The Samurai

Jiří Prochazka (via boxemag.com)

It’s December 23, 2024, and Jiří Procházka remains one of the most ferocious fighters in the UFC. The former light-heavyweight champion has made his mark on the company, making his debut only four years ago. With a championship to his name and the pursuit of getting the belt back, how did this Procházka get here?

Early Ages:

Jiří Procházka was born in Hostěradice, Czech Republic, on October 14, 1992. Hostěradice is a small town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, known for its rich history and cultural heritage. As a teenager, he was inspired by the Samurai culture and philosophy of Bushido, which emphasizes discipline, honor, and respect. This philosophy later became the cornerstone of his approach to martial arts and life. Procházka faced difficulties in his youth, including fights and challenges associated with being in a rural environment. After getting involved in street fights as a young man, he sought a constructive outlet for his aggression and energy, which led him to martial arts. Procházka was initially trained in Muay Thai and showed great potential in the striking disciplines. His early focus on Muay Thai helped him build a solid foundation in stand-up combat. He transitioned to mixed martial arts in his late teens, inspired by the physical and mental challenges the sport demanded. Procházka began competing professionally in 2012 and quickly became a standout fighter in the Czech MMA scene. He gained attention for his aggressive fight style, knockout power, and unorthodox techniques. His nickname, “Denisa,” originates from a playful incident during his training days and reflects his laid-back nature outside the cage, the polar opposite of how Procházka approaches his fights.

Early MMA Career:

Procházka made his professional MMA debut on April 7, 2012, at an event called GCF 10: Cage Fight 5, hosted by the Gladiator Championship Fighting promotion in his home country, defeating Stanislav Futera in the first round by knockout. In 2013, Procházka transitioned to the international stage by signing with Rizin Fighting Federation in Japan, where his career took off. He competed from 2015 to 2019, amassing an impressive record of 12 wins and one loss. His performances in Rizin established him as a top light-heavyweight worldwide, leading to his eventual signing with the UFC. His final fight for the Japanese promotion occurred on December 31, 2019, when the Czech secured a victory over C.B. Dolloway by first-round knockout. This marked his tenth victory in Rizin, all by stoppage. After dominating Rizin’s light-heavyweight division and capturing the championship, Procházka signed with the UFC in Janaury 2020, officially joining the world’s biggest MMA stage. Training under legendary coaches Martin Karaivanov and Jaroslav Hovezak at Jetsaam Gym in the Czech Republic, Procházka has been lucky enough to work with a set of professionals who have corralled his frantic style into an arsenal of technical weapons. 

UFC Debut:

On July 11, 2020, Procházka made his UFC debut. His first opponent was former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir, and safe to say, the Czech maximized his debut. Procházka made quick work of the Swiss fighter, finishing him by virtue of knockout, courtesy of an electric right hand. Despite being an underdog, Procházka showcased his unpredictable striking and devastating knockout power, with the knockout earning a Performance of the Night bonus. Nine months later, on May 1, 2021, Procházka squared off against a formidable Dominick Reyes. Reyes was shortly removed from a razor-close contest against Jon Jones, with many fans, analysts, and fighters thinking he did enough to defeat the all-time great. Procházka’s relentless pace and creativity overwhelmed Reyes, culminating in a spectacular spinning-back elbow knockout. This finish was widely regarded as a knockout of the year candidate. He earned Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses, solidifying himself as a top contender in the division and earning a future title shot.

UFC 275:

On June 11, 2022, Procházka faced reigning champion Glover Teixeira in a fight immortalized in UFC history. The fight was an epic back-and-forth battle, with both fighters having the opportunity to finish the fight, both on the feet and on the ground. Both fighters were hurt multiple times, and the fans in attendance and watching around the world were given an unforgettable 24 minutes. Procházka was severely hurt by Teixeira, virtually out on his feet, and if not for a costly mistake by the former champion, Jiří may never have gotten his hands on UFC gold. However, demonstrating the grit and resilience instilled from his early training days, Procházka locked up a rear naked choke with one minute remaining in the fifth round, forcing Teixeira to tap despite not being known for his grappling. The win made him the first Czech fighter to win a UFC title, and the bout was hailed as one of the greatest light-heavyweight fights in UFC history, earning Fight of the Night honors. Procházka looked destined to dominate the division for years to come, but unfortunately, he suffered a gruesome shoulder injury, sidelining him for over a year and forcing the champion to vacate his title.

