Jiri Prochazka has a longstanding feud with current UFC light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira despite already having suffered two knockout losses to the Brazilian.
Earlier this month at UFC 311, Jiri Prochazka returned to the win column with a third-round finish over fellow former champion, Jamahal Hill.
Both fighters were going into the fight off the back of losses to Alex Pereira, with both hopeful that they could score a big win to put themselves back into title contention.
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Joe Rogan presses Jiri Prochazka following Alex Pereira ‘black magic’ comments
Following his UFC 311 win, Prochazka crudely responded to the commentary team after he was criticized by Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan for his striking defense, despite having worked on it prior to the fight.
However, Rogan has pressed Prochazka back recently after he appeared on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience.
Before Prochazka rematched Pereira at UFC 303 earlier last year, Prochazka claimed that Pereira uses ‘black magic’ and ‘voodoo’ to help him win fights and it played a big part in their pre-fight build-up.
Whilst on Rogan’s podcast, the UFC icon pressed the former champion on his claim and asked him to explain what he means by it.
“I don’t want to speak about that fully because it is something that I am humble for,” Prochakza told Rogan.
“I can’t say this is it because everyone has their own way and nobody is, even me, prepared to say something for somebody (to take it seriously). I get lost in that (question). So the thing is, I will not speak about where is the magic, how to use the magic.
“That (black magic) was the biggest power for my opponent because I was focused for him, not for me,” he continued.
The 32-year-old has openly admitted that ahead of his rematch against ‘Poatan’, he was too focused on accusing Pereira of using ‘spiritual things’ instead of the fight itself.
Joe Rogan admits Prochazka has evolved since his last fight
Despite having initially been critical of some of Prochazka’s defensive work at UFC 311, Rogan admitted in his sitdown interview with the former champion that he has definitely evolved since his last fight.
“You said you had to evolve (after losing to Pereira)… One thing I saw in this last fight was evolution… The counters, the head movement and the counters were brilliant… I was like, ‘That’s a different Jiri Prochazka’.
“You’re definitely getting better which is fascinating, you had a very brilliant approach, you waited until you reached a certain level before you entered the UFC,” Rogan continued.
Prochazka will be hoping that he has evolved enough to earn another shot at the light heavyweight title and he will be keeping a close eye on the UFC 313 main event between Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev.