Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
After his spectacular UFC debut, former RIZIN champion Jiri Prochazka could have yet another matchup against a former title challenger.
We’re in late October, but the UFC is already looking at filling out its schedule through the end of this coming February.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto was told by Dana White that the promotion is angling for former light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes to take on ex-RIZIN champ Jiri Prochazka in a UFC Fight Night main event on February 27th.
Reyes (12-2) was unlucky not to have the UFC light heavyweight belt wrapped around his waist after his February fight with Jon Jones. He found himself on the wrong end of a close unanimous decision that evening, but instead of a rematch, Jones vacated his belt and Reyes took on Jan Blachowicz for the vacant title at UFC 253. In a rather surprisingly lopsided fight, Reyes was stopped in two rounds. “The Devastator” entered 2020 as an unbeaten rising star, but it looks like he’ll head into 2021 in must-win territory against someone who may just get a title shot by beating him.
Prochazka (27-3-1) came into the UFC with plenty of hype after several years in RIZIN, exiting the Japanese MMA organization as the light heavyweight champion. With wins over the likes of “King Mo” Lawal (avenging his only RIZIN loss), current Bellator champion Vadim Nemkov, and Karl Albrektson, the Czech fighter was thrown into the deep end of the pool for his Octagon debut. Needless to say, he passed with flying colors with a ridiculously violent KO of former UFC title challenger Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 251 in July.
No other fights have been targeted or rumored for that UFC Fight Night card. If/when it does become official then that will certainly a matchup fans will be eager to see given the exciting styles of both men, not to mention the immediate title implications for Prochazka.