Jiri Prochazka has reiterated interest in a potential move down to middleweight.
Prochazka (30-5-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) now has fallen short twice to light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira by knockout. Outside of Pereira, Prochazka has finished all four of his other UFC opponents.
Prochazka doesn’t see himself having issues making 185 pounds and said a move down would depend on the outcome of the middleweight title fight between champion Dricus Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. Du Plessis wound up submitting Adesanya in Round 4.
“If Adesanya wins, I’ll stay in the light heavyweight division, but if Du Plessis wins, I’ll follow him,” Prochazka said in Czech, according to his YouTube channel translation. 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 (middleweight) division and then move up. But I’ll really let it flow and see how it unfolds.”
If Prochazka remains at light heavyweight, he’s open to Jamahal Hill next but says that fight isn’t currently in the works. Like Prochazka, Hill’s most recent fight is a knockout loss to Pereira.
“That’s interesting because there hasn’t been any negotiation or discussion with the manager or anyone else yet,” Prochazka said. “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.”
