Largely expected to make his Octagon return in a vacant UFC light heavyweight title fight with fellow former promotional champion, Alex Pereira, Czech Republic finisher, Jiri Prochazka claims that if he’s forced to utilize his grappling – as he did against Pereira’s training partner and compatriot, Glover Teixeira en route to victory, then so be it.
Prochazka, the current number one ranked light heavyweight contender, has yet to return to the Octagon since he landed divisional gold back in June of last year at UFC 275 in Singapore, submitting the aforenoted defending titleholder, Glover Teixeira with a stunning fifth round rear-naked choke – sans hooks to win the crown.
As for Pereira, the Sao Paulo native most recently co-headlined UFC 291 at the end of July in Salt Lake City, Utah, landing a close, split decision win over former champion, Jan Blachowicz in the pair’s title-eliminator – in what came as Pereira’s first venture at the light heavyweight limit inside the Octagon.
Yet to book his comeback, Prochazka vacated his light heavyweight title back in December of last year, after suffering a catastrophic shoulder injury.
And while reports detailed earlier this week how the organization briefly explored the idea of a vacant light heavyweight title fight between Prochazka and Pereira in just six weeks time UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia, the bout failed to come to fruition.
Jiri Prochazka plays up submission threat in potential Alex Pereira clash
However, when he expectedly shares the Octagon with the Braziian knockout ace, Prochazka exclaimed that he has no reservations about testing out his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu arsenal in the pair’s expected clash.
“I think he (Alex Pereira) has one of the best striking in the middleweight [division],” Jiri Prochazka told AllStar reporter, John Hyon Ko. “[At] light heavyweight, we will see. I’m ready. Like every time. I will do everything for the win.”
“If I have to change myself… I will do that,” Jiri Prochazka explained. “Like (with) Glover (Teixeira), if I have to choke him (Alex Pereira), I will choke him. It doesn’t matter. That’s [what] fighting’s about, to adjust.” (Transcribed by MMA News)