Tag: Jiri Prochazka

Jan Blachowicz reacts to being bumped up to a title fight at UFC 282: “I was the last to know”

Jan BlachowiczJan Blachowicz has revealed he was the last person to be notified when it became announced he would be once again fighting for the light heavyweight belt at UFC 282. A long-term injury is set to keep former champion Jiri Prochazka side-lined for an extended period of time and therefore the Czech native has respectfully […]

Jan Blachowicz

Jan Blachowicz has revealed he was the last person to be notified when it became announced he would be once again fighting for the light heavyweight belt at UFC 282.

A long-term injury is set to keep former champion Jiri Prochazka side-lined for an extended period of time and therefore the Czech native has respectfully offered to relinquish his title to allow the division to continue on without him.

Therefore, taking his and Glover Texeira’s place in the main event will be the originally scheduled co-main event of Jan Blachowicz vs Magomed Ankalaev. For Blachowicz this is an opportunity for redemption as he aims to re-acquire the belt he lost to the aforementioned Brazilian, Teixeira, at UFC 267.

Ankalaev however will have his first opportunity at becoming the light heavyweight champion with many touting him as one of the greatest talents in the 205-pound division.

Jan Blachowicz Speaks On His Late Title Opportunity at UFC 282

News broke of the injury to Prochazka only two days ago with the promotion quickly moving in its I new direction. One-half of the new main event, Jan Blachowicz, has recently revealed he was one of the last people to know of this rescheduling as he was on his way to Las Vegas when the alteration was announced.

“So we just arrived to Vegas yesterday in the evening. So, today is the first training. Get acclimated, used to the weather, and happy because title shot, main event. Amazing. That was crazy because I didn’t know anything, I was on the plane for ten hours. I was the last person know that my fight will be for the title. So I wish Jiri a very fast recovery. But, it is what it is. We’ve got the title shot, so perfect, I’m happy,” Blachowicz said. (Transcribed by BJPenn.com)

Despite being the last to know about his opportunity to become a world champion once again it comes as no surprise that the Polish powerhouse was delighted once he found out.

Nothing changes for Jan Blachowicz in terms of opponent, fight card, date, or location however, as we build into UFC 282 the stakes are now as high as they possibly could be.

Who do you think will become the new light heavyweight world champion following UFC 282?

Ji?í Procházka, Glover Teixeira, & The UFC Address UFC 282 Cancellation

Ji?í Procházka, Glover Teixeira, and the UFC have all commented on the recent changes made to the UFC 282 main event. The MMA world was left stunned by the recent announcement that Procházka, who was set to defend his light heavyweight title in a remat…

Ji?í Procházka, Glover Teixeira, and the UFC have all commented on the recent changes made to the UFC 282 main event. The MMA world was left stunned by the recent announcement that Procházka, who was set to defend his light heavyweight title in a rematch against Texeira at UFC 282, had severely injured his shoulder…

Continue Reading Ji?í Procházka, Glover Teixeira, & The UFC Address UFC 282 Cancellation at MMA News.

Dana White comments on Jiri Prochazka shoulder injury: ‘It’s the worst shoulder injury, it’s really f*cking bad’

Jiri ProchazkaUFC president, Dana White has confirmed promotional light heavyweight champion, Jiri Prochazka has been forced from his scheduled UFC 282 title defense rematch with Glover Teixeira due to a significant shoulder injury, describing the setback as the worst shoulder injury doctor’s under the UFC banner have ever seen.  Initially scheduled to take main event honors […]

Jiri Prochazka

UFC president, Dana White has confirmed promotional light heavyweight champion, Jiri Prochazka has been forced from his scheduled UFC 282 title defense rematch with Glover Teixeira due to a significant shoulder injury, describing the setback as the worst shoulder injury doctor’s under the UFC banner have ever seen. 

Initially scheduled to take main event honors at UFC 282 later this month in a championship rematch against Teixeira, Prochazka has since been forced from the fight on December 10. against the Brazilian, electing to officially relinquish his light heavyweight title to boot.

As a result, former champion, Polish contender, Jan Blachowicz will now headline the end-of-year flagship event against Russina challenger, Magomed Ankalaev in a vacant title fight.

Dana White praises Jiri Prochazka’s decision to vacate the light heavyweight crown

Confirming Jiri Prochazka will require upwards of a year in order to rehabilitate his shoulder injury, the aforenoted, White described the injury as the worst shoulder trauma UFC doctor’s have ever experienced.

“This is the worst shoulder injury the doctors have seen in UFC history,” Dana White told Yahoo! Sports reporter, Kevin Iole. “It’s really f*cking bad. His (Jiri Prochazka) shoulder is very, very bad. He’s going to have serious surgery that will require extensive rehab.”

“We met with Jiri last night and listen, this guy is one of the classiest humans of all-time,” White continued. “He is such a warrior and was so bummed out. He brought up stepping aside to us before we ever got there. He’s going to be out a long time and at some point, we would probably have had to strip him. But he brought it up to us and said out of respect for the other fighters, he didn’t want to hold up the division. Le me tell you, that kid’s a stud, man, to react like that.”

White then confirmed how former champion, Teixeira was offered a vacant title fight against the aforenoted, Ankalaev in lieu of Jiri Prochazka’s withdrawal, which he ultimately rejected.

