Alex Poatan defeats Jiri Prochazka by knockout at UFC 303. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter/UFC Español
Jiri Prochazka opened up about the tough defeat he suffered in the rematch against Alex Poatan . In an interview with 'MMA Hoje', the Czech fighter, who is confirmed to face Khalil Rountree at UFC 320, didn't hide the fact that that fight was the worst of his career and that he still carries the weight of the result to this day.
"The worst fight I ever had was my second fight against Alex (Poatan). He used the strategy I promoted against myself. He saw the video of my warm-up and nailed it. That's how it works," Prochazka declared.
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During UFC 303 , Alex Poatan surprised everyone by knocking out Jiri Prochazka with a high kick early in the second round. Although the strike seemed unexpected, it was strategically planned minutes before the fight, after Poatan watched a video of Prochazka warming up that had been posted on social media.
In the locker room, Poatan and his coach, Plínio Cruz, watched the video and realized that Prochazka was focused on defending low kicks, but was leaving his high guard vulnerable. The Brazilian then identified this weakness and decided to exploit the high kick as an alternative to defend the organization's light heavyweight (up to 93 kg) belt.
Prochazka will be a reserve fighter at UFC 320
Jiri Prochazka has been confirmed as a reserve fighter for the main event of UFC 320, which takes place on October 4th. The event features a rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Poatan for the heavyweight title. Should either of the main event fighters need to withdraw for any reason, the former champion will be ready to replace them in the title fight.
In addition to his role as a reserve fighter, Prochazka already has a fight scheduled for the same event: he faces Khalil Rountree on the main card. The fight will be an important opportunity for the Czech fighter, who is seeking another title shot.
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