# Tallison Teixeira
**Tallison Teixeira** (full name Tallison Teixeira Silva, born 1999) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division of the [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) (UFC), where he fights under the nickname "Xicão". He holds a professional record of 9 wins and 2 losses, with a UFC record of 2–2 across four octagon appearances.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342) • [2](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/313650-xicao-teixeira)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1999; place of birth Vitória da Conquista, Brazil[3](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tallison-teixeira) |
| Division / team | Heavyweight; Team Lucas Mineiro, fighting out of São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo[2](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/313650-xicao-teixeira) |
| Physical profile | 6'7" (201 cm), 83-inch (211 cm) reach, listed at 258 lb on the UFC roster[2](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/313650-xicao-teixeira) • [3](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tallison-teixeira) |
| Professional record | 9–2–0; 7 wins by KO/TKO, 1 by submission, 1 by decision[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342) |
| Finishing rate | 8 first-round finishes; 5 wins in under two minutes[3](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tallison-teixeira) |
| UFC record | 2–2; debut February 8, 2025 at UFC 312[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342) |
| Next fight | Shamil Gaziev, November 21, 2026, ABHA Arena, Doha, Qatar[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342) |
## Background
Teixeira came to mixed martial arts through [Brazilian jiu-jitsu](https://www.edgepedia.org/brazilian-jiu-jitsu). His older brother awarded him his jiu-jitsu black belt and first taught him to defend himself as a short, chubby child; he estimates he competed in more than 100 jiu-jitsu matches before moving on.[4](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Sherdog-Prospect-Watch-Tallison-Teixeira-196090) The UFC profile credits him as a three-time Brazilian champion and two-time Bahia state champion in BJJ.[3](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tallison-teixeira) His boxing coach Lino Barros saw him compete and concluded he had the talent to migrate to MMA.[4](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Sherdog-Prospect-Watch-Tallison-Teixeira-196090)
He turned professional in 2021 and trains at Team Mineiro in São Paulo, where coaches Lucas "Mineiro" Martins, Teo Bittar, Laudelino Barros, and Romildo Gordelas oversee his development.[3](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tallison-teixeira) • [4](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Sherdog-Prospect-Watch-Tallison-Teixeira-196090)
## Early career
Teixeira won his first eight professional fights, all by stoppage and all inside one round, competing on regional Brazilian cards and under the LFA banner.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342) • [5](https://fightomic.com/tallison-teixeira-profile/) His early run included a 24-second knockout of Fernando Kato in September 2022 and a first-round submission by inverted triangle armbar of Carlos Sena in October 2021, his only career win by submission.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342) After a gap of more than a year between his third and fourth fights, he returned in 2024 with two LFA stoppages in Brazil, the second a head-kick finish in Rio de Janeiro.[5](https://fightomic.com/tallison-teixeira-profile/)
In September 2024 he stopped Arthur Lopes by punches 1:57 into the first round on [Dana White](https://www.edgepedia.org/dana-white)'s Contender Series, season 8, earning a UFC contract.[3](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tallison-teixeira) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342)
## UFC career
**Debut.** Teixeira was first booked against Lukasz Brzeski but was forced off [UFC 310](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-310) with an injury and re-booked against Justin Tafa at [UFC 312](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-312) in Sydney on February 8, 2025.[6](https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/2/8/24357939/ufc-tallest-heavyweight-tallison-teixeira-breaks-down-sydney-shorter-justin-tafa-ufc-312) He won by technical knockout 35 seconds into the first round, finishing Tafa with a knee to the body and elbow.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342)
**Lewis and Tuivasa.** In his second UFC fight, at UFC on ESPN 70 in Nashville on July 12, 2025, Teixeira was stopped by [Derrick Lewis](https://www.edgepedia.org/derrick-lewis) by strikes 35 seconds into the first round.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342) He rebounded at UFC 325 on January 31, 2026, taking a three-round unanimous decision over [Tai Tuivasa](https://www.edgepedia.org/tai-tuivasa), the first decision win of his professional career.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342)
**Pavlovich.** At UFC Fight Night in Macau on May 30, 2026, Teixeira faced the third-ranked [Sergei Pavlovich](https://www.edgepedia.org/sergei-pavlovich) and lost by first-round knockout, 39 seconds in.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342) • [7](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/491369/ufc-macau-video-sergei-pavlovich-calls-for-title-fight-after-39-second-knockout-win) A bout against [Shamil Gaziev](https://www.edgepedia.org/shamil-gaziev) is scheduled for UFC Fight Night 294 in Doha on November 21, 2026.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342)
## Fighting style and physical profile
Teixeira is listed as a striker on the UFC roster, and both of his UFC losses and most of his wins have ended by strikes.[3](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tallison-teixeira) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342) Across his four UFC fights he has landed 91 of 145 significant strike attempts.[3](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tallison-teixeira) Independent analytics rank his striking accuracy, at about 67 percent, fourth among UFC heavyweights.[8](https://honestelo.com/vs/shamil-gaziev/tallison-teixeira)
His size is his defining attribute. MMA Fighting described him at his debut as the tallest fighter on the UFC roster at 80 inches, facing the 72-inch Tafa, an eight-inch difference.[6](https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/2/8/24357939/ufc-tallest-heavyweight-tallison-teixeira-breaks-down-sydney-shorter-justin-tafa-ufc-312) The UFC's own listing gives his height as 79.00 inches with an 83-inch reach.[3](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tallison-teixeira) Teixeira has said that being very tall is an advantage only if a fighter knows how to use it, pointing to [Stefan Struve](https://www.edgepedia.org/stefan-struve), the tallest fighter in UFC history at 84.2 inches, and to Pavlovich, who has an 84-inch reach but often closes the distance, as examples of tall fighters who do not fully exploit their attributes.[6](https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/2/8/24357939/ufc-tallest-heavyweight-tallison-teixeira-breaks-down-sydney-shorter-justin-tafa-ufc-312) He has also noted the drawback of his frame against shorter opponents: takedowns are harder to execute on men much shorter than he is.[6](https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/2/8/24357939/ufc-tallest-heavyweight-tallison-teixeira-breaks-down-sydney-shorter-justin-tafa-ufc-312)
## References
1. [Tallison "Xicao" Teixeira MMA Stats, Biography, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tallison-Teixeira-394342)
2. [Tallison "Xicão" Teixeira, Tapology fighter page](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/313650-xicao-teixeira)
3. [Tallison Teixeira, UFC athlete profile](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tallison-teixeira)
4. [Sherdog Prospect Watch: Tallison Teixeira, Christian Stein, February 7, 2025](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Sherdog-Prospect-Watch-Tallison-Teixeira-196090)
5. [Tallison Teixeira: UFC Record, Stats, Bio and Next Fight, Fightomic](https://fightomic.com/tallison-teixeira-profile/)
6. [UFC's tallest heavyweight Tallison Teixeira breaks down UFC 312 clash with 8-inch shorter Justin Tafa, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/2/8/24357939/ufc-tallest-heavyweight-tallison-teixeira-breaks-down-sydney-shorter-justin-tafa-ufc-312)
7. [UFC Macau video: Sergei Pavlovich calls for title fight after 39-second knockout win, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/491369/ufc-macau-video-sergei-pavlovich-calls-for-title-fight-after-39-second-knockout-win)
8. [Shamil Gaziev vs Tallison Teixeira, HonestElo matchup](https://honestelo.com/vs/shamil-gaziev/tallison-teixeira)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › Heavyweight and light heavyweight fighters › Heavyweight fighters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license