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Tag: Jiri Procházka

  • Jiri Prochazka Reacts to UFC 327 Loss to Carlos Ulberg

    Jiri Prochazka has spoken for the first time following his loss to Carlos Ulberg at UFC 327, framing the defeat as a learning experience and making clear he has no intention of stepping away from the light heavyweight division.

    The former champion took to social media to address the setback with a brief but pointed message.

    “I will be back,” Prochazka wrote.

    He characterized the loss as a “lesson learning” experience, maintaining a positive outlook despite the result going against him. The defeat to Ulberg represents a significant blow to Prochazka’s positioning in the 205-pound rankings as the division continues to shift with new contenders emerging in the title picture.

    Prochazka had previously held the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship before losing it and has remained one of the more compelling and unpredictable fighters in the division due to his unorthodox striking style and willingness to engage in high-risk exchanges. A loss to Ulberg, a rising contender, complicates his path back to title contention.

    No timeline has been announced for his return to competition. For now, Prochazka’s focus is on recovery and planning his next move inside the Octagon.

  • “Still Catches Him” – Carlos Ulberg KOs Jiri Prochazka

    Despite appearing to injure his leg — potentially tearing his ACL — in the first minute of the fight, Carlos Ulberg knocked out Jiri Prochazka in highlight fashion to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion in the main event of UFC 327.

    Prochazka and Ulberg did some trading early, and things looked grim for Ulberg. One of Prochazka’s leg kicks caused Ulberg to stumble, and something appeared to pop in Ulberg’s leg, with some claiming it was an ACL tear.

    Prochazka attacked the knee a bit but admitted to taking things easy, daring Ulberg to stand and trade.

    Prochazka paid for that decision; landing a massive left hand and follow-up strikes that put Prochazka out to give Ulberg the championship despite his injury.

    Carlos Ulberg KOs Jiri Prochazka For UFC Light Heavyweight Title At UFC 327

    Prochazka is a former light heavyweight champion, defeating Glover Teixiera for the title in the main event of UFC 275. Prochazka, however, vacated the title due to injury before making a defense.

    Prochazka entered this fight 6-2 in the UFC, with his two losses coming in light heavyweight title fights with Alex Pereira.

    Pereira vacated the light heavyweight title tonight due to his impending move to heavyweight. He fights Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250.

  • UFC 327 Results: Prochazka vs Ulberg Live Updates & Highlights

    UFC 327 Results: Prochazka vs Ulberg Live Updates & Highlights

    MMA News updates UFC 327 results and highlights live as the action unfolds from the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. The main event will feature Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg battling for the vacant UFC light heavyweight championship. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Prochazka vs Ulberg: Light Heavyweight Title Fight

    The championship is being vacated today as Pereira aims to move up to heavyweight, being booked in an interim heavyweight title fight with Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 in two months.

    Prochazka has tasted light heavyweight gold before, defeating Glover Teixeira to capture the title at UFC 275. Prochazka, however, vacated the title due to injury before he could ever make a defense.

    Prochazka, who is also a former RIZIN champion, is 6-2 in the UFC, with both losses coming in light heavyweight title fights with Alex Pereira at UFC 295 and UFC 303. Prochazka last fought at UFC 321, finishing Khalil Rountree Jr.

    Ulberg is 13-1 in MMA entering tonight, with his sole loss coming against Kennedy Nzechukwu in his UFC debut. Ulberg has won nine straight, most recently knocking out Dominick Reyes, another former light heavyweight title challenger, in September. Ulberg also holds wins over former champion Jan Blachowicz and former challenger Volkan Oezdemir.

    The co-main event will also be contested at light heavyweight, as the undefeated Azamat Murzakanov takes on Paulo Costa, who is jumping up to the division from middleweight.

    Murzakanov is a perfect 16-0. Since winning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, he has won all six fights he’s had in the Octagon, with five of those coming via KO/TKO. He most recently scored a first-round finish of Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 321.

