Tallison Teixeira

Tallison Teixeira, known by the nickname "Xicão," is a Brazilian heavyweight competitor in the UFC. Born in Vitória da Conquista, in the state of Bahia, Brazil, he stands out even among heavyweights, listed at roughly 6-foot-7 with an unusually long reach for the division.

Teixeira began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a child, initially taking up the sport to lose weight and learn self-defense, and went on to earn his black belt. He also holds a Red Kruang rank in Muay Thai, giving him a technical striking foundation to complement his natural size. He turned professional in 2021 and worked his way up through Brazil's regional scene, including stops with the LFA promotion, stringing together a run of first-round finishes before earning a shot on Dana White's Contender Series. He trains out of Team Lucas Mineiro in São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo.

On the Contender Series, Teixeira produced a highlight-reel first-round knockout of fellow Brazilian Arthur Lopes, a performance emphatic enough to earn him an immediate UFC contract. He carried that finishing instinct into his promotional debut at UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia, where he knocked out Justin Tafa in just 35 seconds, a performance that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus and put the heavyweight division on notice.

Teixeira's game is built around size, reach and one-punch power, paired with a willingness to press forward and hunt for the finish from the opening bell. That combination of raw heavyweight power and the technical polish of his Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu background has made him one of the most explosive finishers to come out of Brazil's heavyweight scene in recent years, and one of the division's most closely watched young prospects.