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Jiri Prochazka has a tall task in front of him this weekend but still has a strong belief he will eventually get a shot at redemption against Alex Pereira. Speaking with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, Prochazka discussed several subjects ahead of a fight that could very well be a title eliminator.
Jiri Prochazka takes on a fellow former UFC light heavyweight champion in Jamahal Hill on the main card of the promotion's first pay-per-view card of 2025, UFC 311 on Jan. 18.
Both of these men have losses to the current 205 pound titleholder in Pereira and both want not just a chance to avenge a defeat, but to ascend to the throne once again. When asked what this fight versus Hill means for the division, Prochazka said:
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"Everything what I say, what I'm saying, I mean seriously. So nothing special but I believe I made improvements of my style, in life. In everything that I can face Alex Pereira a third time. Sorry, I believe in that. I really believe that I can be the champion and I'm going for that, to be a champion again. No more words."
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Check out Prochazka expressing his desire for a third Pereira bout below
Jiri Prochazka and the tale of the first two Pereira bouts
Jiri Prochazka entered the octagon for his first fight against Alex Pereira as a UFC titleholder who never lost his belt inside the cage. After claiming the strap from Pereira's mentor Glover Teixeira at UFC 275, Prochazka had to surrender the belt after sustaining an injury toward the end of 2022.
The 32-year-old returned to the cage to compete for the vacant light heavyweight strap against Alex Pereira at UFC 295 in Nov. 2023. The Brazilian knockout artist dispatched Prochazka in the second stanza to become the first fighter in the UFC to claim gold at both middleweight and light heavyweight.
Prochazka then got back into the win column with a second round TKO victory over Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 300 last April. With that win, he earned his rematch against 'Poatan,' and the two ended up squaring off at UFC 303 in June 2024. Unfortunately for Prochazka, he came up short on the night and was once again knocked out by Pereira.
