UFC Fight Night results, highlights: Glover Teixeira brutalizes Anthony Smith in dominant TKO victory

Glover Teixeira's journey back to the top of the pecking order in the light heavyweight division is nearly complete. The 40-year-old native of Brazil recorded his fourth straight win on Wednesday by handing out a savage beating to Anthony Smith before the fight was mercifully stopped in Round 5 of their main event at UFC Fight Night in Jacksonville, Florida. 

The second of three fight cards in eight nights for the UFC in front of an empty Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena featured a pairing of former title challengers who previously came up empty against champion Jon Jones. Teixeira (31-7), who dropped a 2014 decision to Jones, may now be one more win away from a rematch after relying on his power, timing and experience to dismantle Smith. 

"It's not how you hit, it's how hard you get hit and keep coming forward," Teixeira said. "That's what it's all about, baby."

Teixeira had trouble with the quicker and younger Smith (33-14) over the first two rounds before seemingly rallying to hurt Smith in the closing moments of Round 2. The next two rounds turned into a one-sided beatdown as Teixeira was routinely able to drop Smith but failed in multiple attempts to finish him on the ground by not being active enough and spending too much time fruitlessly seeking submissions. 

Smith, 31, who took a beating in going the distance while challenging Jones in 2018, showed a similarly strong chin and will to keep fighting despite losing teeth and enduring bad swelling on his face. But his corner appeared to act reckless by sending Smith out for Round 5 despite his body language suggesting he was a finished fighter. 

It didn't take long for Teixeira to drop Smith again in the final round before gaining full mount and finally flurrying enough with clean punches to give referee Jason Herzog enough reason to jump in. 

"I was hoping [Smith would slow down]," Teixeira said. "The guy hits like a truck but I moved my head a lot. I trained so hard."

Teixeira reshaped his body over the past two years and made the necessary adjustments to score a trio of victories in 2019 and rejuvenate himself.  

"I have had to do some changes, of course. I had to go to UFC [Performance Institute] and learn new diets," Teixeira said. "You have to open your mind and look for help when things start going wrong, and that's what I did. Here I am, baby, and I'm going on another run for that title."

Smith, who rebounded from the Jones loss by retiring Alexander Gustafsson via submission last year, entered the fight on a 10-month layoff following a pair of surgeries on his right hand. He also survived a scary home invasion in April that he described as "the toughest fight" of his career after subduing the intruder.

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Elsewhere on the fight card, a pair of aging heavyweights turned back the clock to score decision wins as Ben Rothwell and Andrei Arlovski earned decisions over Ovince Saint Preux and Philipe Lins, respectively. Fast-rising lightweight prospect Drew Dober continued his hot streak with a second-round finish of Alexander Hernandez and Thiago Moises earned a wild submission victory over Michael Johnson via leg lock.

CBS Sports was with you all evening, bringing you results, highlights and analysis from UFC Fight Night in Jacksonville on Wednesday,

UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira card results

Glover Teixeira def. Anthony Smith via fifth-round TKO (strikes)
Ben Rothwell def. Ovince Saint Preux via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Drew Dober def. Alexander Hernandez via second-round TKO (punches)
Ricky Simon def. Ray Borg via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Andrei Arlovksi def. Philipe Lins via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Thiago Moises def. Michael Johnson via second-round submission (heel hook)
Sijara Eubanks def. Sarah Moras via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Omar Morales def. Gabriel Benitez via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Brian Kelleher def. Hunter Azure via second-round TKO (strikes)
Chase Sherman def. Ike Villanueva via second-round TKO (strikes)