Former light heavyweight champion and fan favourite, Jiri Prochazka is seemingly open to a move down in weight to 185lbs, middleweight, but only after he’s achieved his ultimate goal.
After his emphatic win at UFC 320 to extend his winning run to two straight, Prochazka remained in the conversation for the next shot at light heavyweight gold. It could be a hard sell for fans as the Czech star has already had two losses to the champion, Alex Pereira.
In addition, Carlos Ulberg is potentially more deserving as he’s enjoying a nine-fight winning run. With that being said, Prochazka is still focused on getting the belt, which he held in 2022, back. His route back to the top is made even more complicated with Poatan potentially moving up to heavyweight to clash with Jon Jones.
Speaking to UFC hall of famer, Michael Bisping, Jiri Prochazka was questioned as to whether he would move down to 185lbs, the division that Bisping previously held the belt in, rather than sitting out. Replying, Prochazka made his stance very clear:
“For this question about middleweight, just I will go there, but I will go there if I will win the title fight in light heavyweight. That’s the point and that’s why I’m speaking about that, why I want to really bring the belt back to Czech Republic.”
There’s no mixing his words. Jiri Prochazka is fully focused on regaining the light heavyweight belt before considering dropping down in weight to compete at middleweight. He also noted:
“After week, after week, after week, all the time, keeping the same. So for me, right now. I want to fight with Alex Pereira, third fight. That’s all, that’s my opinion. Everybody talks about him and Jones. If that will be the plan or next fight, I wish him the best or let the better win. So next move, I want to fight for the title and for me, it doesn’t matter who the opponent.”
Here, Prochazka is potentially hinting at either an interim fight or the suggestion that if Pereira moves up, he will be forced to vacate, allowing the Czech native to fight for the belt against someone else, likely Ulberg.
185 Version of Jiri Prochazka
But what would a middleweight version of Jiri Prochazka look like? He’s a notoriously slow starter and having to cut more weight and being water-drained will only make this more prominent… or will it?
He suggests that he’s working on starting faster:
“All my life. And many times I learned that I need to start a little bit earlier to have maybe more energetic preparation before the fight, with the coaches, but there is nothing realer than the fight itself. So, I just need a really dangerous challenge face to face and all the prizes that I really want to take and then I will, every time, I will start in full power.”
His last two UFC wins have seen the captivating figure score a knockout in the final round, but if he is to be believed, he will look to get down to business sooner next time out.
Would you be interested in seeing Jiri Prochazka mix it with the best at 185lbs?
