Jiri Prochazka is blocking out all distractions ahead of the UFC 327 light heavyweight title fight. He says his only focus is Saturday night and his opponent, Carlos Ulberg.
Focus on Saturday Night
Prochazka told reporters he will not talk about other fighters until after his title fight. “Just Saturday night,” he said. “After that fight, we can speak about the next options. But right now, the title fight is here. All what I’ve worked on is right now, right here. This is the week.”
When asked about possible future matchups, Prochazka was blunt. “No, there is no other things. No other opponents. F–k the others. There is just me and my art and what I want to show. This is all.”
Preparation and Training
Prochazka says he had time to prepare once he suspected the title would be available. He began getting ready about a month and a half before the change was announced.
Part of that preparation was a month of high-altitude training in Mexico City. “First month was just I believed that will happen. Then we transferred to Mexico City for high altitude training, we trained there for one month and we came back and then UFC told me ‘you will have the title fight,'” he said.
The Bigger Picture
The title became open after Alex Pereira vacated the light heavyweight belt to move to heavyweight. Pereira is scheduled to face Ciryl Gane on a White House card in June. Prochazka says he expected Pereira’s move and discussed the situation with the promotion and his team well before it became public.
Prochazka called the sequence of events a known possibility and said he and his team had already begun to make plans for the fight with Ulberg.
Personal Stakes
The fight means more than a belt. Prochazka is also about to become a father. His daughter is expected very soon, but he says that will not distract him.
“Yes, I come with that but also, I am ready to do anything for a win on Saturday night,” he said. “It’s not counting the days after Saturday night but it’s about to be fully focused for Saturday night and be here and now and do my best on Saturday night. Win the belt, go home and see how my daughter will be born.”
Prochazka insists all talk of other names and future fights will wait until after UFC 327. For now, he says, it is only him and Carlos Ulberg in the ring.