    Costa enters this fight off a decision win over Roman Kopylov at UFC 318. This is Costa’s second 205-pound bout; he previously faced Marvin Vettori at the weight in October 2021, losing via decision.

    If you can’t watch the action, check here for all the latest results and highlights from UFC 327!

    How to Watch UFC 327

    • Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
    • Venue: Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida
    • Streaming: Paramount+ , CBS (8pm ET – 10pm ET [last hour of prelims and first hour of main card])
    • Prelims: 5:30 PM ET / 2:30 PM PT
    • Late Prelims: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
    • Main Card: 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT

    UFC 327 Quick Results

    • Main Event: Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg — Carlos Ulberg def. Jiri Prochazka via KO (Rd. 1, 3:45)
    • Co-Main: Azamat Murzakanov vs. Paulo Costa — Paulo Costa def. Azamat Murzakanov via TKO (Rd. 3, 1:23)
    • Curtis Blaydes vs. Josh Hokit — Josh Hokit def. Curtis Blaydes via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
    • Dominick Reyes vs. Johnny Walker — Dominick Reyes def. Johnny Walker via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
    • Cub Swanson vs. Nate Landwehr — Cub Swanson def. Nate Landwehr via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:06)

    UFC 327 Results & Highlights

    Early Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 5:30 PM ET)

    Welterweight: Charles Radtke vs. Francisco Prado

    Result: Charles Radtke def. Francisco Prado via unanimous decision (30-26 x3)

    Middleweight: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Vicente Luque

    Result: Vicente Luque def. Kelvin Gastelum via submission (D’Arce choke) (Rd. 1, 4:08)

    Lightweight: Chris Padilla vs. MarQuel Mederos

    Result: Chris Padilla vs. MarQuel Mederos goes to a majority draw (28-28 x2, 29-27) (Fight was originally announced as a majority decision win for Padilla)

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 7 PM ET [CBS 8 PM ET – 9 pm ET])

    Women’s Strawweight: Tatiana Suarez vs. Loopy Godinez

    Result: Tatiana Suarez def. Loopy Godinez via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 2, 2:29)

    Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot vs. Estevan Ribovics

    Result: Mateusz Gamrot def. Estevan Ribovics via submission (arm-triangle choke) (Rd. 2, 4:19)

    Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Randy Brown

    Result: Kevin Holland def. Randy Brown via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Featherweight: Patricio Pitbull vs. Aaron Pico

    Result: Aaron Pico def. Patricio Pitbull via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 9 PM ET [CBS 9 PM ET – 10 pm ET])

    Featherweight: Cub Swanson vs. Nate Landwehr

    Result: Cub Swanson def. Nate Landwehr via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:06)

    Light Heavyweight: Dominick Reyes vs. Johnny Walker

    Result: Dominick Reyes def. Johnny Walker via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Heavyweight: Curtis Blaydes vs. Josh Hokit

    Result: Josh Hokit def. Curtis Blaydes via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Light Heavyweight: Azamat Murzakanov vs. Paulo Costa

    Result: Paulo Costa def. Azamat Murzakanov via TKO (Rd. 3, 1:23)

    Light Heavyweight Championship: Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg

    Result: Carlos Ulberg def. Jiri Prochazka via KO (Rd. 1, 3:45)

  • Jiří Procházka Congratulates Magomed Ankalaev On UFC 313, Gets Called ‘Terrible Fighter’ In Return

    Jiří Procházka Congratulates Magomed Ankalaev On UFC 313, Gets Called ‘Terrible Fighter’ In Return

    If Jiří Procházka was anticipating a respectful interaction with new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Magomed Ankalaev, he was sorely mistaken.

    Procházka, a former titleholder himself, watched on this weekend as his ex-opponent Alex Pereira returned to the cage at UFC 313 in Las Vegas for his fourth defense of the 205-pound title.

    After wins over Jamahal Hill, Procházka, and Khalil Rountree Jr. in 2024 grew his stardom, “Poatan” was looking to emerge victorious from his toughest test in the division to date — a clash with the well-rounded Ankalaev.

