PhotoCred: JiriProchazka.com
Dana White confirms Jiri Prochazka will get UFC light heavyweight title shot upon Octagon return
UFC president Dana White confirmed that former champion Jiri Prochazka will get a UFC light heavyweight title shot upon his Octagon return.
Prochazka defeated Glover Teixeira last June at UFC 275 in an epic title fight that saw him capture the UFC light heavyweight title. He was set to defend his belt against Teixeira in a rematch at UFC 282, but the fight was canceled after Prochazka injured his shoulder in training. The injury was so severe that, instead of holding onto the belt and seeing an interim title created, Prochazka decided to do the honorable thing and vacate the belt instead since he is expected to miss significant time due to his serious injury.
Instead of Teixeira fighting for the belt, the UFC booked a vacant title fight between Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz as the UFC 282 main event. However, the fight ended in a split draw, and White made it known after the bout was over that he did not enjoy the fight. The UFC then immediately pivoted and booked Teixeira for a title shot against Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC 283, a fight that Hill would win by unanimous decision to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion of the world.
Recently, Hill said that he would like to fight Prochazka in his first title defense, although that seems unlikely since Prochazka needs more time to heal up. However, whenever the former champion is ready to return, White says that he will get a title shot in his next Octagon appearance.
Speaking to the media following UFC Vegas 68 this past weekend, White confirmed Prochazka will get a title shot when he comes back.
“Yeah, I mean, if he’s ready, but I don’t want him to feel like he needs to be ready to get that fight. Whoever has the title when he’s 100 percent healthy, that fight’s waiting for him,” White said (via MMAjunkie.com).
That being said, the UFC president does not him to rush his comeback after such a serious injury.
“I’m not pushing him to return. I want him to take as much time as he needs, and I don’t want him to push that shoulder. I don’t want him to feel like there’s a timeline where we need him back. The timeline is as soon as he’s 100 percent healthy. I do not want him to rush or push it,” White said
Do you think Jiri Prochazka will or won’t win the UFC light heavyweight title when he returns to the Octagon following his shoulder injury?
