Jiri Prochazka seems destined to be champion.
I don’t know whether or not resulting from divine intervention or cautious profession administration, however Prochazka’s path to the title has remained remarkably clear because the second he walked away from Volkan Oezdemir’s slumped physique. Watching the then-27 yr outdated soften an skilled former title challenger in his UFC debut to attain his 11th straight win, the long run felt instantly and plain: this man is coming for the belt.
Oezdemir knocks individuals out with half punches, and Prochazka walked by loads of his photographs. Dominick Reyes hits very laborious too, and he simply fought like his life was on the road, battling tooth-and-nail to cease Prochazka’s ahead advance. It didn’t appear to matter a lot to the Czech fighter, although. Prochazka marched on as if invulnerable, no matter the truth that a few of Reyes’ left palms wobbled his knees. Prochazka fights as if he’s seen the long run, like he’s seen the title wrapped round his waist already, and he’s in a rush to get to that second.
When Prochazka’s punches couldn’t appear to totally put Reyes away, he simply spun into an elbow. Why not?
After his win, Prochazka may be very clearly the subsequent man in line for a title shot as soon as Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira end their enterprise. No matter who wins that bout, Prochazka’s foe shall be a minimum of a decade older than him, and it will likely be simply his third UFC battle.
I might count on Prochazka to be the favourite in both match up.
Prochazka’s surge up the UFC ranks got here at an ideal second. Moreover his high-risk model of kickboxing, Prochazka’s historic weak spot seems to be takedowns, but it simply so occurs Prochazka joins the promotion after nearly all of the established wrestlers have left the division or the UFC roster fully.
There aren’t any wrestlers within the High 5 at Mild Heavyweight. Glover Teixeira is the closest factor, and he’s a jiu-jitsu man whose takedowns solely appear to energetic as soon as he’s been knocked largely unconscious. Magomed Ankalaev is the division’s present true wrestler, a credentialed Dagestani with the talent to manage maybe anybody on the earth.
Ankalaev, nevertheless, is not any drawback but. Prochazka has rocketed proper previous him, skipping up the ranks in lower than a yr. All different probably tough, spoiler-type match ups — the Nikita Krylov’s of the world — had been made pointless by Prochazka’s Rizin title and subsequently high-level entry to UFC competitors.
Prochazka’s path to the title was freed from obstacles … or a minimum of away from ones he couldn’t shortly knock out.
Do we all know if Prochazka’s takedown protection has actually improved since his earlier profession struggles? Probably not. The higher query: who cares? He’s an excessive amount of enjoyable to observe to assume on it an excessive amount of. Prochazka assaults with a madman’s zeal, the kind of nonstop depth solely matched by pre-Eddie Alvarez Justin Gaethje. In contrast to “The Spotlight,” nevertheless, Prochazka has not been pressured to study or adapt by setbacks suffered contained in the Octagon.
As an alternative, all of us followers get to see his try and take gold in his present type. It’s an absolute privilege.
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