Jiri Prochazka still eying 2023 return for Alex Pereira title fight

Former UFC light heavyweight Jiri Prochazka is still hopeful to return before the end of this year. 

After what has been a very odd year for the 205lb division, the weight class will hopefully return to some normalcy after the proposed fight between Prochazka and Alex Pereira for the vacant title. ‘Denisa’ vacated the title last year after suffering a serious shoulder injury, but finally seems ready to return. 

‘Poatan’ earned his shot after defeating Jan Blachowicz over a hard-fought three rounds at UFC 291. The matchup between Prochazka and Pereira has all the makings to be completely wild, with both men possessing serious power and are more than willing to exchange on the feet.

Jiri Prochazka eyes 2023 return

Appearing on The MMA Hour, Prochazka spoke on the potential matchup and hopes to fight before the year is up.

“That’s my next fight, [it] will be [for] the title. So I think that Alex is the [opponent], [and has] the very good chance to show the world a good title fight. And I’d like to see him as my opponent in my next fight,” said Prochazka. (H/T MMA Fighting)

“Right now I’m on a technical camp so I don’t know what date they have for the fight. It doesn’t matter. I want to fight this year, so let’s talk about the date, the space for this fight.”

Continuing on, Prochazka spoke on the potential matchup and views the fight as a sort of rematch of his epic contest with Glover Texeira, in which Pereira would corner his fellow Brazilian. 

“Right now, after the messages to Glover, I want to fight with Pereira right now because it seems like the second fight with Glover [won’t] happen, and Pereira is his second version but more in the stand-up, so let’s do that,” said Prochazka.

Pereira and Texeira are close friends and training partners with the latter guiding the former GLORY Kickboxing champion through his MMA career. 

Who wins, Jiri Prochazka or Alex Pereira?