The Czech fighter has been busy re-aligning his mental energies, and shared some future fighting plans in a new 25 minute video.
Jiri Prochazka has released a lengthy video interview on his YouTube channel discussing his loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 303 in June and what’s next for him in the coming months.
Anyone following Prochazka’s social media accounts has seen the “Czech Samurai” revitalizing his soul with various wild adventures. He recently completed the 250 mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in northern Spain, and now he’s in Australia training and cuddling marsupials.
While this video was filmed before his departure for Perth to watch UFC 305 in person, it sounds like he’s worked out some negative mental outlooks he had coming into the second “Poatan” fight.
“As for the black magic,” Prochazka said when asked about Pereira. “Over the past year, I’ve channeled that energy into other things, started focusing too much on different sources of strength rather than solely on my own. And I think that was the main issue; then came the magic and all those other things. That just came along with it.”
“Seeing that Pereira was doing certain things, I just grabbed onto that,” he continued. “And I, by indulging in those practices, fell into the same trap as [Aleksandar] Rakic did before the fight by talking about me and labeling me in a certain way. I’ve never paid attention to the opponent’s trash talk before, and I never will again. Because it’s just a sign of insecurity and weakness, and somehow it just crept in. Now it’s time to work on it.”
“Musashi writes in his book, ‘Believe in gods and Buddhas, but do not rely on their help.’ It doesn’t matter who or what it is, we are the source. We are the key. And the people around us whom we trust, our community, our loved ones, our family, and friends. I see that as a source of my strength … At this moment, I’m in a phase of cleansing myself from injustices, from false opinions and wrong people. All lies, just burn away. And only the truth remains. So that’s the reality.”
As for the practical nuts and bolts of his career, he once again declared he was interested in moving down to middleweight before sharing a light heavyweight name he’d thrown the UFC’s way for consideration.
Jiri Prochazka is having the time of his life in Perth, Australia pic.twitter.com/O5NB0uTBNl
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) August 16, 2024
“If Adesanya wins, I’ll stay in the light heavyweight division, but if Du Plessis wins, I’ll follow him,” Prochazka said. “I’ll clear things up a bit there and take the belt. But I feel good and strong in the light heavyweight division, even though the guys there are a bit heavier. Almost all of them. So I have to say that I have no problem physically and strength-wise, or in any way, with clearing them out.”
“But it would certainly be a challenge for me to go for the belt in the 185lb division and then move up. But I’ll really let it flow and see how it unfolds.”
Israel Adesanya did indeed lose at UFC 305, so maybe we’ll see Prochazka switch divisions in a quest to defeat Dricus Du Plessis. If he stays at 205 pounds, though, Jamahal Hill’s name has been rattling around.
“That’s interesting because there hasn’t been any negotiation or discussion with the manager or anyone else yet,” Jiri said of Jamahal reports. “I just sent one message regarding Hill. Just as an informational note, and I’m not sure if anything has progressed or if someone let something slip. But for now, it’s all just speculation.”
Who would you like to see Prochazka fight next, Maniacs? Let us know in the comments below!