Fighters On The Rise | UFC Nashville

Seldom do headliners make this series but rarely do athletes top the marquee in their second trip into the Octagon, never mind do it opposite one of the most experienced and established names in their division.

Teixeira is a fascinating prospect — 25 years old, perfect through eight appearances with eight first-round finishes, and training with an emerging squad led by UFC alum Lucas Martins. He’s one of the DWCS Class of ’24 graduates that could help make last year’s group the best to emerge from the annual talent-search series, and he looked the part of a lights out hopeful by blowing through Justin Tafa in his promotional debut earlier this year in Sydney.

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From a physical standpoint, the Brazilian presents problems for anyone he faces, as he stands six-foot-seven and sports an 83-inch reach, meaning he’s able to bomb on opponents from a range where they generally can’t connect in return. Though he’s still green — as you should expect from someone with eight appearances that has yet to venture to the second round — it’s easy to see the reasons for optimism when watching Teixeira move around the Octagon. As he continues to develop, he could be a serious force to be reckoned with in the division

But is he ready to stand in with someone like Derrick Lewis?

That’s the question at hand this weekend as the unbeaten hopeful steps in opposite “The Black Beast,” who turned back another Brazilian with upward ambitions in his last outing. Though he turned 40 earlier this year, power is the last thing to go, and Lewis still has plenty, so it will be intriguing to see how Teixeira approaches the most prolific knockout artist in UFC history and whether the Houston native can add to his record in his third straight main event pairing against a Brazilian.

READ: The 10 Fights To Tune-In For In July 

If Teixeira defeats Lewis — and that’s a big if — the young heavyweight will vault into the Top 10 and set himself up for an even greater matchup later in what is his rookie year on the UFC roster. Beyond the established upper tier of the division, things are wide open in the heavyweight ranks, and a dominant showing here could land Teixeira with a rocket strapped to his back heading into the dog days of summer.

Steve Garcia 

Garcia is the fighting equivalent of one of those baseball players that shows flashes throughout their early years, but never quite puts it together, only to find a home and a rhythm in their early 30s, putting up numbers that exceed expectations and continuing to improve each time you think they’ve reached their ceiling.

Think Justin Turner or Jayson Werth.

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The 33-year-old New Mexico native earned a win on Season 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series, but didn’t earn a contract because he missed weight for the bantamweight contest. He returned to regional circuit, stopped Chepe Mariscal, then got called up to the UFC, losing his debut, at lightweight to Luis Pena. He alternated results over his next two outings, then moved to featherweight, posting a first-round stoppage win over Chase Hooper.

Since then, Garcia has added four more wins and four more finishes to his resume, establishing himself as one of the hottest and most dangerous fighters in the 145-pound weight class at the moment as he heads into Nashville and a clash with Top 15 mainstay Calvin Kattar.

While Garcia is en fuego ahead of this one, Kattar is helado (ice cold), having dropped four straight and five of his last six dating back to his slobberknocker with Max Holloway at the start of 2021. Last time out, the 37-year-old veteran couldn’t corral Youssef Zalal until the streaking Moroccan had already banked a pair of rounds.

Here’s what makes this sport fascinating to watch and fights like this so compelling: despite all his recent success and how good he’s looked stopping each of his last five opponents, this is the one Garcia needs in order to take a truly meaningful step forward in the division, as Kattaris the first ranked opponent he’s faced, and despite his recent woes, remains the most accomplished competitor he’s shared the Octagon with to date.

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There is no way that Garcia isn’t cognizant of that reality, and as such, he’s likely to come in looking to make another statement, and if he does so, the late bloomer should get an opportunity to face someone else with a number next to their name next time out; and he’ll likely have one next to his name, too.

Fatima Kline 

When we talk about losses aging well and telling you something about the athlete in question, Kline’s debut setback to Jasmine Jasudavicius stands as the best recent example.

Just a couple days after signing to compete on Season 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series, the then-unbeaten prospect got a short-notice call-up to face Jasudavicius in Denver, replacing Viviane Araujo. Despite moving up a division and having zero time to prepare, Kline held her own, pushing the surging Canadian for the full 15 minutes, cementing why so many were so high on her following her success under the CFFC banner.

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Earlier this year, the New Jersey native, who turns 25 on fight night, returned to the strawweight division and ran roughshod over Viktoriia Dudakova, stopping her Russian foe with a stream of elbows from half guard late in the second round to get things moving in the right direction again. This weekend, Kline makes her second appearance of the year, facing off with fellow prospect Melissa Martinez.

“Super Mely” dropped her promotional debut, as well, losing a decision to Elise Reed at UFC 279. She ended a two-year absence last October with a victory over Alice Ardelean, and looks to follow in the footsteps of her brother David in picking up a win to begin her 2025 campaign here.

It feels a little unfair to compare Kline to her teammate and training partner Erin Blanchfield, given that “Cold Blooded” has already worked her way into contention in the 125-pound weight class, but there are definitely similarities between the two, and her upside is the same as that of her teammate. It took Blanchfield less than two years to punch her ticket to the Top 10, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kline do the same.

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A strong performance this weekend against Martinez could earn “The Archangel” an opportunity to dive deeper into the fray in the 115-pound weight class next time out.