Ali Akbar Rosady
Jiri Prochazka, 31, from Hostěradice, Czech Republic, has forged a reputation as one of the most compelling light heavyweights in mixed martial arts. His professional record stands at an impressive 29 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw, with a staggering 25 victories coming by knockout. Since his explosive UFC debut in July 2020, Prochazka has captivated audiences with his dynamic, often chaotic, striking. His style is characterized by unconventional angles, unpredictable attacks, and a willingness to engage in high-octane exchanges, leading to numerous highlight-reel finishes. This approach culminated in him capturing the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship by submitting Glover Teixeira in a thrilling encounter at UFC 275 in June 2022. He later relinquished the title due to a severe shoulder injury, an act widely lauded for its sportsmanship.
Prochazka is now set to contend for the vacant light heavyweight championship for the second time, facing New Zealand’s Carlos Ulberg, 33, in what will be his fourth title fight overall within the promotion. Both fighters are renowned for their finishing capabilities, setting the stage for a potentially explosive encounter. Prochazka’s most recent outing saw him secure a second-round technical knockout victory over Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 300 in April 2024, a performance that reaffirmed his status as a top contender.
Despite Prochazka’s undeniable success and fan appeal, Matt Brown, 43, known as "The Immortal" during his storied career which spanned from 2004 to 2023 with a record of 24-19, offered a critical perspective on the Czech fighter’s longevity. Speaking on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast, Brown expressed his long-standing reservations about Prochazka’s approach. "Jiri, you just never really know what to expect," Brown stated. "I think my biggest question with Jiri that I’ve had for a long time and I’m going to keep having — you can’t play around with non-fundamentals forever. At some point, that starts to catch up with you."
Brown drew parallels between Prochazka’s style and those of other fighters who, while initially successful with unorthodox methods, eventually encountered limitations. He cited former UFC champions Israel Adesanya and Anderson Silva, both known for their creative and sometimes unconventional striking, as well as the legendary British boxer Naseem Hamed. "I think we’ve seen that a little bit with Israel Adesanya, and we’ve seen it with Anderson Silva. It’s like the Naseem Hamed, when he wins it looks f*cking amazing. God that’s wild, it’s amazing you did that! [But] you can’t do it when you’re 45 years old. Fight in the way that Jiri does," Brown elaborated. He underscored the unpredictable nature of when such a high-risk strategy might cease to be effective. "The point is saying that is we don’t know when that time clock is going to hit, when the end is going to come for that. I know he’s still young, I know he’s not that old yet, but it can happen any time," Brown added, emphasizing the vulnerability inherent in such a demanding fighting style.
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Prochazka’s capacity to generate significant damage from various positions, often initiating offense from seemingly disadvantageous angles, has been a cornerstone of his success, keeping him at the apex of the 205-pound division since his arrival in the UFC. His embrace of chaos in the octagon has largely contributed to his impressive professional record. However, Brown questioned whether this reliance on unpredictability has come at the cost of mastering fundamental techniques, which he believes are essential for sustained, long-term success in combat sports.
"It’s good to evolve, too," Brown commented, advocating for adaptation within a fighter’s game. "He could always have that part of him as part of his game. I don’t mean to be the critic — he’s accomplished more than I did in my career — but I don’t see where it lasts and I don’t see where he’s evolved much at all. He’s just done more of the same." Brown’s observation suggests that while Prochazka’s style remains effective, its static nature might eventually be exploited by increasingly prepared opponents.
Prochazka’s only professional loss within the UFC came against Alex Pereira at UFC 295 in November 2023, a second-round technical knockout defeat. This singular setback, however, serves as a significant point of reference for Brown’s analysis regarding the potential vulnerabilities of Prochazka’s style. Pereira, renowned for his world-class kickboxing pedigree, demonstrated an ability to navigate and counter Prochazka’s aggressive onslaught effectively.
The upcoming championship bout at UFC 327 pits Prochazka’s distinctive approach against Carlos Ulberg’s more fundamentally sound striking. Ulberg, a former professional kickboxer from Auckland, New Zealand, boasts a professional MMA record of 10 wins and 1 loss, with 6 knockouts. He has been on an impressive six-fight winning streak since his lone UFC loss in his debut in 2021. Ulberg, nicknamed "Black Jag," trains out of the esteemed City Kickboxing gym, home to champions like Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski, and is recognized for his precise, powerful, and technical striking.
Brown indicated that Ulberg’s more disciplined approach could provide a clearer route to victory. "That’s where I lean a little bit towards Carlos Ulberg in this fight," Brown explained. "He’s a little less variety in his striking, and I’m not going to say one-dimensional but less dimensional, if that’s a term, but my point in saying that is look Jiri can be figured out. Because when he came into the UFC, and he was on his way up, nobody had seen this before for the most part."
Brown highlighted that the element of surprise that once favored Prochazka is now diminished. "Alex figured it out, which Alex is good at figuring out striking," Brown said, referring to Pereira’s victory. "But now it’s been seen, and I think if someone, these fundamental guys who have better fundamentals like an Ulberg, if they can game plan towards this, they should be able to figure it out. It’s just a matter of executing."
While acknowledging the theoretical advantage of a well-executed game plan, Brown did not underestimate the challenge presented by Prochazka’s unique combat philosophy. "I think that’s what Jiri does better than anything else. You might have a perfect game plan against it but to execute that game plan against this wildness and aggressiveness and the randomness of his game, it’s not an easy feat," he conceded.
Brown firmly believes that Alex Pereira effectively established a "blueprint" for countering and ultimately defeating Prochazka’s unorthodox attacks. He suggested that it is now incumbent upon Ulberg to replicate or adapt that strategy in their upcoming championship clash at UFC 327. While easier said than done, Brown maintains that despite Prochazka’s lauded unpredictability, there is indeed a discernible method to his madness, one that can be deciphered and countered.
"That’s why I kind of go back to the blueprint has been written how to beat Jiri," Brown reiterated. "If someone like Ulberg, who I think is very good, and should be able to follow that blueprint. If he’s able to strategize the proper blueprint, and then go execute that blueprint, which is not always easy, not trying to downplay what it’s going to take to beat Jiri, but I think there is an actual blueprint there. If Carlos can execute on it, I think he should be able to get this done." The former welterweight contender’s analysis underscores a critical narrative heading into UFC 327: the clash between Prochazka’s established, yet potentially predictable, wildness and Ulberg’s disciplined, fundamental approach, guided by a perceived strategy for victory.
Listen to new episodes of The Fighter vs. The Writer every Tuesday with audio only versions of the podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio
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