“We offered Glover the fight [against Magomed Ankalaev],” White explained. “For some reason, he didn’t want the fight, so we had to move on. If we couldn’t have the rematch, getting Ankalaev, who has the second-longest winning streak in light heavyweight history, and (Jan) Blachowicz, who is the former champion, is really fortunate. It all fell into place for us as it often seems to do. But that’s a great fight, too, and now it’s for the full title.” 

Ji?í Procházka Vacates LHW Championship, MMA Twitter Reacts

The light heavyweight division is going through a massive and unexpected shakeup, as champ Ji?í Procházka has shockingly vacated his title. It is hard to be a fight fan and not enjoy the eccentric style of Procházka, who steamrolled his way to a UFC ti…

The light heavyweight division is going through a massive and unexpected shakeup, as champ Ji?í Procházka has shockingly vacated his title. It is hard to be a fight fan and not enjoy the eccentric style of Procházka, who steamrolled his way to a UFC title after just two fights, winning the belt in a war…

Continue Reading Ji?í Procházka Vacates LHW Championship, MMA Twitter Reacts at MMA News.

Official – Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomedov Ankalaev set for UFC 282 headliner in vacant light heavyweight title fight

Jan BlachowiczFormer undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion, Jan Blachowicz, will have an impromptu opportunity to reclaim his championship at UFC 282 on December 10. – with the Pole moving from his co-main event slot with Magomed Ankalaev, to compete for a vacant title. Originally slated to take main event honors, defending light heavyweight champion, Jiri Prochazka […]

Jan Blachowicz

Former undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion, Jan Blachowicz, will have an impromptu opportunity to reclaim his championship at UFC 282 on December 10. – with the Pole moving from his co-main event slot with Magomed Ankalaev, to compete for a vacant title.

Originally slated to take main event honors, defending light heavyweight champion, Jiri Prochazka has been forced from his title rematch with Glover Teixeira, however, a significant shoulder injury, which is expected to sideline the Czech Republic native from the Octagon for over a year, has resulted in his official relinquishing of the crown. 

Jan Blachowicz now meets Magomed Ankalaev with title spoils on the line

“BREAKING: Jiri Prochazka has suffered a significant shoulder injury,” UFC Europe tweeted. “Out of respect to the athletes and the division he will vacate his title. Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev is your new #UFC282 main event for the vacant, undisputed UFC light heavyweight championship!” 

Blachowicz, a former KSW champion to boot, managed to win the vacant light heavyweight title with a 2020 knockout win over Dominick Reyes, before successfully defending the title against former middleweight best, Israel Adesanya last year.

Dropping the crown to the aforenoted, Teixeira in October of last year in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Blachowicz earned his initial title eliminator against Ankalaev off the back of a TKO win over Aleksandar Rakic – after the Austrian-born contender suffered a leg injury.

Enjoying an impressive run of nine straight victories under the UFC banner, Ankalaev most recently defeated former title challenger, Anthony Smith with a TKO win of his own back in July at UFC 277. 

Headlining UFC 275 back in June against Teixeira, former Rizin FF champion, Prochazka managed to scoop UFC honors with a rallying, buzzer-beating fifth round submission win over the Minas Gerais native – wrapping up a rear-naked choke success.

Report – Jiri Prochazka suffers serious injury, out of UFC 282, vacates light heavyweight championship

Jiri ProchazkaCzech Republic finisher, Jiri Prochazka has reportedly been forced out of his UFC 282 main event fight against Glover Teixeira later this month at the T-Mobile Arena due to a “serious injury” – with the champion electing to officially vacate his division crown as a result. According to an initial report from Yahoo! Sports reporter, […]

Jiri Prochazka

Czech Republic finisher, Jiri Prochazka has reportedly been forced out of his UFC 282 main event fight against Glover Teixeira later this month at the T-Mobile Arena due to a “serious injury” – with the champion electing to officially vacate his division crown as a result.

According to an initial report from Yahoo! Sports reporter, Kevin Iole, Prochazka has been forced from his UFC 282 title rematch with Brazilian veteran, Teixeira due to injury – with the Czech native making the decision to officially relinquish his light heavyweight title to boot.

“BREAKING: Jiri Prochazka OUT of UFC 282 with serious injury,” Iole tweeted. “Glover (Teixeira) turned down title fight. Jiri vacated. New main event is (Jan) Blachowicz vs. (Magomed) Ankalaev.” 

Jiri Prochazka is set to be sidelined for upwards of a year

Suffering a shoulder injury which will require a surgical procedure to address, Prochazka, a former Rizin FF light heavyweight titleholder to boot, is expected to remain sidelined for upwards of a year in order to recover.

As per Ariel Helwani, former champion, Blachowicz is set to face off with the surging, Ankalaev in the event’s new headliner, with vacant light heavyweight spoils up for grabs.

“Jiri Prochazka suffered a serious shoulder injury, per his team,” Helwani tweeted. “He’s out of [UFC] 282. Belt vacated. Surgery needed. New main is Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev for the vacant title. Still unclear why no Glover Teixeira in the fight. First reported by @KevinI.”

Headlining UFC 275 back in June in Singapore, Prochazka managed to clinch the undisputed light heavyweight championship with a fifth round rear-naked choke win – sans hooks on Teixeira, defeating the Brazilian in his first attempted title defense. 

Blachowicz’s most recent win came in the form of a TKO win over Aleksandar Rakic who had suffered a leg injury in their main event fight, while Russian contender, Ankalaev stopped one-time title chaser, Anthony Smith with strikes at UFC 277 in July.