Is Jiri Prochazka a real samurai? The former UFC light heavyweight champion's 'Bushido Code' explained

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka has a unique way of fighting. His fighting style and conduct earned him the nickname of the 'Czech Samurai' during his early days of competition in Japan under the RIZIN promotion.

There is a a to of curiosity among the MMA fan base about Prochazka's credentials as a samurai.

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Is Jiri Prochazka a real samurai?

It is worth noting that the chances of him having any sort of samurai training as the samurais were abolished a few years after Japan's feudal period ended in 1868. Despite not having any samurai training, the former UFC light heavyweight champion is a well-known devoted follower of the 'Bushido' principles, which are a set of morals that dictate a samurai's behavior and lifestyle.

Moreover, 'Denisa' received 'The Book of Five Rings' from his coach, which was written by Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary Japanese swordsman. The book is made up of five main chapters - earth, water, fire, wind, and void.

Jiri Prochazka has credited 'The Book of Five Rings' as his "bible," and the teachings of Miyamoto Musashi have helped him during his MMA career as well.

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Jiri Prochazka explains what being a samurai means for him

Jiri Prochazka's adherence to the Bushido principles and samurai lifestyle has become an integral part of his identity in the sport of MMA. While there is a lot of anticipation about the impact of this on his lifestyle, the former light heavyweight champion shed light on it himself.

At UFC 300 in April, Prochazka got back in the win column with an impressive TKO win over Aleksandar Rakic after weathering an early storm. During an appearance on The MMA Hour a few days later, Prochazka shed light on his relationship with the Bushido principles and samurai lifestyle:

“For me, to be a samurai, for me it’s about attitude. What you have in your life. About the paradigm in your life. How to see some situation. Sometimes you don’t need to be a samurai, because this attitude, this role, is not effective in every piece of your life."

He added:

"That’s why I’m not just using that for fight, but like I said many times, we all need to follow something. We need to understand our lives — our brain, our minds need to understand our lives and what we’re doing, why we are doing that, by some theory, some ideas. These ideas about bushido moral code help me to be honest to the way that I’m following. That’s all. You have to find something that resonates with you, and samurai ideas resonate with me." [H/T MMA Fighting]

Prochazka will return to competition at another high-profile event. He will rematch Alex Pereira in the UFC 303 main event for the light heavyweight title. The event will headline the 2024 International Fight Week and both men have been praised for their stepping up to save the card after Conor McGregor was forced to pull out due to an injury.