Author: Chandra Moulee Das
After triumphing over
Jan Blachowicz by split decision at UFC 291
Alex Pereira looks set to challenge for the middleweight championship in his next fight. Former title-holder Jiri Prochazka, who relinquished his belt due to a shoulder injury last year, will probably be his opponent. Recently, “Poatan” revealed that he was expecting a less challenging match against “Denisa” than his debut in the middleweight division.
In an interview with Laerte Viana, the third-placed middleweight said: “I always analyze some things when I’m helping someone, in this case, helping Glover, so I’ve already studied him, but when he was going to fight Glover. Now it’s different, the strategy. But I saw some things there, and I’ll tell you, it’s a tough fight, but I think, and some people won’t agree, but I think Jan is a tougher fight. Because he has that grappling game, and that makes things a little more difficult for me, makes my striking less effective.”
Although Prochazka isn’t particularly known for his fighting skills, he managed to secure a submission victory over Glover Teixeira in the fifth round at UFC 275, winning the title in the category. However, he hasn’t stepped into the octagon since that fight, having suffered a shoulder injury in the build-up to UFC 282.
Jiri Prochazka was always
was always in a position to challenge for the title on his return, after having it sidelined by injury. Despite the initial indication of a match against Jamahal Hill, “Sweet Dreams” suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon and also gave up the title. Consequently, it now looks like “Denisa” will face Alex Pereira, who secured victory against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291.
The exact timeframe for Prochazka’s return from injury remains uncertain. Although the initial prognosis pointed to a recovery period of 12 to 18 months, he hinted at the possibility of returning to the octagon later this year.