Jiri Prochazka could have stepped in to face Magomed Ankalaev.
The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion is among a select group of fighters who never lost their title inside the Octagon, having vacated the belt due to an injury he sustained in November 2022.
Since that time, Jiri Prochazka has been actively seeking to reclaim his championship status, though his two previous attempts against his significant rival, Alex Pereira, were unsuccessful.
Despite holding an 0-2 record against Pereira, Prochazka`s prospects began to improve after he secured a knockout victory over Jamahal Hill at UFC 311. Several months later, at UFC 313, Magomed Ankalaev was crowned the new champion, suddenly making a title opportunity a distinct possibility for Prochazka once again.
Jiri Prochazka Manager Says UFC Inquired About Magomed Ankalaev Title Fight at UFC 317
Pereira, currently one of the UFC`s most prominent figures, was widely expected to be the next opponent for Ankalaev, with June 28th at UFC 317 reportedly being discussed as the potential date for their fight.
However, a rematch seems unlikely in the immediate future. `Poatan` recently attracted considerable attention following a now-deleted post on X where he discussed difficulties in his negotiations with the UFC, later claiming his account had been compromised by a hacker.
During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Prochazka`s manager, Tim Simpson, was asked whether the UFC had approached Prochazka about filling in for Pereira to fight Ankalaev.
“I had heard that [Pereira] was upset because they were saying, hey, if you can’t fight on this particular day, I think International Fight Week, that they were talking about Jiri vs. Magomed. Is that accurate?” Helwani inquired on Wednesday.
“Yes, they inquired about if Jiri could do it,” Simpson confirmed.
“The UFC just wanted to know what their options were, but I didn`t think it was necessarily a definite option [for Jiri] anyway.”
Jiri Prochazka Prioritized University Exams Over UFC Title Fight
Pereira is expected to resume negotiations later in the year, having apparently declined a short-notice title bout offer for UFC 317.
According to his manager, Prochazka`s decision stemmed from prioritizing his academic commitments; he has upcoming university exams scheduled at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic.
“He’s doing his exams. That’s legit,” Simpson stated, explaining Prochazka`s reason for not accepting the fight at UFC 317.
“He’s deferred them so many times. Like, ‘Man, I can’t defer this exam…’”
“So, he wants to finish the exams. But also, he’s done a lot [of] short notice stuff for them before,” Simpson added, referencing Prochazka`s acceptance of a fight against Pereira on just two weeks` notice at UFC 303 the previous year.
“And he’s like, ‘man…’ When he gets full proper [training] camps, he looks so much better because he’s so diligent with his body. So, I don’t think he’s gonna be a short notice guy anytime soon.”
