For many, Jiri Prochazka may be the most mythical fighter on the UFC roster.
Known as the “Czech Samurai,” he is a follower of Bushido and the swordsmanship philosophy of Miyamoto Musashi, and styles the hair on the top of his head as an ode to Mongkol, the traditional headdress worn by Muay Thai warriors.
“Once you embrace the way of the warrior, you have to embrace a lifestyle that requires you to hone your body, your breath and your focus every minute, every second of every day,” he said. Athletic on monday.
But Prochazka said Wednesday he fears he will be at a mental disadvantage heading into his light heavyweight title rematch against Alex Pereira at UFC 303.
At UFC 303 media day, Prochazka doubled down on his previous belief that Pereira was using shamanic rituals and spiritual powers to win fights. Prochazka told “The MMA Hour” that Pereira could not beat him on a purely human level without using his spiritual powers.
On Wednesday, Prochazka challenged Pereira to fight “all the way” this weekend.
“Everybody knows he has a ritual before a fight. Everybody can feel it. What’s around you, what’s going on. I don’t think Alex can fight without it,” Prochazka said. “He uses it every day in his fights. Now, this is the challenge for him: can he fight in a clear way? … Let’s summon a higher power into the cage and see who is the best in the world based on pure performance.”
Pereira vs. Prochazka! #UFC303 Live on Saturday ESPN Plus PV! pic.twitter.com/MVXiqTgFJc
— Dana White (@danawhite) June 27, 2024
Pereira, who is of indigenous Brazilian Patachau descent, did not deny Prochaska’s allegations.
“Well, everybody has their own spirit,” Pereira later said. “We’re not just made of flesh and bones. I found my spirit.”
On Thursday, Pataxo leader Ubilanan told MMAFighting.com that he and his fellow Pataxo people would come together to pray for Pereira.
Chief Ubilanan and the Pataxo people will come together today to pray for Alex Pereira ahead of his UFC 303 title defense against Jiri Prochazka. pic.twitter.com/WwHt4OeOZI
— Guilherme Cruz (@guicruzzz) June 26, 2024
Prochazka has been one of the sport’s most idiosyncratic competitors and has been outspoken about his morals and spiritual lifestyle since joining UFC in 2020. With unconventional footwork and unorthodox striking, he dominated lower-ranked light heavyweights, earning a title shot by knocking out Dominick Reyes with a highlight-reel spinning elbow.
“There’s a sinister presence coming from the Czech Republic,” UFC commentator Paul Felder said as Reyes lay unconscious on the mat.
Prochazka went on to win the title at UFC 275, defeating Glover Teixeira in a close-fought final bout, but he relinquished the belt five months later after suffering a devastating shoulder injury prior to his first title defense.
He said Monday: Athletic He has “infinitely” confidence he can reclaim the belt in a second bout with Pereira, whose first bout at UFC 295 ended with Pereira finishing Prochazka with his signature left hook to win the vacant title.
“This is what I’ve been striving for my whole career. I deserve this position and I believe now is my time,” Prochazka said of his confidence on Saturday. “I’m 100 percent, no, infinitely confident. Right now, I’m really hoping for that.”
That confidence grew even more in April, when Prochazka overcame an early onslaught from Aleksandar Rakic to knock out the light heavyweight challenger and earn a title shot. Prochazka took more than 10 leg kicks in the first round and spent the first two minutes of the second round limping around under heavy punches from Rakic.
But Prochazka woke up with a straight right midway through the second round, showcasing the power that rose to stardom, and as Rakic stumbled across the cage, Prochazka dropped him with hooks, uppercuts and a brutal knee strike.
“The match against Aleksandar Rakic was really important for me,” Prochazka said. Athletic“I wanted to show the world that I am the number one contender and champion in the light heavyweight division. My performance against Aleksandar Rakic was not pure, but I gave it my best. I intend to put in another performance against Alex Pereira. I believe any performance will be good enough to win.”
Ahead of his second bout with Pereira, Prochazka said he has made changes throughout his life to avenge his only UFC loss to date.
“This wasn’t about something big, it was personal. Not just with other people, but with myself,” he said.
“I’ve changed some things. Not just my preparation, but my lifestyle. That’s why I believe I can be a champion.”
As for his prediction for the bout, Prochazka was as bullish as ever: “I’m going to win by knockout. It doesn’t matter when.”
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