Tallison Teixeira never dreamt of being in this position so early in his career, headlining UFC Nashville against knockout artist Derrick Lewis this Saturday in Nashville, and that could forever change his life.
The unbeaten 25-year-old prospect made short work of Justin Tafa in his UFC debut this past February, scoring a vicious 35-second knockout in enemy territory at UFC 312, and now gets Lewis as his next assignment. Facing such a veteran in his second UFC appearance, shows “the organization has a ton of faith in me” and would certainly mean a giant leap in heavyweight rankings with another impressive finish.
“I’ve had already thought about the possibility of, in case I put on a similar performance now, I see myself fighting a top-5 as soon as possible,” Teixeira told MMA Fighting. “I think that beating Derrick now, maybe next is Sergei [Pavlovich] or Curtis Blaydes, a name like that. I really wanted Marcin Tybura but he already has a fight booked, so what can I do? It’s no longer possible.”
“I think it’s an easy fight, to be honest,” he said when asked why Tybura next. “I believe Derrick Lewis is one of the most dangerous guys in the top 10 because of his knockout power, it’s absurd, and Tybura is the easiest. It’s good to make money, right? I beat the harder one [Lewis], I’d get paid the same to beat the easier one.
“I’m early in my career. I was talking to my manager, if you beat the toughest ones now, when you start to get paid more you have no one left to beat [laughs].”
Teixeira never went past the first round as a professional, an impressive run of eight finishes since October 2021. The UFC deal came with a two-minute destruction of Arthur Lopes at Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2024, with the beatdown of Tafa next.
“I think this fight [with Lewis] is a good opportunity, a good match-up,” Teixeira said. “He’s more like a brawler, and I’m also the type of guy that don’t miss opportunities. I’ve been working my hands and I have good jiu-jitsu, good takedowns, so it’s a good match-up for me style-wise.
“I never expect an easy fight and all, but I always think I’ll get the knockout or submission. I hardly say, ‘Damn, this one will go to a decision. I always give my all, you know? And I know I have great knockout power in my hands. I see myself finishing Derrick Lewis in the first or second rounds. I don’t see it going to the third or fourth rounds. I think I’ll end him in the first or second.”
Tom Aspinall was finally named undisputed UFC heavyweight champion with Jon Jones announcing his retirement from the sport, which means the belt should be put on the line after a long wait. With that in mind, and a prediction of electric finishes ahead, Teixeira sees championship success in 2026.
“Now that Jon Jones has retired, and the division is finally rolling, I expect to be fighting for the belt before the end of next year,” Teixeira said. “Fight Derrick now, and I hope to fight one more time this year, and next year I’ll be fighting for the belt. I want to make history in this organization, you know? I think I have the potential to do that, and it’s all about working hard to get there.”
“I think the only one that could stop [Aspinall] right now would be ‘Malhadinho,’” said Teixeira, referring to Jailton Almeida. “I don’t see [Ciryl] Gane beating him. I don’t think Sergei wins either. So I think the most likely to win would be ‘Malhadinho’. It’s good that the belt would come to Bahia one way or the other. If ‘Malhadinho’ doesn’t take his belt, I got it.”
Teixeira was just a 10-year-old kid when “The Black Beast” entered a MMA cage for the first time as a professional in 2010, and they now share the octagon in the main event of UFC Nashville. For the Brazilian, a battle of youth versus experience, an unbeaten rise against stumbling heavyweight, play no factor when it’s time to trade punches inside an octagon.
“To be honest with you, I don’t think any of us have this pressure,” Teixeira said. “Man, he stands in the octagon on an underwear. I don’t think he cares too much about this [laughs]. And myself, even though it’s a main event and it’s something very important, my head works really well with that. I see it as just another fight. I don’t feel like, ‘Oh, it’s a main event, it’s a very experienced guy.’
“It’s just one more fight, just another adversity I have to get past in order to get where I want. Before I walk out I think it’s just another Saturday and there’s a new heavyweight in the gym and we have to spar, and there some people watching. That makes me feel more relaxed when I get inside the octagon. Fighting is already a huge responsibility. You’re in the octagon with a person that plans to kill you. That pressure is great already. Other than that, it’s all good.”