    But the Russian challenger upset the Brazilian and his sizable fanbase with an impressive performance across five rounds to wrest the gold away via unanimous decision.

    Amid a mix of praise for the triumph and criticism for the manner of victory, another of the division’s top names in Procházka appeared on social media to give a congratulatory take on Ankalaev’s display.

    “Congrats to @AnkalaevM, beautiful pressure. Most of people dont like it, but you won the title for now,” Procházka wrote on X, before turning his attention to Pereira. “@AlexPereiraUFC, last dance?”

    While, to most, that reads as the Czech star even defending Magomed Ankalaev against the backlash his fight style continues to receive, the light heavyweight kingpin evidently doesn’t care for such praise from a rival…

    “I think you are a fraud and so many guys deserve it more than you you need to go win some fights,” Magomed Ankalaev responded.

    And after the ESPN MMA account reposted Procházka’s post, Ankalaev was once again close by with a puzzling insult to the Czech fan favorite.

    “This guy is a terrible fighter”

    It’s unclear exactly what “BJP” did to upset the newly crowned champ. He did predict defeat for the Russian if he attempted to strike with Pereira, so perhaps Magomed Ankalaev is one to hold a grudge over such remarks.

  • Alex Pereira Shuts Down Jiří Procházka’s Voodoo Allegations: ‘I’m a God-Fearing Man’

    Alex Pereira Shuts Down Jiří Procházka’s Voodoo Allegations: ‘I’m a God-Fearing Man’

    Alex Pereira has laughed off Jiří Procházka’s accusations that he uses occult practices to win his fights.

    Pereira and Procházka have squared off twice inside the Octagon, with their first encounter being a battle for the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 295 in November 2023, where “Poatan” claimed a second-round TKO victory. The two crossed paths once more at UFC 303 last June, where the Brazilian secured another second-round finish, but with a much more dominant performance.

    Ahead of their rematch, “Denisa” made some interesting allegations, claiming that Pereira relies on dark magic and dubious spiritual rituals to manipulate his opponents, ultimately leading him to victory in his fights.

    In his recent appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, Procházka reiterated his accusations, insisting that Pereira’s use of black magic is the “biggest power” he wields over his opponents.

    During an interview with Ariel Helwani on Monday, “Poatan” responded to the Czech fighter’s allegations, underscoring that he places his trust in his faith and a genuine passion for fair competition, rather than any supernatural influence.

    “All respect to him, but no man,” Pereira said through a translator. “I’m a god-fearing man. I have God in my heart… He’s just saying these things; I’ve never participated in any of those things. I’m a regular person. If he really believed that, take a doll, tie my hands and feet, and then fight me, like that’s going to work?”

    Pereira, who is preparing for his fourth title defense against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 on March 8, further shared that if his two-time adversary can move past his allegations, they could potentially deliver fans an electrifying trilogy bout in the future.

    “With all respect to him, and honestly speaking, if we went and fought again a third time and if he put all this [allegations] aside and just fought, I think we would be able to give a much better fight…I don’t want to fight guys who are cheating, no, I want to fight them at their best…at their prime. A guy that’s ready, gets the fire in him and thinks ‘I want to beat this guy’. And if they’re at their best, there’s no reason to talk about this kind of stuff.”

    “Poatan” is fresh off a hard-fought knockout victory over Khalil Rountree at UFC 307 in October, successfully defending his title.

    Meanwhile, Procházka delivered a devastating third-round knockout against former champion Jamahal Hill at UFC 311, positioning himself to make a strong case for a return to the title picture.

  • Jiří Procházka Reveals Post-Fight Message To ‘Really Good Guy’ Jamahal Hill After UFC 311

    Jiří Procházka Reveals Post-Fight Message To ‘Really Good Guy’ Jamahal Hill After UFC 311

    Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka disregarded any and all trash talk that Jamahal Hill had thrown his way when they shared a drink this past weekend.

    The two ex-titleholders collided in one of the most important and highly anticipated matchups on the opening pay-per-view card of the year, UFC 311 inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.

