"Now I'm free" - Jiri Prochazka says he had panic episodes about USADA visiting him first thing in the morning

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka recently opened up about having panic episodes about USADA visiting him.

During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Prochazka spoke about USADA's way of testing athletes. The United States Anti-Doping Agency's contract with the UFC runs out by the end of the year, and many fighters seem to be relieved, including the former champion.

Jiri Prochazka recalled how USADA used to show up at his house in the Czech Republic at six in the morning to take blood samples. Recalling how he used to sometimes get panicked because of it, he said:

"Sometimes it was like, like I said, I was like. 'Oh, today they will come, today they will come, I need to be prepared.'"

Further, the former UFC light heavyweight champion also spoke about how USADA's testing methods are different in the United States and stated:

"In the Czech Republic, it was not like here in the U.S. they just take little blood, like a drop, small drop [from the thumb] but they took a lot of blood... Now I'm free"

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Jiri Prochazka responds to Jamahal Hill's criticism ahead of UFC 295

The light heavyweight division of the UFC has been rather unstable over the past year. Prochazka beat Glover Teixeira last year in June to become the new champion of the division. The two were then set for a rematch in December; however, the Czech phenom had to pull out of the fight because of an injury.

Later, the vacant title was won by Jamahal Hill in January this year, but he ended up suffering the same fate. Hill was injured and was forced to vacate his title, which is set to be put on the line this weekend between Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira.

Ahead of the matchup, Jamahal Hill has been seen undermining Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira while considering himself the "real champion." Speaking of the same during his appearance on The MMA Hour, Prochazka said:

“I know that Jamal, he spoke about me, many bad things, many good things, doesn’t matter for me, I like him, I like other guys in the division. I will just show that I am the best in the division. That's all, that's all."

Catch his comments below (10:03):