Jiri Prochazka hopeful of third title fight with Alex Pereira after UFC 303 loss: ‘I know I can beat him’
Despite dropping his second career loss to Alex Pereira just a week ago at UFC 303, former light heavyweight kingpin, Jiri Prochazka remains confident of landing a victory over the Brazilian if they can share the Octagon for a third time.
Prochazka, who remains the number one ranked divisional contender off the back of his International Fight Week title fight blemish, was stopped for the second time since November by Pereira, who turned in his second successful title defense to boot.
Stopped with a hellacious second round high-kick knockout loss to the Sao Paulo native, Prochazka has been linked with a middleweight divisional move off the back of his UFC 303 defeat, however, revealed he had been battling with both a staph infection in the weeks ahead of his rematch with the Brazilian, after suffering a prior back injury.
“The last two weeks have been health-wise – even though I said everything was fine, it wasn’t,” Jiri Prochazka said. “This was manifested by staphylococcus, a spot on the body after a tick bite, an unhealed would on the leg, a crunch in the back after heavy lifting.”
Jiri Prochazka eyes third title fight with Alex Pereira
And weighing up matchups against the likes of former champion, Jamahal Hill, as well as surging Russian challenger, Magomed Ankalaev off the back of his defeat to Pereira – Prochazka has sights on a route back to the throne, claiming he can beat the former if they fight for a third time.
“I know I can beat (Alex) Pereira,” Jiri Prochazka told TN.cz during a recent interview. “I feel I have what it takes and I just need to unlock the right things to really win. I’ll let my next opponent crystallize. I’m thinking of names, there’s (Jamahal) Hill, (Magomed) Ankalaev, and (Jan) Blachowicz.”
Do you think Jiri Prochazka can beat Alex Pereira if they fight for a third time?
