Jiri Prochazka still is waiting for a date and name for his first UFC title defense.
The light heavyweight champion has yet to be given details by the promotion of where, when and against whom his next fight will be, his manager Tim Simpson of Paradigm Sports, recently told MMA Junkie.
But though nothing is set in stone, Simpson does think a rematch with Glover Teixeira (33-8 MMA, 16-6 UFC) likely is what’s in store for Prochazka (29-3-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC).
“Nothing has been confirmed on who or when yet, but Jiri came out and expressed he wanted to fight Glover. And, of course, Glover wants the fight back from my understanding of what the UFC wants,” Simpson said. “Jiri was really open to fighting anybody. We met with the UFC and Jiri was kind of like, ‘What do you want to do?’ It started trending toward Glover.
“For Jiri to take that challenge again, it says a lot about him. He’s all about challenge. He says it: ‘What is my greatest challenge at this stage?’ I think that’s a fight that will happen, and we’re just kind of closing in on a date.”
Prochazka and Glover fought in June at UFC 275 in Singapore. The fight was considered an instant classic that ended when Prochazka submitted the Brazilian late in the fifth round to take the light heavyweight title. Neither has fought since, but both have publicly expressed their interest in a rematch.
Simpson said Prochazka is determined to have a much more clinical performance in a rematch, and Prochazka sees room for improvement.
“Even in the direct aftermath of talking to him inside the cage in Singapore in the octagon, he was disappointed – literally 30 seconds after winning a world title,” Simpson said. “He wasn’t happy with the performance. I think when it really sunk in, he was really proud of himself. As awesome of a fight it was and as much of the heart he showed, he doesn’t want to fight like that. He wants to be clean.”
