Jiri Prochazka was comfortable to see Alex Pereira regain the sunshine heavyweight title. However he was much more excited to observe Ankalaev get his comeuppance.
Moments after ‘Poatan’ pummeled Ankalaev en path to changing into a two-time titleholder at 205, the UFC 320 cameras lower to Prochazka, who was noticeably emotional.
When requested about his response to Pereira’s epic 80-second knockout, ‘BJP’ revealed that whereas he was comfortable to see ‘Poatan’ succeed within the rematch, it was his disdain for Ankalaev that almost introduced him to tears.
“I used to be actually comfortable seeing Alex win. Lose, win, lose—no matter,” Prochazka stated throughout the UFC 320 post-fight press convention. “However Alex and his group, Glover, Teixeira, all these guys, we’ve good relationship with them, like with my group, and I actually wished him to win as a result of all these, all these bushes what Ankalaev wrote earlier than and all of the all these nonsenses what he considered himself, myself, about others. So, in order that was why I used to be comfortable. Yeah.
“As a result of I noticed actually offended Alex going ahead via Ankalaev. And that was one thing what I wanted to be in my combat too—like extra strain. Yeah.”
Prochazka and Ankalaev went toe-to-toe on social media not lengthy after the Dagestani upset Pereira in March to kickstart his abbreviated title run. As a fighter who typically refrains from pointless trash-talk, the incident with Ankalaev clearly rubbed Prochazka the mistaken method.
Jiri Prochazka is prepared for a threequel in opposition to ‘Poatan’
Moreover, Pereira’s win in Las Vegas helped to color a clearer image relating to the place Prochazka stands within the division.
“I used to be so emotional as a result of, in that second, I actually realized that Pereira received and there’s a potential combat between me and him,” Prochazka added. “Which means there’s a third combat. Third likelihood for me to achieve success. I deeply realized, ‘Man, that is one thing it’s important to win, or nothing.’ That would be the largest problem of my life.
“F***, man, I actually wish to win. I do know I’m taking quite a lot of dangers in my fights, however I do know I’ll discover a method.”
Prochazka has already misplaced twice to Pereira, each by knockout, making a 3rd assembly between the 2 a reasonably arduous promote. But when Pereira makes the transfer to heavyweight, it may go away Prochazka with a possibility to assert the crown, assuming Pereira vacates the title to attempt to conquer a 3rd division.
