Jiri Prochazka, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, is presently ranked No.2 in the UFC light heavyweight rankings, as of January 2025. Prochazka was also the first Rizin Fighting Federation and Gladiator Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion. In January 2020, Procházka committed to a UFC contract. In July 2020, at UFC 251, he made his promotional debut against Volkan Oezdemir, a previous challenger for the UFC light heavyweight title. In the second round, he prevailed by knockout and received the Performance of the Night bonus.
Procházka was scheduled to compete at UFC Fight Night 186 on February 27, 2021, against Dominick Reyes, a two-time challenger for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship title. Reyes, however, had to withdraw from the fight in late January due to an injury. As a result, the fight was rescheduled for May 1, 2021, at UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka. Procházka prevailed via second-round knockout in a back-and-forth battle. He received the Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night bonus awards for this victory. Procházka, originally scheduled to fight Glover Teixeira at UFC 274 in May 2022, was moved to UFC 275 in June 2022. He became the first Czech Republic fighter to win a UFC championship in a back-and-forth fight, winning the fight and the light heavyweight champion title through rear-naked choke submission in the fifth round.
Also Read: Why is Jiri Prochazka not champion anymore?
Jiri Prochazka's fighting style
Jiri Prochazka’s fighting style is predominantly Muay Thai. In October 2023, Procházka trained at Mjölnir MMA in Iceland and Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA in Thailand. He recuperated from shoulder surgery and concentrated on grappling, strength, and conditioning at the former. Procházka then resumed his regular training regimen and then left for the Czech Republic to begin his official training camp for UFC 295.
Prochazka said, “I just balance my fighting style to be not just focused on one thing, but for all the things.” “I don’t want to change my mindset. I want to be just me: Jiří Procházka from Hostěradice, from Czech Republic, from Brno, and keep it simple because fighting is not about doing something extraordinary, but because my style is naturally special, that’s what I had to realize—to keep it simple. Everything is there.”
FAQs on Jiri Prochazka
A. No, Jiri Prochazka's fighting style is Muay Thai.
A. Jiri Prochazka is currently ranked No.2 in the UFC light heavyweight rankings.
A. Jiri Prochazka won by second-round knockout against Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 251, earning the Performance of the Night bonus.
A. Jiri Prochazka won the fight via rear-naked choke submission in the fifth round, becoming the UFC light heavyweight champion in June 2022.
A. Jiri Prochazka vacated the title in November 2022 due to a right shoulder injury, which forced him to withdraw from his scheduled rematch against Glover Teixeira at UFC 282 in December 2022.
