Jiri Prochazka is eager to get back in action.
UFC 282 looked a whole lot different after the Czech Republic’s finest suffered a devastating shoulder injury two weeks out from the bout. Prochazka chose to vacate his title due to the severity of his accident, leading to Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev taking top billing to decide the new titleholder. That was the plan, anyway.
Blachowicz versus Anklaev resulted in a split draw, leaving the Light Heavyweight division without a champion, and forcing UFC to make Glover Teixeira versus Jamahal Hill one month later (Jan. 21, 2023) for the title. Prochazka is expected to be on the mend for the entirety of this upcoming 205-pound timeline and beyond thanks to one of the worst shoulder injuries in promotional history according to UFC President, Dana White.
“A lot of people are saying it’s necessary to keep it eight, nine months, but I know my body, and I believe I can fix it in three or four months to the full power,” Prochazka told The MMA Hour. “There is nothing in my life … where something is not possible. If I take it like a target, I will work on it 24 hours, day and night. Doesn’t matter.
“I believe there is in mankind, a power that we can use, with all the humility and all the power, just believe it,” he concluded. “I will be back as soon as possible, stronger than ever.”
Describing his injury and how it happened, Prochazka recalled it all being light wrestling training. The problem was that he got hit with a suplex after allowing his partner to take his back. Noticing the injury, they attempted to put the shoulder back in place which led to a hospital visit for the now-former champion.
“Nobody did something wrong — it was just my mistake,” Prochazka said. “I was not focused, so it was my fault.
“My last fight, I felt like the right shoulder, I had a lot of pain with that, and I think there was something broken before that, so that’s why I think we just finished with that shoulder what was started,” he concluded. “This time, I will use it to be stronger.”