Jiri Prochazka was blissful to see Alex Pereira regain the sunshine heavyweight title. However he was much more excited to look at Ankalaev get his comeuppance.
Moments after ‘Poatan’ pummeled Ankalaev en route to becoming a two-time titleholder at 205, the UFC 320 cameras reduce to Prochazka, who was noticeably emotional.
When requested about his response to Pereira’s epic 80-second knockout, ‘BJP’ revealed that whereas he was blissful to see ‘Poatan’ succeed within the rematch, it was his disdain for Ankalaev that just about introduced him to tears.
“I used to be actually blissful seeing Alex win. Lose, win, lose—no matter,” Prochazka mentioned throughout the UFC 320 post-fight press conference. “However Alex and his workforce, Glover, Teixeira, all these guys, now we have good relationship with them, like with my workforce, 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 blissful. Yeah.
“As a result of I noticed actually indignant Alex going ahead by way of Ankalaev. And that was one thing what I wanted to be in my struggle too—like extra stress. 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 usually refrains from pointless trash-talk, the incident with Ankalaev clearly rubbed Prochazka the incorrect approach.
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 struggle between me and him,” Prochazka added. “Meaning there’s a third struggle. Third likelihood for me to achieve success. I deeply realized, ‘Man, that is one thing it’s a must to win, or nothing.’ That would be the largest problem of my life.
“F***, man, I actually need to win. I do know I’m taking numerous dangers in my fights, however I do know I’ll discover a approach.”
Prochazka has already misplaced twice to Pereira, each by knockout, making a 3rd assembly between the 2 a reasonably onerous promote. But when Pereira makes the move to heavyweight, it might go away Prochazka with a chance to say the crown, assuming Pereira vacates the title to try to conquer a 3rd division.
