Former UFC champion Jiri Prochazka sent a classy message to a cancer patient who is a superfan of his career.
Jiri Prochazka has accumulated a massive global following during his UFC career, most notably after earning the light heavyweight title in 2022. His unorthodox fighting style, approach to life, and ‘War Hair’ have made him a worldwide sensation amongst combat sports fans.
Prochazka is set to return to the Octagon at UFC 311 against another former titleholder. Ahead of his fighting comeback, a longtime fan of Prochazka donned his fight night hairdo as she prepared to undergo cancer treatment.
After the woman’s story and hairstyle went viral on social media, it didn’t take long for Prochazka to take notice, and send a heartwarming message.
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Jiri Prochazka praises ‘fighter’ cancer patient after donning signature hairstyle
In a recent post to X, Prochazka reacted to the woman’s homage to his famous fight night hairdo.
“Every fighter should have warhair,” Prochazka posted.
As of this writing, an update on the woman’s treatment and recovery is uncertain. She originally posted the image of her Prochazka-inspired hairdo on the UFC’s Reddit page last weekend.
“Lost my hair to chemo – not before celebrating my favorite UFC fighter!” she posted. “Cancer sucks, but you have to make the best of it sometimes! I’ll be rooting for [Prochazka] in January!”
Prochazka will face former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill at UFC 311 next month. It’s his first fight since a short-notice knockout loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 303 earlier this year.
During Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, Prochazka said he wants to get the fan’s contact information and connect moving forward in her recovery.
Jiri Prochazka’s journey back to a UFC title begins in upcoming return
Prochazka is just a handful of fights into his UFC career despite a four-year stint with the promotion. He debuted at UFC 251, defeating Volkan Oezdemir by second-round knockout.
After knocking out Dominick Reyes in his next fight, he fought for Glover Teixeira’s UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 275. After just seconds away from losing a potential decision, Prochazka submitted Teixeira in Round 5 in a come-from-behind title victory.
Prochazka’s last victory came against Aleksandar Rakić in April, after falling to Pereira for the then-vacant title at UFC 295. An impressive performance against Hill could potentially earn Prochazka a third shot at the champion Pereira.
As Prochazka prepares for his Octagon return, he’ll fight with a heavy heart as one of his devoted fans battles the fight of her life. Hopefully, Prochazka and the woman get connected soon.