“The show must go on,” Jiri Prochazka reveals his ‘very hard’ decision to vacate the title after suffering horrific injury prior to UFC 282

“The show must go on,” Jiri Prochazka reveals his ‘very hard’ decision to vacate the title after suffering horrific injury prior to UFC 282

Jiri Prochazka [Image Source - Bloody Elbow]

In the months leading up to the UFC’s final PPV event of the year, fans had expressed their sincere interest at seeing two behemoth light heavyweight fighters take on each other.

However, the title rematch between Jiri Prochazka and Glover Teixeira was not to be, as the Czechian fighter pulled out of the fight around two weeks prior, with Dana White stating the reason as the ‘worst shoulder injury the UFC doctors had ever seen.’ In stepped the replacement for the main event, the co-main protagonists in Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev.

YouTube video

Now, around a month has passed since Prochazka’s announcement of vacating the belt, in the interest of division. Speaking to Ariel Helwani about the tough decision yesterday, he said, “That was very hard thing for me. But, I don’t want to talk about that a lot. After talking with the UFC, the directors of the UFC, I have to let the show, the show must go on. I respect it, what to say about it?”

FS Video

“I want to stay like a champion, doesn’t matter if I’m injured. If it’s the best for the light heavyweight division right now to make it better, for me, it doesn’t matter. My way, is to be the best fighter in the world, not just in the light heavyweight [division]”, he surmised.

Related- “Worst shoulder injury… in UFC history” – Career threatening injury forces Jiri Prochazka to vacate his title and pull out from UFC 282

Who can Jiri Prochazka face on his return to the title?

Jiri Prochazka vs Glover eixeira [Image Source - MMA Fighting]
Jiri Prochazka vs Glover eixeira [Image Source – MMA Fighting]

Jiri Prochazka has almost been guaranteed a title shot upon his return to full fitness, by the UFC, in light of his valiant decision to voluntarily give up the belt, without anyone forcing him to do so. The main question is this – who can he fight for the belt upon his return?

UFC 283 takes place in a month’s time in Brazil, and Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill will headline it for the vacant light heavyweight strap. Either winner of the belt might need to defend once against Magomed Ankalaev, who won the fight against Jan Blachowicz in popular perception (including Joe Rogan’s), so it only seems fair to line him up for another title shot.

Also Read- “They hadn’t even left the cage yet,” Jamahal Hill shockingly reveals how quickly UFC made the title fight after UFC 282 fiasco

Hence, the winner of Texeira/Hill vs. Ankalaev could be the fighter to go up against “BJP” when he does make his return to the cage. However, before he can think of making any triumphant return, Prochazka must undergo server rehabilitation for his shoulder, to ensure it doesn’t trouble him in the future.

Also Read- “Save your own face” – Chechen Warlord Ramzan Kadyrov sends scary message to Dana White after ‘dirty politics’ at UFC 282, demands apology from…