Jiri Prochazka‘s fiery response to new champion Carlos Ulberg has already created waves, but the fallout didn’t stop there. His callout for a new opponent has drawn a scathing reply from top contender Magomed Ankalaev, who is doubling down on the ‘pretender’ label and pouring cold water over a potential bout.
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It began with Prochazka’s response to Ulberg calling him a “pretender” after ‘The Czech Samurai’ claimed he showed “mercy” during their title fight at UFC 327. When Ariel Helwani brought up the comments for the guy who vanquished him, Jiri Prochazka shot back, dismissing the comment entirely.
“I don’t want to hear this bulls— from a stripper,” he replied. “I believe that in the cage, we…the fighters…we are one of the most rare people in the world.”
That is where ‘Denisa’ wanted to set the record straight. He made it clear that he never said mercy cost him the fight. According to him, it was Joe Rogan who framed it that way during their post-fight interview. What actually happened, in Jiri Prochazka’s eyes, was much simpler.
“I didn’t say that, because Joe Rogan told me it was a mercy, and I think it was not about the mercy,” he continued. “But I just saw him; he was hurt, and then I didn’t accept the scenario of the fight, that it can be easy fight, because, you know, only thing I know is hard work.
“Hard work, keep working, beat the opponents through the hard work, and right now, this time, it showed me it can be really easy, and I was, like, I was not prepared for this scenario.”
He accepted that ‘Black Jag’ had caught him, acknowledged him as champion, and refused to make excuses. However, he clearly did not enjoy what came next—the trash talk, the labels, and the implication that he was putting on an act.
Jiří Procházka fires back after Carlos Ulberg called him a “pretender” following UFC 327: "I don't want to hear this bullshit from a stripper... I want to be rare. I want to be real. That was bullshit. I don't wanna say any more things or excuses. I don't care. I lost, I Show more
For Jiri Prochazka, authenticity is more important than image, which is why Carlos Ulberg’s comments seem to have struck a nerve. But instead of continuing the back and forth, now he wants to take action.
After recovering and spending time with family, ‘Denisa’ has already planned his return, telling Helwani he’s targeting two exciting names for an October matchup.
“Right now, I believe somewhere around October,” he added. “Right now, Paulo Costa or Magomed Ankalaev (makes sense).”
Paulo Costa and Magomed Ankalaev are both serious challenges, but they also provide exactly what Jiri Prochazka appears to want: a hard road back with no shortcuts and the opportunity to prove he still belongs among the division’s elites.
However, while Prochazka is targeting a fight with Ankalaev, the Dagestani contender—also a former champion—echoed Carlos Ulberg’s “pretender” comment about Prochazka, shutting down any immediate plans for a matchup.
Magomed Ankalaev issues a cold response to Jiri Prochazka’s callout
That plan to fight Magomed Ankalaev may have already failed. Not because Ankalaev is unavailable, but because he seems to have little interest in considering the Czech MMA star as a real threat. If anything, he used Prochazka’s recent failure as justification to discard him entirely.
“Jiri Prochazka got knocked out by a man with one leg, and now he calls me out after finding out I already have an opponent,” Ankalaev wrote on X. “Carlos Ulberg is right; this guy is a pretender.
“He never wanted to really fight me, and he’s the number one easy fight in the light heavyweight division.”
That is what makes it intriguing. ‘Denisa’ wants a tough road back, and Magomed Ankalaev definitely does not respect him enough to think he deserves a fight against him. In combat, such a combination has the potential to create something explosive.
Whether the UFC books it now or later, the tension is very real—and for a fighter looking to prove he still belongs at the top, there may be no better answer for Jiri Prochazka than silencing Ankalaev the hard way.
