It didn’t go Jiri Prochazka’s manner beneath the lights at Madison Sq. Backyard late on Saturday evening however the Czech isn’t making any excuses.
Former 205-pound champ Prochazka was defeated late into the second spherical within the UFC 295 headliner after he was dropped with a collection of strikes by the now two-division titleholder Alex Pereira. Nevertheless, subsequent replays appeared to counsel that referee Marc Goddard had intervened within the battle a bit too early — an opinion apparently shared by each Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier on commentary, the previous significantly vocal in his perception that the competition had been stopped prematurely, as Prochazka seemed to be trying to defend himself on the bottom for an additional Pereira assault.
Nevertheless, in his first statements to social media after the battle Prochazka — to his credit score — has defended the stoppage, and stated that the Goddard made the precise name to wave off the bout.
“Howdy everybody, I simply need to say to all of you thanks on your help,” Prochazka stated, addressing followers in a short video posted to Instagram. “That is for me simply motivation. Nothing else. Marc Goddard was proper. Perhaps two or three seconds and it might be a special manner, however what occurred occurred. I settle for that. Watch me now. I’ll be again stronger than ever. Thanks for the help.”
The loss was the Czech’s first within the UFC, simply the fourth of his profession so far and ends a sequence of victories in combined martial arts relationship again to mid-2016. The battle was his first since struggling a severe shoulder harm late final yr which sidelined him for one of the best a part of 12 months, and compelled him to relinquish the 205-pound title he gained from Pereira’s coach, Glover Teixeira, in the summertime of 2022.
