Jiri Prochazka didn’t anticipate mild heavyweight champion Alex Pereira to just accept defending his title on such quick discover at UFC 303.
Pereira (10-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) will run issues again with Prochazka (30-4-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 303 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) predominant occasion at T-Cellular Enviornment in Las Vegas.
Each fighters had simply two weeks to organize for his or her title-fight rematch after the unique predominant occasion between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler was scrapped. Prochazka and Pereira had been anticipated to combat probably Aug. 17 at UFC 305 in Perth, so Prochazka isn’t certain why Pereira accepted to combat him two months earlier.
“I used to be somewhat bit shocked by that, I can say sure,” Prochazka stated on “The MMA Hour.” “As a result of I don’t know what was the explanation he stated sure, if it’s cash or one thing else, however communication with me from the UFC, they gave me some higher – I don’t need to be concrete, however we negotiated about higher cash
“So I don’t know the way it was with Alex. However I didn’t know in regards to the cash or no matter after I accepted (the combat), so for me this isn’t so vital as a result of the primary level is to get the title and to convey it again to the Czech Republic.”
Regardless of the short-notice nature of the combat, Prochazka relishes the chance.
“I consider in that,” Prochazka stated. “I used to be born like a warrior – not I consider in that. I’m the warrior, and that is nearly when the scenario and the issues round you come like that, you must say simply sure. To react to what occurred as a result of when one thing occurs on the road, you could react proper now. Proper right here, proper now. That’s what I like about quick discover as a result of you could react proper now, proper right here. Present me your finest proper now. That’s all.”
Prochazka was knocked out by Pereira of their vacant mild heavyweight title combat at UFC 295 – a stoppage he initially debated. He rebounded with a knockout of Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 300 and is assured he’ll avenge his loss to “Poatan.”
“I’ll win the combat,” Prochazka stated. “I’ll win the combat, and I consider in that, and I’ll try this. That’s all. I cannot step right into a combat the place I don’t consider in that, in myself. I already settle for that I’ll do every little thing, and proper now’s the nice probability to point out that.”
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