Madison Square Garden is the arena where numerous athletes across various sports hope to one day get the chance to shine. Now, at UFC 295, Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka, two of the scariest fighters donning gloves, will put it all on the line to win the vacant lightweight championship. The Brazilian fighter in New York aims to win a title in a different division, while this belt was once held by Prochazka, who will try to recapture it. With this in mind, many fans have the question: against whom did Prochazka win his title fight, and why did he vacate it after winning it?
UFC 295: Why Did Jiri Prochazka Vacate His UFC Title?
Prochazka, a former UFC light-heavyweight champion from Czechia, is 31 years old. He has an impressive 29-3-1 record, with 25 knockout wins and three submission victories. These stats highlight he just goes to annihilate his opponents.
Prochazka, who had been a dominant champion at Rizin FC, made his UFC debut in 2020 against Volkan Oezdemir. He secured a second-round knockout victory and earned a fight against top contender Dominic Reyes. It was in the clash with Reyes that Prochazka truly made a name for himself. Prochazka delivered a devastating spinning elbow knockout against one of the division’s best fighters, Reyes.
The performance against Reyes led to a title shot against Glover Teixeira at UFC 275. After a closely contested five rounds, Prochazka emerged as the UFC champion, winning via a rear-naked choke. Despite his victory, it was a disappointment for Prochazka and his fans. The scariest fighter in the division had to relinquish his title due to an unfortunate shoulder injury.
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The title was later won by Jamahal Hill, who also had to vacate it after getting injured. Now, the Czech fighter is gearing up for a return with the goal of recapturing the title. Only time will tell if Prochazka can make a comeback as the same fighter after the injury.
