Jiri Prochazka desires to turn into UFC gentle heavyweight champion for a second time, and whereas simply engaging in that aim could be significant, having the ability to defeat the person who stopped him twice could be all the pieces.
Prochazka is booked to face fellow-former champ Jamahal Hill in a highly-anticipated conflict at UFC 311 on Jan 18 in Los Angeles. Each fighters just lately have been stopped by present champ Alex Pereira earlier within the yr, with Prochazka struggling the destiny for the second time in lower than a yr at UFC 303 in June. “BJP” desires to place that night time behind him, however he was ready to remove quite a lot of worthwhile classes from that loss.
“I took the very best from that,” Prochazka instructed MMA Preventing. “It was not an excessive amount of about like that efficiency within the night time, however concerning the preparation for that battle and I needed to change many, many issues. So the previous few months, I actually labored on that, what to, what to do, what to not do, what to not repeat. So right here I’m and prepared for the subsequent battle.
“Each loss, each win is the primary level of the profession. So each battle, doesn’t matter if it’s a win. Win or lose, there may be at all times the prospect to take the very best from that have from each battle.”
Prochazka captured the title in one of many biggest UFC title fights in historical past, submitting Glover Teixeira within the fifth spherical at UFC 275 in June 2022. The previous RIZIN star didn’t get the prospect to defend it as an damage forward of his scheduled rematch with Teixeira at UFC 282 six months later led to Prochazka — because the UFC put it — vacating the title, which coincidentally, was gained by Hill at UFC 283 a month later.
As a result of Hill ended up vacating the belt on account of his personal damage, Prochazka stepped in to face Pereira for the vacant title at UFC 295 in November 2023, and was stopped within the second spherical.
As historical past has proven, the probabilities Prochazka can earn a 3rd battle with Pereira whereas “Poatan” continues to be champion appears near-impossible. Nonetheless, Prochazka believes a win over Hill might get him that probability, and that it simply could be his future.
“You understand, perhaps I’ll sound loopy or no matter, however consider me, I’m engaged on [once again becoming] the champion,” Prochazka defined. “[The] champion proper now’s Alex. However proper now, I’m focusing [on] what’s earlier than me. What’s the subsequent step? Proper now, it’s Jamahal Hill. Subsequent, we are going to see who would be the champion.
“If that will likely be Alex, for me proper now — if there will likely be a questions concerning the battle with Alex — that will likely be for me, actually, the battle for my life.”
For Prochazka, a second title reign could be the primary time to do it the fitting manner. After the all-time battle with Teixeira, Prochazka simply believed that being UFC champion was a part of the plan, however he didn’t get to benefit from the second like he ought to have.
If he will get to have Dana White wrap that championship belt round his waist as a two-time titleholder, Prochazka guarantees he’ll stick with it that custom as champion the way in which he was purported to.
“Possibly first time, after I gained, I didn’t actually understand that it was an enormous, an enormous factor in my life, and I used to be not so — like I say — grateful for that,” Prochazka mentioned. “I took that like, robotically, I would be the champion. OK, I’m the champion, and that’s all, yeah. I [didn’t have] these emotions to be humble, grateful in that.
“So I mentioned to myself, ‘I need to go this manner yet another time,’ not only one extra time, however I need to go there, take this belt, take that place of the very best man within the gentle heavyweight [division], and yet another time, however grateful. Be humble. And actually recognize that second. Actually recognize the life that gave you this opportunity to battle for that once more. And proper now, I’m on this course of. That is what I really feel proper now.”
