating legends like Stipe Miocic and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Sergei Pavlovich has an 84-inch attain and stands as one in all highest-ranked heavyweights within the UFC as we speak. But, Teixeira sees each as examples of fighters who don’t make one of the best use of their bodily attributes.
“When an individual is just too tall they usually find yourself being slower and unorthodox. Like Struve, who was taller than me however didn’t have a protracted profession,” mentioned Teixeira, who additionally has an extremely lengthy attain (84.5 inches). “It’s a must to know the best way to discover each side of it. Pavlovich has this gigantic attain, however typically prefers to shut the gap on the ft. Being tall or having lengthy attain doesn’t at all times offers you benefit should you don’t know the best way to work correctly. Should you do, it’s a bonus. Should you don’t, then it makes no distinction.”
The 25-year-old Brazilian walked by means of Arthur Lopes at Dana White’s Contender Collection to earn a cope with the UFC and was booked in opposition to Lukasz Brzeski in December. He was pressured off UFC 310 with an harm, however rapidly re-booked in opposition to Tafa for the Feb. 8 pay-per-view present.
Teixeira mentioned he has envisioned this battle “1,000,000 instances in my head,” and is ready to steadiness the anxiousness of creating the primary stroll to the UFC cage in enemy territory to emerge victorious ultimately.
“Justin is a southpaw so I needed to make some changes and adjustments [from Brzeski], however the gameplan itself doesn’t change a lot,” Teixeira mentioned. “They’re each harmful, after all, however I believe it doesn’t change a lot after I’m imposing my recreation, you realize? I’ve envisioned myself taking him down and submitting, I’ve envisioned floor and pound end, standing knockouts, however I’ve seen myself profitable a choice as properly. It’s my debut, so profitable is what issues proper now. I rushed for the end in all my fights, however now could be time to be affected person and win.”