    “BJP” was largely on top throughout an entertaining scrap, dropping “Sweet Dreams” more than once before a final flurry in round three forced the referee’s intervention to award the Czech star victory by way of TKO.

    Though Hill gained a reputation as somewhat of a ‘sore loser’ in some circles of the MMA community owing to his reaction post-KO defeat to Alex Pereira, he was gracious and classy in reacting to the Jan. 18 setback.

    That was most visible when the two combatants shared a drink following their battle. And during an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Procházka detailed what was said.

    “We saw each other after the fight and in the bar when we were back in the hotel,” Procházka said. “I bought him a glass of vodka. So, we took a shot and I just told him like, ‘We fight together, we drink together…all good between us,’ and he is the same.

    “He’s a good guy, man. He’s a really, really good guy,” Procházka continued. “In some situations, I don’t know why he was (talking trash) before the fight. We spoke about his speeches and all these things, but I don’t care right now. It is behind us.”

    It remains to be seen what will come next for either man, but judging by his Octagon interview with Joe Rogan, it’s clear that “BJP” has his sights set on a third opportunity to defeat Pereira.

    For now, “Poatan” will be planning on how to stall the title ambitions of Magomed Ankalaev, who will have his long-awaited crack at the Brazilian in the main event spot of UFC 313 on March 8 in Las Vegas.

  • UFC 311: Islam Makhachev vs. Renato Moicano Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

    UFC 311: Islam Makhachev vs. Renato Moicano Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

    UFC 311 takes place on Saturday night, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!

    The upcoming pay-per-view event at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California provides a chance for UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev to record his fourth successful title defense.

    While that was initially set to come in the form of a rematch opposite top contender Arman Tsarukyan, a back injury sustained during his weight cut forced the planned challenger to withdraw. Stepping in on 24 hours’ notice will be Renato Moicano, who was originally slated to share the cage with Beneil Dariush on Saturday’s main card.

    The stakes will also be high in the co-main event, which will see undefeated bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili look to complete his ascent to the top by unseating current kingpin Merab Dvalishvili in his first defense.

    Elsewhere on the UFC 311 card, a pair of former light heavyweight champs in Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill collide, the always entertaining Kevin Holland meets ex-ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder, and Jailton Almeida and Serghei Spivac battle to establish themselves in the heavyweight title picture.

    Ahead of the event, all fighters set to compete tomorrow night successfully made weight, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 311 ceremonial weigh-ins!

    Check out a live stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 7 PM ET.

    UFC 311 Ceremonial Weigh-In Video

  • UFC 311: Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan 2 Weigh-In Live Stream & Results

    UFC 311: Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan 2 Weigh-In Live Stream & Results

    UFC 311 takes place tomorrow night, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    After staging fights at Las Vegas’ Apex facility to kick off 2025, the mixed martial arts leader will host its first pay-per-view of the new year from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    Two titles will be on the line at the top of the card, with Islam Makhachev defending his lightweight belt against familiar foe Arman Tsarukyan in the main event. Co-headlining, meanwhile, will be a first-time clash between reigning bantamweight kingpin Merab Dvalishvili and undefeated challenger Umar Nurmagomedov.

    Also on the main card will be returns for ex-light heavyweight champions Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill, as well as charging 155-pound contender Renato Moicano and the always entertaining Kevin Holland.

    UFC 311: Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2 Weigh-In Results

    UFC 311 takes place Saturday, January 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.

    See above for a replay of the UFC 311 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below.

    Main Card:

    • Lightweight Championship: Islam Makhachev (154.5lbs) vs. Arman Tsarukyan
    • Bantamweight Championship: Merab Dvalishvili (134lbs) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (135lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Jiří Procházka (204.5lbs) vs. Jamahal Hill (204.5lbs)
    • Lightweight: Beneil Dariush (155lbs) vs. Renato Moicano (155lbs)
    • Middleweight: Kevin Holland (183.5lbs) vs. Reinier de Ridder (184.5lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Bantamweight: Payton Talbott (135.5lbs) vs. Raoni Barcelos (135.5lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida (235lbs) vs. Serghei Spivac (233lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Bogdan Guskov (205.5lbs) vs. Billy Elekana (200lbs)
    • Lightweight: Grant Dawson (156lbs) vs. Diego Ferreira (156lbs)

