Jiri Prochazka says his mind is locked solely on Carlos Ulberg as he heads into their light heavyweight title clash at UFC 327 on Saturday night.
Prochazka’s shot at the vacant belt comes after Alex Pereira vacated the light heavyweight championship to move to heavyweight. Prochazka and his team had already discussed Pereira’s exit with the UFC before it was publicly announced, and he says he began preparing for Ulberg well in advance.
“We spoke with UFC about this a long time before it happened. We knew that with my team a long time before it happened,” Prochazka said. “I prepared myself one and a half months before it was announced to everyone that I will have to fight with Carlos Ulberg. First month was just I believed that will happen. Then we transferred to Mexico City for high altitude training, we trained there for one month and we came back and then UFC told me ‘you will have the title fight.’ We just believed for this option and it happened. I’m glad for that. Really glad.”
Despite having two previous losses to Pereira and believing they will meet again, Prochazka is refusing to look past Ulberg. “No, there is no other things. No other opponents. F*ck the others. There is just me and my art and what I want to show. This is all.”
With his daughter expected to be born soon after the fight, Prochazka is aiming for a focused week. “It’s not [counting] the days after Saturday night but it’s about to be fully focused for Saturday night and be here and now and do my best on Saturday night. Win the belt, go home and see how my daughter will be born.”
