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Rarely do fighters make the type of immediate impact on the UFC that Jiri Prochazka has managed. With just two appearances for the organization to his credit, Prochazka on Saturday will challenge for the promotion’s light heavyweight title in what is clearly the biggest fight of the 29-year-old’s already impressive career.
“Before the UFC, I never imagined that [I would fight for the belt so quickly],” Prochazka told MMA Underground. “But after I won the first fight, I started to believe, ‘Oh, I can get the belt the fastest way I can,’ so here it is, and I’m ready.”
Prochazka debuted for the organization in 2020, scoring a second-round knockout over former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir that was awarded a “Performance of the Night” bonus. His sophomore effort in the UFC was even more impressive, collecting a vicious spinning-elbow knockout of another former title challenger in Dominick Reyes that found its way on to many 2021 “Knockout of the Year” lists.
"The first fight was for me the new era, new level of my abilities, of how to use my power and all these things," Prochazka says. “It was a big, big, step for me, and the second fight, I had to confirm for myself that first fight was not just something weird, craziness. Now I’m ready to show again my best, but the better ‘my best’ from the last fight because I’m still evolving, and I’m ready to show that."
A Czech native, Prochazka turned pro in 2012 and quickly began building an astounding career record that has seen him earn 25 of his 28 career wins by knockout. Even more incredibly, 21 of those have come in the first round.
It’s a track record built on the strength of Prochazka’s unique approach, which features aggressive, wild movements that are nearly impossible for his opponents to anticipate.
“It’s a part of my style, and if I didn’t [fight] like that—my style, my moves—all these things will never be like they are, so I have to be like that," Prochazka said. “I have to be unpredictable—not just unpredictable for my opponent, unpredictable for myself—so I’m just going on the unpredictable ways and the techniques. Everything comes in the right moment.
“Of course I have some plans, some strategies, but that’s just on the side, what I can use—but there is the fight. The moment will show you everything."
Zac Pacleb/Zuffa LLC
On Saturday, Prochazka (28-3-1 MMA, 2–0 UFC) faces a beloved icon of mixed martial arts in Glover Teixeira (33–7 MMA, 16–5 UFC), the 42-year-old reigning UFC light heavyweight champion. The two headline UFC 275, which streams live on ESPN+ pay-per-view (10 p.m. ET) from Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Prochazka says he has as much respect for Teixeira as anyone else but can’t allow that to cross his mind as he seeks his latest highlight-reel finish.
"For me, he is a big challenge, but I have to prove there is time for our new generation of fighters," Prochazka says. “I respect him much, but I have to show that I’m the next champion. That’s all. But like, his story is amazing in the UFC—that long, long story from UFC, it’s amazing, and that's why I respect him.
“If you respect the way of the warrior, it’s not hard for you to respect somebody and to be humble in these situations.”
Should he prove victorious, there would seem to be tremendous upside for Prochazka’s fighting future. He boasts an incredibly fan-friendly fighting style, as well a unique personality built around the moral values of the samurai warriors and Miyamoto Musashi’s The Book of Five Rings. Perhaps most importantly, he’s capable of creating viral highlight clips every time he steps in the cage. But for now, he’s not looking for what comes after his hand is raised and the belt is wrapped around his waist.
“Everything must come from motivation,” Prochazka says. “If you have the motivation, the reason why, you have to feel that inside—and I feel that right now. I want to get the belt. I want to be the champion, and that's all for now.
“That’s all for now, what I know, and we will see the next chapter.”
Of course Teixeira doesn’t plan on making that easy. The longtime protégé of Chuck Liddell took a winding journey to his current spot as champion, and armed with knockout power of his own, not to mention a dangerous submission game, Teixeira hopes to retire while still holding the title.
Prochazka knows as well as anyone to expect the unexpected in the highly anticipated matchup.
“We will see,” Prochazka says. "We will see how the glory will be, how good he will be prepared, but I’m ready for everything. I’m ready for running five rounds or jumping five rounds or to wrestle five rounds or to beat him in a ground game. It doesn’t matter for me."