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Middleweight: Zachary Reese (185.5lbs) vs. Azamat Bekoev (185.5lbs)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Karol Rosa (135.5lbs) vs. Ailín Pérez (135lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Rinya Nakamura (135.5lbs) vs. Muin Gafarov (136lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Ricky Turcios (136lbs) vs. Benardo Sopaj (135lbs)
    • Flyweight: Tagir Ulanbekov (125.5lbs) vs. Clayton Carpenter (125.5lbs)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0mAy87Dps0
  • Former UFC Champ Sees Weakness In Jiří Procházka, Backs Jamahal Hill For UFC 311 Fight

    Former UFC Champ Sees Weakness In Jiří Procházka, Backs Jamahal Hill For UFC 311 Fight

    Jiří Procházka doesn’t have what it takes to defeat Jamahal Hill in their upcoming bout, claims a former UFC middleweight champion.

    Procházka and Hill are set to collide in a crucial matchup on the main card of UFC 311, scheduled for Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    Both former UFC light heavyweight champions are coming off crushing knockout losses to reigning divisional kingpin Alex Pereira in their most recent Octagon appearances. In fact, “Denisa” experienced his first UFC defeat at the hands of Pereira when they fought for the then-vacant 205-pound title at UFC 295 in November 2023.

    Procházka’s unorthodox fighting style has made it difficult for his past opponents to decipher, but Luke Rockhold believes that this very uniqueness also exposes significant vulnerabilities — especially when facing someone like Hill.

    During a recent appearance on the JAXXON PODCAST, Rockhold lambasted Procházka’s tactics in his rematch against “Poatan” this past June, asserting that the Czech fighter lacked any coherent strategy in the bout.

    “I didn’t like the way that Jiří fought his last time out versus Pereira,” Rockhold said. “He just didn’t look like he would follow the game plan. Like, what were you doing? I don’t know. To think you could stand with him and play this karate style, Kung Fu game. You can’t fight like that, a guy that he’s so dangerous, you can’t fight with your hands down and you got to go for takedowns. You identified his weakness, but you didn’t even try to exploit it.”

    The former UFC middleweight champion went on to assert that “Sweet Dreams” holds a distinct tactical advantage over Procházka and is more than capable of getting the job done at UFC 311.

    “Jamahal Hill’s more dangerous. He’s got pop, he’s got power, he goes for the kill and Jamahal’s got funky — he’s weirdly athletic sometimes. He’s hard to take down. You’ve seen in the Glover [Teixeira] fight, he was able to get up and get his way and funks his way through a lot of things and he ends up finding his shot, the kill shot. But, like I said, this is a rebuilding process for both of them and you don’t know, but I don’t know. I might favor Jamahal in this one.”

  • Jiří Procházka Explains How Second UFC Title Reign Would Be Different: ‘I Didn’t Really Realize…’

    Jiří Procházka Explains How Second UFC Title Reign Would Be Different: ‘I Didn’t Really Realize…’

    Jiří Procházka is aware of the mistakes he made during a brief stint as UFC light heavyweight champion in 2022.

    Procházka enjoyed a quick ascent to top spot on MMA’s biggest stage, capturing UFC gold in just his third fight in the promotion. After knockouts of Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes, he submitted Glover Teixeira to avoid certain defeat on the scorecards in Singapore.

    But the era of “BJP” was a short one, not reaching his planned first defense against Teixeira after a shoulder injury forced the Czech star to vacate the belt.

    The 32-year-old has since failed in two bids to regain champ status against Alex Pereira, with two knockout losses to “Poatan” sandwiching a memorable bounce-back performance against Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 300 this past April.

    Like that result accomplished, Procházka will be looking to put in a display worthy of another crack at recapturing the title when he meets a fellow ex-champion in Jamahal Hill at UFC 311 on Jan. 11.

