Jiri Prochazka reveals Aleksandar Rakic turned him down: ‘He didn’t want to make a fight’
Jiri Prochazka claims rising contender, Aleksandar Rakic turned him down.
After Prochazka and Rakic picked up big wins over the summer, many believed they would fight one another in a possible No. 1 contender bout. However, that is not the case it was recently revealed Prochazka will be taking on Dominick Reyes in the main event of a Fight Night card on February 27. For the Czech native, he says he was offered Rakic first but the Austrian declined the fight.
“We have offer for him like every guy in top-five and he didn’t want to make a fight,” Jiri Prochazka said to James Lynch of Line Movement. “So, we talked about the next guys who are in the top-10, and then UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard offered us with Dominick Reyes.”
Prochazka is coming off a successful UFC debut where he scored a second-round KO over perennial contender, Volkan Oezdemir. Before that, the former RIZIN FF light heavyweight champion had wins over the likes of C.B. Dollaway, Fabio Maldonado, King Mo Lawal, and Jake Heun among others.
If he can go out and beat Reyes, it is likely Prochazka could get the next title shot or be in a No. 1 contender bout. Regardless, the Czech native is in a good spot in the division despite only having one fight in the UFC.
Dominick Reyes, meanwhile, is on a two-fight losing streak after being knocked out by Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight belt. Before that, he dropped a controversial decision to Jon Jones for the title.
For Aleksandar Rakic, now that Jiri Prochazka and Reyes are booked who he fights next is uncertain. The top-five is now completely booked. So, for the Austrian, he will likely have to fight some below him next time out whenever that will be after he turned down Prochazka.
