Alex Pereira opens as betting underdog to beat Jiri Prochazka in UFC 295 vacant title fight

Despite landing at the light heavyweight limit successfully back in July, former undisputed middleweight champion, Alex Pereira has opened as a betting underdog to defeat Jiri Prochazka following the confirmation of their vacant championship for UFC 295 in November.

Pereira, a former undisputed middleweight champion under the organization’s banner, will vie for promotional spoils in November – this time a division higher, having landed at 205lbs in successful fashion back in July, defeating former undisputed titleholder, Jan Blachowicz in a close, split decision effort.

As for Czech Republic native, Prochazka, the returning former champion has been sidelined from competition since he struck gold against Alex Pereira’s teammate, the recently retired, Glover Teixeira back in June of last year in Singapore – rallying to land a fifth round rear-naked choke, sans hooks.

Alex Pereira opens as betting underdog against Jiri Prochazka ahead of UFC 295

And following the confirmation of their UFC 295 title fight in November at Madison Square Garden, to many’s surprise, Pereira has opened as a significant betting underdog at +105 to defeat Prochazka, with the latter opening as a -138 betting favorite.

For punters and bettors who are keen to bet on UFC events, and in particular, the monstrous UFC 295 card in November at Madison Square Garden, a host of markets and sites are currently offering odds on the ‘Big Apple’ card.

First winning middleweight gold back in November of last year, Sao Paulo knockout artist, Alex Pereira stopped the first title reign of arch-rival, Israel Adesanya with a fifth round rallying effort, springing a standing TKO stoppage.

Dropping the belt back in April of this year in the pair’s championship re-run, Pereira, who was winning the bout on the judge’s scorecards, was caught with a counter right hook from Adesanya at the fence in the second round, suffering a massive KO defeat. 

Rebounding successfully in his light heavyweight bow at UFC 291 back in July, Pereira survived some adversity in the opening round in the form of a grappling onslaught from Blachowicz, comfortably oustriking the Pole in rounds two and three to land a judging victory.

Sidelined through a catastrophic shoulder injury, which UFC CEO, Dana White has time and time again described as the worst in promotional antiquity, Prochazka, under his own volition elected to officially vacate the light heavyweight crown ahead of a re-run with Teixeira in December of last year.

Enjoying a three-fight undefeated run since his Octagon landing back in 2020, former Rizin FF champion, Prochazka landed in the UFC with a second round KO win over former title challenger, Volkan Oezdemir on ‘Fight Island’ in the summer of that year.

In his sophomore outing in the organization, Prochazka earned his title fight with Teixeira off the back of another thunderous finish, this time stopping two-time title chaser, Dominick Reyes with a highlight-reel spinning back-elbow knockout – earning him plaudits as the Knockout of the Year. 

Prochazka’s November walk against Alex Pereira will see him ride a 13-fight winning run into the clash, having enjoyed a splendid run with the Japanese-based promotion, Rizin FF before landing in the Octagon.

Who wins between Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295?