Jiri Prochaska asks Alex Pereira to put aside his magic stones and shamanic spells and meet him inside the Octagon Mono-e-Mono.
In November 2023, “Poitan” defeated Prochazka by knockout in the second round at Madison Square Garden to claim the light heavyweight championship, his second title in a year. Seven months later, they will appear in the main event of UFC 303 on June 29, with the title up for grabs again just 16 days before the two men compete.
Both fighters are fresh off big wins at UFC 300 in April, with Prochazka scoring an impressive come-from-behind knockout win over Aleksandar Rakic and Pereira closing out a spectacular knockout victory over former champion Jamahal Gil.
“I saw the Jamahal fight and the way he worked after the fight,” Prochazka said during an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. “I don't want to be mean, but I think he's a big believer in mental help, and I don't think that's something he can do without fighting, because I want to be very clear on that point.”
“It's a sports performance, a pure performance, man against man, but I don't think he knows how to fight without them because he's used them every time. So now I'm looking forward to it” (via MMA Mania).
Asked to clarify what he meant by “spiritual,” Prochaska said he believed the “Poatan” were using shamanic magic to win battles.
“Everyone knows he works with shamans back home and believes he gets some spiritual help from them.
“I believe that too. But I believe that human performance here and now, without magic, is the best performance. Let's see if Alex still works that way. It's working, but I believe in a clear way. And I do. And I want to win that way.”
Apparently, Jiri Prochazka is accusing Pereira of using a new type of PED (performance enhancing gods), or maybe the BJP is taking Elden Ring a bit too far.
Jiri Prochazka is used to unusual training methods
Of course, Alex Pereira isn't the only one to use unconventional training methods between fights: Prochazka is known for locking himself in a dark room for days on end, surviving only by water and his thoughts.
“It was amazing. Three and a half days, no food, just me, water and training, great ideas and great motivation, overcoming my fears, that's it,” Prochaska said.
Prochazka is 4-1 at UFC, with his lone loss coming against Pereira at UFC 295. All of his wins inside the Octagon have come by way of second-round knockout, with the lone exception being a June 2022 bout against Fight of the Year candidate Glover Teixeira.
“BJP” knocked out the Brazilian in the fifth round at the RNC to win the light heavyweight title.
