Undefeated heavyweight prospect Tallison Teixeira is set to face his biggest challenge yet, headlining the UFC Nashville card on July 12th against veteran knockout artist Derrick Lewis. But beyond the formidable opponent, Teixeira is embracing a unique narrative: breaking a seemingly baffling slump for Brazilian fighters in 2025 UFC main events.
The statistics are stark, bordering on the improbable. So far this year, Brazilian athletes have gone a collective 0-9 when featured in the top-billed fight of a UFC card. This includes attempts at championship glory, such as Alex Pereira`s bid to reclaim the light heavyweight title and Charles Oliveira`s pursuit of lightweight gold, alongside efforts from established names like Gilbert Burns, Deiveson Figueiredo, and others across various weight classes.
This unprecedented streak has taken on the moniker of a “Brazilian curse” within the MMA community, a phenomenon that feels less like a statistical anomaly and more like, well, something rather unfortunate. It`s a weight Teixeira seems eager to lift.
“I like this because I`ll be remembered as the man that ended the Brazilian curse,” Teixeira stated with notable confidence. He views the pressure not as a burden, but as fuel. “Brazilian needs this incentive… I think that motivates me even more.”
His confidence stems partly from a perfect 8-0 professional record, punctuated by a blistering 35-second knockout in his UFC debut back in February. Against Derrick Lewis, however, he faces a different caliber of test. Lewis, known universally as “The Black Beast,” is a perennial top heavyweight threat whose fight-ending power is legendary. Ironically, Lewis has recently navigated a series of bouts against Brazilian heavyweights, securing knockout victories against Marcos Rogerio de Lima and Rodrigo Nascimento, with a decision loss to Jailton Almeida mixed in.
The situation draws a parallel, albeit less severe, to 2017, another year where Brazilian main event fighters faced a significant drought that wasn`t broken until later in the year by Amanda Nunes. The current 0-9 run in just the first half of 2025, however, highlights the depth of the present challenge.
For Tallison Teixeira, the July 12th main event is not just an opportunity to climb the heavyweight rankings against a dangerous veteran. It`s a chance to step into the octagon with a looming narrative, a chance to become the fighter who finally snaps the `curse` and brings a much-needed victory in a main event slot back home to Brazil. All eyes will be on Nashville to see if the undefeated prospect can deliver on his promise and rewrite the recent Brazilian main event history books.
