Breaking the Rules

UFC champion Glover Teixeira reflects on his harrowing journey from undocumented illegal immigrant to world titleholder.

Fighting inside the octagon was nothing compared to the fight Glover Teixeira endured to reach it.

Before he became the oldest man to win an Ultimate Fighting Championship title, Teixeira risked everything to chase the American dream and discover his mission on Earth.

Leaving his Brazilian hometown as a teenager, Teixeira crossed multiple South American countries to finally reach the infamous Mexico border just outside of California in 1999. There, he faced numerous dangers—was held at gunpoint by smugglers for weeks, feared for his life in the middle of the desert—all to get banned by the country he loved right when he was on the cusp of making it to the UFC.

Teixeira flew around the world, dominating and dismantling anyone who would dare to enter a ring against him. All that time, he kept his dream alive to one day receive his pardon from the United States, compete for the world title, and live with the love of his life.

A champion in life and in the cage, Glover Teixeira shares his story for the first time—inspiring, unfiltered, and a testament to the relentless pursuit of purpose.