Jiri Prochazka had a very difficult time in 2023. It all started in late 2022 when Prochazka seriously injured his shoulder and lost the UFC light heavyweight title.
A long recovery from the injury and arduous rehabilitation followed, and the Czech light heavyweight did not return to the cage until the 11th month of last year. Unfortunately for Jiri and his fans, it wasn’t the return of their dreams.
Alex Pereira beat Prochazka in the second round of the fight for the light heavyweight belt. It was Prochazka’s first loss in the UFC cage and we waited until last weekend and the UFC 300 event for his next appearance.
After the first five minutes of the fight at the UFC 300 event, it appeared that Prochazka was headed for another loss. Aleksandar Rakić dominated the fight. The Serb shot brilliantly with low kicks, controlled the distance and did not allow Prochazka to seriously threaten him.
However, the second round brings a complete turnaround. Prochazka “hit the gas”, he started with more targeted pressure, while Rakić slowed down at the same time. All of this led to Prochazka’s second-round knockout win, and with that victory Jiri jumped to the top of the challenger rankings. Prochazka hopes that victory over Rakić will give him a new “title opportunity” and a rematch with Pereira.
“I don’t regret the first game. I accepted this fight because the main event between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic was canceled. I believed it was my time, even though I had a healthy hand and a staph infection. There were a lot of problems, I took antibiotics etc, but I said to myself: “Let’s go through all this and do our best and believe, believe and believe.” But next time I have to be more professional. “I want to do my best, which means I have to be healthy for every match,” Prochazka began on MMA Hour, then added:
“I want to fight for the title. I think my release won’t work in the game against Rakić. I kept getting hit and that doesn’t work against Pereira. But people need to understand that I know how to control the fight according to the fighter I’m fighting. I will fight differently with another fighter. I want to fight as quickly as possible. If it’s for the title against Alex, he’s ready to fight in Brazil in two weeks. “I’m ready for another date too,” Jiri concluded.
Magomed Ankalaev certainly has a shot at the title and it remains to be seen who the UFC selects as Pereira’s next challenger.
