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After a spectacular main event at UFC 275, Jiri Prochazka can now say he is the UFC light heavyweight champion. He submitted Glover Teixiera to become the new champion in a bout that will surely earn Fight of the Year consideration.
The 29-year-old has accomplished a lot so far in his young career. He was a Czech national champion in Muay Thai prior to his transition to MMA. From there, he defeated former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion ‘King Mo’ Lawal to become the inaugural RIZIN light heavyweight champion. Now, in only his third fight inside the octagon, he is the new light heavyweight champion.
It will be interesting to see who the promotion matches 'Denisa' up against for his first title defense. There are many appealing options, especially considering his fighting style and most recent performance.
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While many will clamor for an immediate rematch, there is the possibility of champion vs. champion bouts as well. This list will look at five possible challengers for Jiri Prochazka after his UFC 275 win.
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#5 Former UFC title challenger Dominick Reyes
Despite being on a three-fight losing spree, Dominck Reyes would be a formidable challenger should he get back into title contention. In 2020, he most notably lost a unanimous decision to then-champion Jon Jones in which many felt he should’ve won.
His most recent loss was against Prochazka last May, which earned them a Fight of the Night bonus.
During his appearance on The MMA Hour, Reyes reflected on his bout with ‘Denisa’ and complimented the champion’s resilience.
“The thing about Jiri is just his heart is crazy man. Like I said, I actually knocked him out in our fight but he came back and kept fighting. It was one of those situations where his heart is almost stronger than his body."
Watch Dominick Reyes' interview below:
‘The Devastator’ could be a fighter that benefits from an extended layoff. He also told Helwani, that he’s targeting an October return. Based on how entertaining the first fight was, Reyes could possibly earn a title shot if he defeats a top-ranked fighter.
#4 Winner of Magomed Ankalaev vs. former UFC title challenger Anthony Smith
One of the fights that fans will be keeping an eye on at UFC 277 is Magomed Ankalaev vs. Anthony Smith. The two light heavyweights are in a great position in the light heavyweight rankings and could earn the next title shot. With ‘Denisa’ becoming champion in his third bout with the promotion, each matchup will see a new opponent.
‘Lionheart’ has had a tough climb back into title contention. The No. 5 ranked light heavyweight is currently riding a three-fight winning streak during which he has finished each opponent.
His wins include a first-round submission over Devin Clark, first-round TKO over Jimmy Crute, and first-round submission over Ryan Spann.
Ankalaev has been equally as impressive since making his promotional debut in 2018. Despite losing his debut to Paul Craig, he has since won eight straight bouts in dominant fashion. Based on how Prochazka’s fight with Teixeira went, Anakalaev could find areas in which he could exploit with his sambo.
#3 Former UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira
Based on what transpired in the main event at UFC 275, Prochazka vs. Teixeira 2 would be a very appealing option. Both fighters earned a bonus for Fight of the Night and the promotion could capitalize on that.
During his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, Glover Teixeira mentioned that he’ll continue fighting. He performed well and wasn’t outclassed by any means. In fact, he was winning the fight and would’ve retained the title if he survived the final 28-seconds. Since he has recent wins over other top contenders, a rematch wouldn’t necessarily hold up the division.
Dana White has said in the past that if there is a demand for a fight, he will do his best to book it. It wouldn’t be the first time that the promotion booked a rematch for a title fight. They did so with Jorge Masvidal vs. welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Max Holloway vs. featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
#2 UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya has cemented his legacy as being one of the greatest middleweights in UFC history. The reigning middleweight champion has successfully defended his title on four occasions since defeating Robert Whittaker in 2019.
His title defenses include wins over Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, and most recently, Whittaker.
After achieving success at 185lbs, Adesanya could move up and attempt another run at the light heavyweight championship. He challenged then-light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in 2021, but was handed his first career loss via unanimous decision.
Following the bout, he stated that he’ll eventually return to 205lbs as he has aspirations of becoming champion in multiple weight-divisions.
Now that Prochazka is champion, he could possibly pursue a lucrative champion vs. champion bout.
‘The Last Stylebender’ vs. ‘Denisa’ would be an incredible matchup. Both are elite strikers and have highlight-reels with spectacular finishes. The bout could garner plenty of interest, while also allowing the promotion to continue building up contenders at 205lbs.
#1 Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz
It’s hard to overlook Jan Blachowicz when determining who will challenge Prochazka for his first UFC light heavyweight title defense. He defeated former title challenger Dominick Reyes in 2020 to win the vacant light heavyweight championship. It was an impressive performance as he earned a Performance of the Night bonus.
Following the title win, Blachowicz added another accomplishment on his resume by handing Adesanya his first loss in MMA. He stuck to his gameplan that night and used his wrestling to prevent the middleweight champion from getting too confident.
After losing the title, the 39-year-old bounced back with an impressive win over Aleksandar Rakic. ‘Rocket’ was unable to continue into the third-round after unfortunately tearing his ACL.
Since the fight took place in May and ‘Denisa’ fought this past weekend, the timing would work out well. Blachowicz vs. Prochazka could possibly headline an event this fall or at the end of the year.
