Jiri Prochazka has put a number on how much his performance slipped the moment Carlos Ulberg blew out his knee at UFC 327.
The former UFC light heavyweight champion was on the verge of reclaiming the vacant title in Miami on April 11 before Ulberg, fighting on one leg, flattened him with a left hook and finishing ground shots at 3:45 of the opening round. In his latest comments, Prochazka says mercy took over the instant he realized his opponent was hurt.
From the moment the injury happened to Ulberg, I wasn't at 100 percent anymore," Prochazka said. "I was at maybe 40-50% of my performance, and I was just sparring and waiting for the referee to stop the fight at any moment. It was a big mistake, maybe one of my biggest.
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Prochazka Targets Return to Title Talks
The admission lines up with what fans saw in real time. After battering Ulberg's lead leg with low kicks and watching the New Zealander stumble around the cage, Prochazka visibly pulled back on his offense rather than press the finish. Ulberg steadied himself against the fence, timed a counter left hook, and swarmed for the knockout.
The loss drops Prochazka to three straight defeats in UFC title fights. He previously lost back-to-back championship bouts to Alex Pereira before this vacant-title setback against Ulberg.
Despite the skid, Prochazka says he is already eyeing his next move. He told reporters he expects to be back in negotiations for his next fight within a month, with Ulberg facing a potentially lengthy recovery from the blown-out knee that nearly cost him the belt.
