Fighters often face unseen battles before stepping into the octagon in MMA. Jiri Prochazka, the former light heavyweight champion, recently shed light on his hidden struggle. Recently, many fighters, including Islam Makhachev, Jack Della Maddalena, and Benoit Saint-Denis, struggled with a staph infection before their fight. It turns out Prochazka dealt with more than just staph infection.
This surprising admission came after his devastating loss to Alex Pereira last weekend. Prochazka’s revelation adds a new layer to his performance that night. He told CNN Prima about his health issues in the weeks before the fight. The staph infection wasn’t his only problem. Prochazka also mentioned a back injury and an unhealed leg wound.
The last two weeks have been health-wise… even though I said everything was fine, it wasn’t…This was manifested by staphylococcus, a spot on the body after a tick bite, an unhealed wound on the leg, a crunch in the back after heavy lifting.
Jiri Prochazka via CNN Prima
The Czech fighter stepped in on short notice to headline the event, as did Pereira. The duo replaced the main event between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler. McGregor had to withdraw due to a broken toe. Prochazka’s fight against Pereira ended quickly and brutally in the second round. A vicious head kick from Pereira sent Prochazka crashing to the canvas.
🚨 Jiri Prochazka reveals that he was battling a staph infection going into the fight against Alex Pereira:
“The last two weeks have been health-wise… even though I said everything was fine, it wasn’t.
This was manifested by staphylococcus, a spot on the body after a tick… pic.twitter.com/iJrvP5d4HN
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 5, 2024
This isn’t the first time Staph has plagued Jiri Prochazka before a title fight. He reported similar issues before facing Pereira at UFC 295 last November. Staph infections can be painful, debilitating, and potentially dangerous if left untreated. As for now, Pereira remains the light heavyweight champion, while Prochazka faced another setback. It’s a tough pill for the former champ to swallow.
Jiri Prochazka is confident in his ability to beat Alex Pereira
Confidence is one of the biggest keys to success in MMA. There is no shortage of that in Jiri Prochazka. The former UFC light heavyweight champion recently suffered a brutal loss to Alex Pereira. Nevertheless, Prochazka isn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet. The Czech fighter firmly believes he has what it takes to dethrone the Brazilian knockout artist.
Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka (via Yahoo Sports)Prochazka was recently speaking with Televizninoviny. He revealed needing to unlock the potential inside him to secure a victory over the menacing striker Pereira. Furthermore, he has some other potential opponents in mind for his next challenge.
I know I can beat Pereira. I feel I have what it takes and I just need to unlock the right things to really win… I’ll let me next opponent crystallize. I’m thinking of names, there’s [Jamahal] Hill, [Magomed] Ankalaev and [Jan] Blachowicz.
Jiri Prochazka via Televizninoviny
Jiri Prochazka remains confident he can beat Alex Pereira, and mentions three potential opponents for his return:
“I know I can beat Pereira. I feel I have what it takes and I just need to unlock the right things to really win.
I’ll let me next opponent crystallize. I’m… pic.twitter.com/W6ZKuLqOT6
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 5, 2024
Prochazka’s journey in the UFC has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. He won the title in a thrilling battle against Glover Teixeira in 2022. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury forced him to vacate the belt shortly after. It’s been an uphill battle ever since. Prochazka’s willingness to face top-tier competition speaks volumes about his character. This attitude has endeared him to many fans.