    During an interview with MMA Fighting‘s Mike Heck, Procházka looked ahead to what a victory over “Sweet Dreams” would bring, reiterating his desire for a third shot at blemishing Pereira’s perfect light heavyweight record.

    And were he to succeed in that ambition, “BJP” is confident he knows how to better approach a second reign.

    “Maybe first time, when I won, I didn’t really realize that it was a big, a big thing in my life, and I was not so — like I say — grateful for that,” Procházka said. “I took that like, automatically, I will be the champion. OK, I’m the champion, and that’s all, yeah. I [didn’t have] these feelings to be humble, grateful in that.

    “So I said to myself, ‘I want to go this way one more time,’ not just one more time, but I want to go there, take this belt, take that position of the best man in the light heavyweight [division], and one more time, but grateful. Be humble. And really appreciate that moment. Really appreciate the life that gave you this chance to fight for that again. And right now, I’m in this process. This is what I feel right now.”

    Procházka features in one of the most prominent and crucial undercard bouts at UFC 311, a pay-per-view that will be headlined by highly anticipated title defenses for lightweight champ Islam Makhachev and bantamweight kingpin Merab Dvalishvili.

  • Jiří Procházka Gives Latest Update On Postponed Middleweight Plans

    Jiří Procházka Gives Latest Update On Postponed Middleweight Plans

    Jiří Procházka has recently spoken about a potential move to middleweight in the future which caught a lot of fans by surprise given his size. The former light heavyweight champion is still one of the top contenders at 205-pounds with his only losses in the UFC coming to Alex Pereira.

    With his next outing being confirmed for UFC 311 in January where he will face Jamahal Hill in a clash of former titleholders that has been a long time coming, it looks like 185-pounds is on the backburner for now. Given the amount of contenders that are currently at middleweight, it only makes sense for him to continue campaigning in his natural weight class.

    In a recent interview with James Lynch for Sportskeeda, Procházka spoke about his future at the weight class below and why he has chosen to stay at light heavyweight for the time being. He says that he wanted to make a significant change following his loss to “Poatan” at UFC 303 but he has found ways to do that which don’t mean that he has to leave the division entirely.

    Ahead of his return to take on “Sweet Dreams”, he believes that he still has unfinished business to attend to at 205 before he thinks about cutting a bit more weight.

    “I thought about that a lot but it was like decision to change something, to make a big change because I know my body is working really, really well when I don’t eat a lot so I’m keeping that but still. I’ve got the power, I got the strength and I have the endurance and all the abilities and everything to beat the guys in the light heavyweight so for me, this is the best. Maybe I will jump to the middleweight, maybe or I will jump to middleweight, but first, I said to myself I want to win the light heavyweight title. That’s all what’s on my mind right now and win the next fight especially.”

  • Chael Sonnen ‘Fascinated’ By Talk Of Jiří Procházka Dropping To Middleweight: ‘Procházka vs. Du Plessis? You Have My Attention’

    Chael Sonnen ‘Fascinated’ By Talk Of Jiří Procházka Dropping To Middleweight: ‘Procházka vs. Du Plessis? You Have My Attention’

    Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen is intrigued by the possibility of Jiří Procházka joining the division he formerly competed in.

    Procházka is currently just over a week on from his latest outing at the UFC 303 pay-per-view, which saw his second failed bid to achieve two-time champion status on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage play out.

    Having had his light heavyweight reign brought to an end by a severe shoulder injury in late 2022, “BJP” returned in competition for the then-vacant belt at UFC 295 last November. On that night, Alex Pereira exited the cage with the gold in his possession, completing two-division glory in the process.

    With both subsequently recording wins at UFC 300 this past April, they ran it back on short notice after the June 29 numbered event was left in desperate need of a headline savior.

    The Czech star answered the call and looked to right the wrongs from his first showdown with “Poatan.” But unfortunately for the former champ, he was soundly beaten second time around.

