Ex-Champ Confirms Position as Backup Fighter for UFC 320 Main Event

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

​

There is a logical contigency plan in place for the UFC 320 main event.

During an appearance on "The Ariel Helwani Show” on Monday, Jiri Prochazka confirmed that he is slated to be the primary backup fighter for the light heavyweight title rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Oct. 4. Prochazka is scheduled to meet Khalil Rountree in a featured 205-pound bout on the same card but will be available to fill in should anything go awry with either Ankalaev or Pereira.

Prochazka-Rountree Winner Expected to Get Title Shot​

“That was the deal with UFC,” Prochazka said, while adding that the winner of his fight with Rountree is expected to receive the next light heavyweight championship opportunity.

Prochazka enjoyed a brief reign as 205-pound champion in the Las Vegas-based promotion. After defeating Glover Teixeira via fifth-round submission to capture the belt at UFC 275, “BJP” was forced to vacate the belt before making an official defense due to a shoulder injury. Since then, he has twice faced Pereira in title bouts, falling via second-round TKO at both UFC 295 and UFC 303. The ex-Rizin champion is coming off a third-round stoppage of Jamahal Hill at UFC 311 this past January.

Ankalaev defeated Pereira via unanimous decision at UFC 313 in March to claim light heavyweight gold. The Dagestani is unbeaten in his last 14 Octagon appearances. Pereira, a former two-division title holder, had a five-bout winning streak snapped in defeat.

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Ex-Champ Confirms Position as Backup Fighter for UFC 320 Main Event

There is a logical contigency plan in place for the UFC 320 main event.

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[Tweak896]

If I'm being honest, I like Jiri/Ank > Alex/Ank 2. Maybe it's just title fight rematch fatigue, but would be cool to see an aggressive style like Jiri's against Ankalaev.

 

[ArtardFiesta]

jiri turned down the title fight in the summer because he wanted to study for exams. this guy is one of a kind lol. keep joshua fabia away from jiri.

 

[Aluminati]

On the styles make fights front, Jiri seems like he'd be a worse matchup for Ank than Alex. Alex has too much power for Jiri's defense to hold up, and Ankalaev has shown us the blueprint to safely beat Alex already.

 

[Doughie99]

Jiri is a great dude but in the end he's just too hittable in the Octagon. That's his main flaw - too easy to hit.

 

[Söze Aldo]

Doesn't Jiri barely cut to make weight at LHW? He'll probably just step off the street onto the scale.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

WAR Jiri

 

[ChrisBenoit]

Hopefully we get Alex vs. Jiri 3

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

Doesn't Jiri barely cut to make weight at LHW? He'll probably just step off the street onto the scale.

He has a fight scheduled with Khalil on the same card, but yes, Jiri walks around at like 210, his cardio training for the fight cuts his weight for him I believe.

 

[KO Shotz]

I do want to see Jiri vs Ank, but for me I still would rather see Ank/Pereira 2 over Ank/Jiri. I personally wanna see if Ank beating Pereira was real or a fluke. I also really want to see Jiri vs Rountree

 

[PeterGriffin]

The UFC so far has officially announced 6 fights for October PPV's over two numbered events spread three weeks apart...

Ankalaev vs Pereira 2
Prochazka vs Rountree
Dvalishvili vs Sandhagen
Aspinall vs Gane
Volkov vs Almeida
Rakic vs Murzakanov

If you're a fan of the big men divisions, October looks stacked already. Having Volkov, Almeida and Jiri on deck(s) is fantastic matchmaking. I would expect Rakic to end up fighting Rountree if Jiri gets elevated, and even though I think Volkov got robbed against Gane, he should be worried that Almeida gets elevated on the basis of being the fresh challenger instead of the guy we watched tap out to an armbar not too long ago.

No matter what happens, October is looking beautiful though. And if the the LHW and HW champs want to be active fighters with quick turnarounds, that lines both divisions up to possibly get their next defenses even settled near-midway before any hypothetical White House card came true. I doubt as fans, we'd get that lucky, but that would be one hell of a refreshing turn of events given the UFC's past few years of dropping the ball on big events.

I would expect probably 3 title defenses, with perhaps a different BMF tilt on tap as well. Not sure what other divisions would be lining up for a defense around that time, but no doubt it would be the biggest event in UFC history if they could pull it off. The UFC would be inept if they blew a history-making opportunity with a sub-par card, but it is the UFC we are talking about, so nothing is out of the realm of possibilities.

The winner of JDM and Islam would be lining up for a fight around next July as well if that goes down at MSG, just sayin', lol.

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

Remember guys he is already on the card so its not like he is not ready to fight, and Rountree is a striker exactly the same as Alex and Ank both strikers, and forget about Ank''s wrestling myth, he is 95% striker only and the times he does rarely go for a takedown its just dreadful and so slow. So its not like a totally different gameplan

 

[2432sj]

Jiri is a great dude but in the end he's just too hittable in the Octagon. That's his main flaw - too easy to hit.

But I don’t think Ankalev has the power to take him out and if you can’t do that, he’s probably going to get you, eventually. I like Jiri in that matchup.

 

[mooseman17]

I don’t like seeing this, as he’s already fighting Khalil on this card, so he will naturally take some focus away from that fight.

 

[Luffy]

I think this means... Pereira is going to HW. Time to hunt the third belt!!!

 

[JBJ was here]

I don’t like seeing this, as he’s already fighting Khalil on this card, so he will naturally take some focus away from that fight.

Jiri doesn't exactly do a whole lot of complex opponent-driven game-planning, so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Luffy]

My prediction is Alex beating Aspinall, and then having his Izzy 3 fight (* cough Alex vs Jones cough * )

 

[mooseman17]

Jiri doesn't exactly do a whole lot of complex opponent-driven game-planning, so it shouldn't be a problem.

He might not be doing opponent specific game planning, but the mere fact that he now has to think about three separate potential opponents is not helpful. Fighters generally want to focus on the sole task at hand.

 

[Luffy]

He also has a fight booked with Rountree? I mean, it sounds weird if there weren't some rumors the fight between Pereira and Ank won't happen...

Pereira is fighting in the HW anyways, that I know.

But... Is Pereira healthy?? JJ had a a weird speech saying "DC wants to kill me on his house ... Those ass whopping left life scars and he wants to literally kill me. Bring in the shovel. He can't stand the fact I whooped his ass"

DC said " I mentioned I'd want to kill someone I hate, I've never said names, Jones... I'm retired. There's someone calling you to fight. It may not be Tom, but there's someone. And Jones, you can't say you're the worst thing that happened to me when I've lost a child... Or in this case, the father got murdered. But Jon Jones knows this... He knows all this. Jones, go fight as you decided to unretire. He wants you "

What does DC mean "actually, the father got murdered" ... ?

Mighty Mouse had also said JJ 0 < 1 Death Sentence ...

What's that?

 

[FrankDux]

Because he's coming.

And he dgaf. He's a warrior. Denisa bless.