Jiri Prochazka has acknowledged his willingness to discover a middleweight marketing campaign if Alex Pereira vacates the sunshine heavyweight title for a possible heavyweight superfight towards Jon Jones, creating uncertainty concerning the division’s rapid future. The previous gentle heavyweight champion made the assertion throughout an look at Oktagon 79 in Brno, Czechia, talking with Patrick McCorry about his profession trajectory following current developments on the high of the sunshine heavyweight ranks.
Jiri Prochazka On a possible transfer to Middleweight
“Reducing to 205 lbs will not be an issue. I feel dropping to 185 lbs. can be actually one thing. I imagine I could make it with my physique as a result of I do know my physique properly, so I could make it. Nevertheless it relies upon, I first need to carry the title to Czech Republic, gentle heavyweight title.”
The Czech athlete Prochazka’s feedback come as Pereira has signalled a robust need to maneuver up two weight lessons to compete at heavyweight. The Brazilian reclaimed his gentle heavyweight title at UFC 320 on October 4, dismissing Magomed Ankalaev with a first-round knockout in simply 80 seconds.
Regardless of holding the belt, Pereira rapidly expressed curiosity in pursuing a heavyweight showdown, significantly a possible matchup with Jon Jones at a UFC occasion tentatively scheduled for the White Home on June 14, 2026. UFC president Dana White has proven hesitation concerning the transfer.
For Prochazka, the state of affairs presents a crossroads. The 32-year-old Czech fighter at present ranks primary within the gentle heavyweight division following his dramatic third-round knockout victory over Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 320, the identical occasion the place Pereira reclaimed the title. His willingness to chop weight to middleweight represents a notable growth provided that Prochazka has competed solely at gentle heavyweight throughout his UFC tenure. He’s the highest contender of the division however has already misplaced twice to ‘Poatan.’
The sunshine heavyweight panorama has skilled appreciable volatility over the previous eighteen months. Pereira gained the title in November 2023, defending it 3 times earlier than shedding the belt to Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March 2025. Prochazka fell to Pereira in each prior conferences, as soon as in 2023 and once more of their 2024 rematch at UFC 303.
The division at present options rising contender Carlos Ulberg, who has constructed a nine-fight profitable streak and positioned himself as a number one candidate for title competition ought to Pereira depart. Ulberg has indicated his desire for going through Pereira reasonably than competing for a vacant belt, although he maintains confidence in his readiness for championship-level competitors.
If Prochazka strikes to middleweight, he would enter a division presently ruled by Khamzat Chimaev, who captured the title at UFC 319 in August 2025 with a dominant unanimous resolution efficiency over Dricus du Plessis. The middleweight ranks embody established contenders equivalent to Nassourdine Imavov, Sean Strickland, and Israel Adesanya, presenting a aggressive surroundings for a lightweight heavyweight veteran trying to navigate a brand new weight class.