    In the aftermath, a disappointed Procházka admitted he needs to “evolve” as a fighter or simply not compete any longer. Separately, his coach pitched a drop to middleweight following his man’s latest setback at 205 pounds.

    That idea appears to be one that gets a former title challenger in both divisions off his seat…

    Sonnen ‘Loves’ The Idea Of Middleweight Procházka

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen reacted to talk of Procházka possibly testing the middleweight waters down the line, a move that the former champ himself has previously insisted would be doable.

    While he suggested a divisional switch is not a necessity for “BJP” despite his two defeats to the current light heavyweight kingpin, “The Bad Guy” did point out a number of mouthwatering matchups that could await the Czech star down at 185 pounds.

    “Jiří Procházka’s coach suggests the former champion should move down to middleweight. … Well, I don’t want to take on that coach or his opinion because he is damn good and he created a world champion there,” Sonnen said. “I believe what he is offering, in front of everything else, is that it is not time for Jiří to retire. I agree with that, fully.

    “I don’t believe there is a meaningful difference if you become a world champion in a different division. … Jiří at 185, that is completely fascinating to me. I love that idea,” Sonnen continued. “I really don’t want to see Jiří vs. Alex Pereira (again). I didn’t really want to see Jiří vs. Alex Pereira last weekend. That’s just not the one that I was itching for. But I tell you what, Jiří Procházka vs. Du Plessis? You have my attention. Jiří Procházka vs. Sean Strickland, vs. Izzy Adesanya, wow, vs. Robert Whittaker, woah, things just got really interesting. Jiří Procházka vs. Khamzat Chimaev! Jiří at 185, I love this concept, but I’m not bothered by the concept of Jiří staying at 205.”

    It remains to be seen what Procházka’s plans are for the future and whether he shares his coach’s view on a middleweight move next.

    But regardless, the always entertaining “BJP” is already back to his unique and unorthodox training regime back in Czechia.

  • Coach Hints At Major Career Change For Jiří Procházka After UFC 303 Defeat: ‘A Potential Restart…’

    Coach Hints At Major Career Change For Jiří Procházka After UFC 303 Defeat: ‘A Potential Restart…’

    Following his bounce-back win over Aleksandr Rakić at UFC 300, Jiří Procházka made the claim that competing at the weight class below could be an option for him in the near future.

    He said that going into his fight in April, he didn’t have much weight to cut in order to make the light heavyweight limit, which made him confident of dropping to middleweight at some stage.

    Procházka told Michael Bisping in an interview that it was something he was thinking about as a way to further challenge himself, even after the former middleweight champion warned him of how tough the weight cut may be.

    “So, good food with some good diet for me, I think 84 kilos, middleweight will be no problem. I’m still thinking about that, how I can feel with these guys in middleweight because I know I can do that.

    “I’m looking forward to that because I want to try more clear foods in preparation because I really know how to work with my body, with that weight, and I feel it can be good.”

    Jiří Procházka’s Coach Says Middleweight Would Give Them A ‘New Start’ Post-UFC 303

    Moving to middleweight looks to be back in contention for Procházka after he was unable to reclaim the light heavyweight title this past weekend at UFC 303 in a rematch with Alex Pereira.

    Many were critical of his approach to the fight, with the former champion also stating that he would need to go back and work on becoming a new version of himself if he was going to continue fighting.

    His coach, Martin Karaivanov, spoke in an interview with TN CZ Sport about how this could mean moving to middleweight in order to begin a new chapter of his career.

    “Personally speaking, I see [middleweight] as a potential restart and a positive step,” Karaivanov said (translated by MMA Mania). “He is also still at an age where he can cut weight to [185] relatively well. We will definitely talk about it. It won’t be my decision, but a team decision.

    “Middleweight would make sense because it would be a new start, something new to focus on. A return to light heavyweight would make sense if and when it starts becoming difficult for him to cut weight to middleweight.”

    Having admitted that he either needs to evolve as a fighter or not return to competition following a second setback at the hands of “Poatan,” perhaps “BJP” will look to do so down at 185 pounds in pursuit of becoming the promotion’s latest double champ.