Jiri Prochazka targeting middleweight drop after UFC 303 title fight loss: ‘It would be a new start’
Off the back of his second title fight loss to the incumbent, Alex Pereira over the course of last weekend at UFC 303, former light heavyweight champion, Jiri Prochazka and his team are once more mulling over a potential drop to the middleweight limit for his return to action.
Headlining the promotion’s International Fight Week card on short-notice at UFC 303 at the end of last month, Prochazka was felled for the second time in less than a year by the above-mentioned, Pereira – who dispatched him with a thunderous second round high-kick knockout win in Las Vegas.
And now boasting a 1-2 record in the promotion following an impressive four-fight unbeaten rise of finishes to begin his Octagon tenure, Prochazka claimed he would need to seriously “evolve” in his time away from competition, or consider retiring from combat sports.
“Hello everyone, thank you for all your support,” Jiri Prochazka said. “Thanks to you Alex (Pereira) for the fight, it was better. Only one thing goes on my mind: that I need to evolve, to the next level, or don’t fight again.”
“So it’s very simple,” Jiri Prochazka continued. “To be the strongest, this is the way. Thank you, see you in the gym.
Jiri Prochazka backed to consider middleweight drop
And discussing his student’s future following UFC 303, Prochazka’s coach, Martin Karaivanov considered a middleweight limit drop for the Czech star in his immediate return to action.
“Personally speaking, I see [middleweight] as a potential restart and a positive step,” Karaivanov told TN CZ Sport. “He (Jiri Prochazka) is also still at an age where he can cut weight to [185 pounds] relatively well. We will definitely talk about it, It won’t be my decision, but a team decision. A middleweight [move] would make sense because it would be a new start, something new to focus one. A return to light heavyweight would make sense if and when it starts becoming difficult for him to cut weight to middleweight.”
How do you think Jiri Prochazka can perform at the middleweight limit?
