Why did Jiri Prochazka spend 3 days in a pitch-dark room? The UFC star's bizarre samurai training tactics explored

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka is gearing up to face off against former middleweight champion Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 303, scheduled for Saturday, June 29, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Despite having competed in only five UFC fights, 'BJP' is on the threshold of his third attempt to secure a UFC title. Prochazka became the light heavyweight champion by submitting the reigning champion, Glover Teixeira, with a last-minute rear-naked choke at UFC 275 in July 2022.

He relinquished the title due to an injury and lost to Alex Pereira in the UFC 295 title fight in his second title opportunity.

Prochazka possesses a distinct approach to his fighting. His unique fighting style and demeanor led to the moniker 'The Czech Samurai', which he earned during his early career in Japan under the RIZIN promotion.

However, it's not just his fighting style that sets him apart. After securing the 205-pound title at UFC 275, the 31-year-old Czech fighter revealed that he has engaged in an unorthodox training method, such as spending three days in a pitch-dark room without food with no concept of time to enhance his mental fortitude through sensory deprivation.

Devoted to the martial arts philosophy of the Bushido code, Prochazka occasionally incorporates non-traditional methods into his MMA training.

Jiri Prochazka frequently includes training with a samurai sword known as the 'Katana' in his regimen. This practice began nearly a decade ago when his coach gave him a book titled 'The Book of Five Rings,' authored by the legendary Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. The teachings of this book moved Prochazka profoundly, and it is divided into five main chapters representing different elements: earth, water, fire, wind, and void.

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Jiri Prochazka's unorthodox training methods

Over the years, Jiri Prochazka has shared some unique ways of training that have become a major talking point in the MMA community. On many occasions, Prochazka has been seen training alone in the wilderness.

This may seem counterintuitive as a large part of MMA training involves training with partners to build the right reflexes and prepare to deal with a variety of techniques. However, the Czech fighter's career trajectory suggests that it has not held him back from achieving success.

To improve his performance, Prochazka was also seen training with Shaolin monks recently.

Apart from this, Prochazka's unique training methods have included working in the playground or rubbing poison Ivy on himself. It is, however, not clear what percentage of his training includes these methods in addition to the contemporary MMA training.