Jiri Prochazka is all the time ready.
That mindset has turn out to be useful for Prochazka, who has an opportunity to regain the sunshine heavyweight title when he rematches Alex Pereira at UFC 303 in Las Vegas this Saturday. Prochazka misplaced by way of TKO to Pereira of their first battle in November 2023, however he rebounded with a knockout of Aleksandar Rakic to maintain his place within the contenders’ line.
Although Prochazka and Pereira had been more likely to cross paths someday this yr (in line with Prochazka, there had been talks for the rematch to happen in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 26 or Aug. 18 in Australia), it got here as a shock to many once they had been introduced as the brand new headliner for UFC 303 following Conor McGregor’s damage withdrawal from the initially scheduled essential occasion reverse Michael Chandler.
Prochazka himself nonetheless isn’t certain why Pereira agreed to defend the title on brief discover.
“I used to be a little bit bit stunned by that, I can say sure,” Prochazka stated on The MMA Hour. “As a result of I don’t know what was the rationale he stated sure, if it’s cash or one thing else, however communication with me from the UFC, they gave me some higher—I don’t wish to be concrete, however we negotiated about higher cash. So I don’t know the way it was with Alex.”
“However I didn’t know concerning the cash or no matter once I accepted [the fight], so for me this isn’t so vital as a result of the principle level is to get the title and to carry it again to Czech Republic,” Prochazka added.
Prochazka has saved busy for the higher a part of the final decade, preventing 15 instances since 2016 and shedding simply as soon as throughout that stretch. He defeated Pereira’s mentor Glover Teixeira for a vacant UFC gentle heavyweight title in 2022, however by no means acquired the prospect to defend it after a shoulder damage led to him relinquishing the belt.
The 31-year-old is raring to make up for misplaced time and welcomes any short-notice alternative that comes his means.
“I consider in that,” Prochazka stated. “I used to be born like a warrior—not I consider in that, I’m the warrior and that is nearly when the state of affairs and the issues round you come like that, you need to simply say sure. To react to what occurred. As a result of when one thing occurs on the road, that you must react proper now. Proper right here, proper now. That’s what I like about brief discover, as a result of you need to react proper now, proper right here. Present me your finest proper now. That’s all.”
The one setback Prochazka has seen within the cage lately got here by the hands of Pereira once they fought at UFC 295. Pereira received a vacant title after hurting Prochazka with strikes late within the second spherical, however there was some controversy across the stoppage because it was unclear how shut Prochazka was to really being completed.
Requested if Saturday’s essential occasion is his probability for revenge, Prochazka provided a semantic counter.
“Not simply an opportunity,” Prochazka stated. “I’ll win the battle. I’ll win the battle and I consider in that and I’ll try this, that’s all. I cannot step right into a battle the place I don’t consider in that, in myself. I already settle for that I’ll do all the pieces and proper now’s the good probability to indicate that.”
Prochazka has develop into as well-known for his stoic persona as he has his thrilling battles, with little identified about his life outdoors of preventing. When Prochazka posts to social media, it’s usually about his unorthodox coaching and preparation.
The sunshine heavyweight contender assures followers that he’s a rounded human being, however so long as he’s competing, he has a sole focus, one which has enriched his life as an entire.
“I simply settle for this way of life and I promise to myself I’ll do all the pieces to attain the mastery,” Prochazka stated. “To be the grasp of my area and that’s one thing that’s in my thoughts. That’s me, that’s my soul, that’s my way of life, in order that’s why I’m doing that. That’s why I’ve to get up within the morning and go run after which meditate, as a result of if you actually realize-and that’s the sport changer in my life—if you notice you’re only a consciousness and the way clear is that consciousness, this high quality of the consciousness would be the high quality of your life. Then, if you notice this, you’ll begin to eat cleaner, to talk cleaner, to have extra good relationships with your folks, with a girlfriend, with your loved ones, and you’ll simply naturally begin to be a great person-not begin to be a great particular person, everyone’s a great particular person. Simply typically we don’t see that as a result of everyone, we now have that good inside ourselves.
“That’s why I’ve no opponent on this world as a result of it’s just one opponent in there, it’s right here, and that’s my ego. That’s one thing that’s nonetheless retaining the passivity for what we would like, we don’t wish to try this, however when you settle for the way in which of the warrior, not simply to be the fighter however inside warrior, to battle your weaknesses, then all the pieces adjustments.”
