Glover Teixeira not retiring after boxing Shogun Rua, jokes he wants ‘easier’ matches next

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira has emerged from retirement for a boxing match against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, another ex-champion, on August 29 at Spaten Fight Night 3 in São Paulo, Brazil. Unlike Rua, who declared this bout his final competitive appearance, Teixeira left the door open for future fights, though he tempered expectations about his boxing career at age 47.

At the pre-fight press conference, Teixeira said he trained intensively for the eight-round clash but joked about potential next opponents, mentioning the possibility of "easier" bouts against social media influencers—similar to what former boxing champion Acelino "Popó" Freitas has pursued in recent years. He named Brazilian influencer Kleber "Bambam" as a hypothetical target while keeping his focus squarely on Rua.

The two legends came close to fighting in the UFC but never materialized the bout until now, in boxing trim. Teixeira acknowledged the constraint of the ruleset: with wrestling and kicks prohibited, he loses his primary MMA advantages against a fighter whose striking he deeply respects. He recalled watching Rua in PRIDE as an up-and-coming fighter and cited his clash with Dan Henderson as a career highlight. Both retired on the same night in January 2023—Teixeira losing a title bid to Jamahal Hill, Rua stopped by Ihor Potieria—but Teixeira stressed that legacy no longer drives him. Instead, he framed the opportunity to compete on live Brazilian television against such an honorable opponent as privilege enough, while predicting both men's heavy hands could produce a knockout ending.