Call him crazy, but Jiri Prochazka doesn’t think he’s seen the last of Alex Pereira.
Once the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion of the world, the Czech Republic’s Prochazka has failed to capture the title he never lost on two occasions vs. Alex Pereira, losing by TKO both times at UFC 295 last year and over the summer at UFC 303.
Former UFC Champion Jiri Prochazka. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Pereira is the only fighter to beat Prochazka in nearly a decade, with the 32-year-old defeating everybody else in his path including Aleksandr Rakic and former title challengers Dominick Reyes and Volkan Oezdemir.
Coming off the last loss, the Prochazka looks to rebound and rebuild in his next fight against former champ Jamahal Hill at UFC 311 on Jan. 18.
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Remember this face-off?! 👀
Jiri Prochazka vs Jamahal Hill goes down at #UFC311 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xKi1yhi9eg
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) December 20, 2024
0-2 to “Poatan”, Prochazka refuses to give up on his dream of becoming a two-time champion even if the cards are stacked against him in a potential trilogy bout against Pereira – a fighter who seems to already have his ‘number’.
“Maybe it will sound that crazy or whatever. But believe me, I’m working on that, to be the champion,” Prochazka told MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck. “Champion right now is Alex. I’m every time focusing what’s before me, what’s the next step, right now is Jamahal Hill.”
Former UFC Champion Jiri Prochazka. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
“Next we will see who will be the champion. If that will be Alex… If there will be the question about the fight with Alex, that will be, for me, the fight for my life.”
UFC faceoffs don’t get more iconic than what we got between Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka, both stoic as ever when pitted against each other inside the Octagon.
Prochazka had his moments in the first fight, but it was all Pereira in the rematch. While Pereira will likely meet a new challenger next, a trilogy fight with Prochazka isn’t totally out of the realm of possibility with Prochazka very much in the title picture with a #2 ranking in the light heavyweight division.
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