UFC 283

On Jan 21, 2023, with the title vacated by Procházka, Glover Teixeira was granted a chance to reclaim his title against unlikely challenger Jamahal Hill. The expectation was that Teixeira would dominate the young, inexperienced challenger, setting up a highly anticipated versus Procházka; however, that was not the case. Hill put on a masterpiece of a performance, dominating the 43-year-old Teixeira in all facets of the contest for five straight rounds, and in a matter of months, the light-heavyweight landscape was once again turned on its axis, and its new champion was Jamahal Hill. Unfortunately, Hill tore his Achilles, forcing the belt to be vacated once again while he sat on the sidelines for over a year. 

Chance For Redemption:

On November 11, 2023, in New York at Madison Square Garden, Procházka was given his chance for redemption. In the main event of UFC 295, Procházka took on a surging Alex Pereira with an opportunity to reclaim the title he never lost. After a knockout loss nine prior, Pereira had cemented himself as a contender in the light-heavyweight division with a narrow decision victory over Jan Blachowicz. The Czech entered the contest as a slight underdog, but the consensus was that this fight was as even as fights get. Both fighters possessed one-punch knockout power, and despite their techniques being completely different, they could finish the fight at any time. Heading into the bout, Procházka’s objective was to put Pereira on the back foot, mitigating his power as much as possible and forcing the Brazillian to react rather than dictate the course of the fight. The first round was excellent for Procházka, landing multiple clean shots on Pereira and setting the tone for the fight. The second round was similar, with the Czech putting pressure on his opponent, leaving him little room to breathe and hitting him with a diverse array of unorthodox attacks. Unfortunately, Procházka’s recklessness was his downfall. In the latter stages of the second round, Pereira caught him with his patent left hook, ending the contest and claiming the light-heavyweight title. In what most fans thought was a controversial stoppage, in his post-fight interview, Procházka admitted to being knocked out and showed nothing but class in defeat. Fans knew this wouldn’t be the end of Procházka’s story, and months later, he proved just that.

UFC 300:

On April 13, 2024, at the historic UFC 300, Procházka claimed redemption. His opponent was a dangerous Aleksandar Rakić, coming off a two-year hiatus due to injury. Before his injury, Rakić looked like a future champion, possessing skills on the feet and the ground to defeat his opponents. Rakić’s six foot-five frame presented unusual challenges for Procházka. The Czech was used to having the height and reach advantage in most contests, so his game plan would now have to be getting inside the range of Rakić and punishing him on the fence. The first round was shaky for the former champion, with Rakić looking poised and sharp, chopping away at Jiří’s legs, having much success on the feet. However, the tide shifted as the bell rang for the second round. Procházka walked down his opponent, demonstrating a disregard for the power coming towards him. Procházka, with his hands low and chin up, engaged in a brawl with Rakić, eventually finding the right hand to end the contest. Despite the questionable start, Procházka sent a message to the division. In order to beat him, you must have enough power to be of any concern for the Czech while also having the technical defense to sustain his reckless style. At UFC 303, Procházka once again ran into an opponent with both traits.

The Rematch

On June 29, 2024, during International Fight Week, Procházka was given another title shot in a rematch versus current champion Alex Pereira. In a card that was supposed to be headlined by the return of Conor McGregor versus Michael Chandler, both Pereira and Procházka elected to step in on short notice to save the event. In the lead-up to the bout, both fighters opted to make significant adjustments to their strategies, promising to be victorious. When the bell rang for UFC 303, it was evident that this contest would be nothing like the first. Pereira dominated from start to finish, keeping Procházka on the outside, causing the Czech problems in implementing his game plan. A combination of leg and body kicks from Pereira kept Jiří at bay, and in the final seconds of the round, Pereira dropped Procházka once again with a left hook, marking the beginning of the end for the Czech. In the opening seconds of the second round, Pereira’s leg work paid dividends, and he was able to capitalize on this with a brutal head kick to finish Procházka. For Jiří, this fight clearly indicated that he needed to evolve as a mixed martial artist, a promise he made following UFC 303. He will need to polish his technique and abandon the recklessness he possesses if he looks to reclaim UFC gold.

What's Next?:

Despite many fans expecting an extended layoff following the brutal finish, Procházka is signed to take on Jamahal Hill at UFC 311 in Los Angeles. This bout will indicate which of the two will remain in title contention. If Procházka looks to stay in the upper echelon of light-heavyweights, an emphatic victory will be required against the former champion Hill.  

At only 32 years old, Procházka still has time to immortalize his name in UFC history. His pursuit of climbing the latter and reclaiming the light-heavyweight throne will begin at UFC 311.