Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira Live TV Broadcast, WATCH PROCHAZKA VS. PEREIRA LIVE.
CLICK HERE NOWEver since Conor McGregor headlined the first UFC event at Madison Square Garden at UFC 205 in 2016, the promotion’s annual trip to “The World’s Most Famous Arena” (save for a year off in 2020 due to the pandemic) has become a de facto “major,” akin to the Kentucky Derby in horse racing or the Masters in golf.
Initially, adding the star power of Jones and Stipe Miocic to the main event made this feel like a superfight. If there was any chance UFC could justify raising prices so brazenly (nosebleed seats opened at over $900 apiece), pairing the sport’s G.O.A.T. against the greatest heavyweight champion in UFC history might have been it.
But Jones’ injury created one heck of a star void atop the event, especially considering the undercard isn’t close to the typical standards of a deep UFC PPV at MSG. Fans will still receive two quality title bouts as former 205-pound champion Jiri Prochazka faces Alex Pereira and heavyweights Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall meet for the interim title, but this feels anything like a typical MSG affair.
Just two years and six fights into his UFC journey, the former two-division Glory kickboxing champion is just days away from potentially securing a second UFC title in as many weight divisions. It’s insane to think about considering Pereira was 33 when he made the full-time switch to MMA despite having just three pro fights (dating back to 2016) on his resume.
There are definitely some question marks on Pavlovich. His lone defeat came back in 2018, when Alistair Overeem grounded and pounded him into defeat. Since then, he hasn’t really gone to the ground, and because he’s finished all of his foes so quickly, we don’t really know if he’s improved there.
Likewise, his cardio is also a big question mark, purely because he simply hasn’t left the first round.
Aspinall doesn’t have the big name wins of Pavlovich, but he’s arguably a little more proven. He’s finished six opponents in the octagon, knocking out the likes of Marcin Tybura and Sergei Spivac and submitting Alexander Volkov and Andrei Arlovski.
Yet, the quiet and humble Brazilian slugger has enjoyed incredible success in such a short period. For all of the recent talk about Francis Ngannou’s switch to boxing, and a performance against Tyson Fury that suggests a potentially bright future, Pereira is the real two-sport combat freak. And now “Poatan” has the chance to add the always dangerous Prochazka to the list of current or former UFC champions he has defeated, which also includes Sean Strickland, Adesanya and Jan Blachowicz.
Luckily for Prochazka, the all gas and no brakes Czech kickboxer, chaos is what he has been accustomed to through just three UFC fights. The longtime RIZIN veteran never met a bout he couldn’t turn into a fan-friendly brawl, complete with explosive strikes and very little thought of defense.
But Prochazka’s style has been effective as he currently rides a 13-fight win streak in his return from vacating the 205-pound UFC title he won by submitting Glover Teixeira, the mentor and trainer of Pereira, in their fight of the year at UFC 275.
Prochazka’s injury, however, created a frantic timeline for the division. Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev fought to a disappointing draw for the vacant title in December before Jamahal Hill defeated Texeira for the belt one month later, only to then vacate it due to his own injury over the summer. One could forgive UFC fans for not having any clue who the best 205-pound fighter in the promotion actually is.
The native of Manchester is a huge heavyweight, standing at 6’5” and weighing nearly 260 pounds. However, he moves like a much smaller man, and arguably has a smoother boxing game than Pavlovich even if he lacks the ruthless power.