Jiri Prochazka announced his arrival in the UFC with a stunning second-round knock out of former light heavyweight title contender Volkan Oezdemir on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
The 27-year-old former Rizin champion (27-3-1) sent Oezdemir (17-5) crashing to the canvas after a left jab and a vicious right hook in the main event of the prelims at UFC 251. He is on an 11-fight win streak, with his last nine wins by KO or TKO.
“No Time” had never been finished like this. He had dropped Prochazka in the first round of a crazy fight with both men relentlessly throwing strikes, but a head kick from the Czech in the second round was the beginning of the end, with No 7-ranked Oezdemir wobbled.
“I feel amazing, but the performance was horrible, so much punches,” Prochazka told Jon Anik in a post-fight interview. “I expected more wrestling from him but that was good.”
“Denisa” came into the fight with plenty of hype after his exploits in Japan, and there could soon be a new challenger in the 205-pound division.
“Very soon, very soon,” was his answer when asked when he will step back in the Octagon. “Because I want to take a title and that's my mission here.
“But not just the title – my performance, I need to work on it. You watched that, I made some mistakes, so let's go.”
