Having sparred countless rounds with Jiri Prochazka, Matěj Peňáz knows the former UFC champion very well, with ‘Money’ now opening up about his favorite memories with the legend.
Together, the pair have become two of the greatest fighters in the history of the Czech Republic.
Matěj Peňáz helped Jiri Prochazka prepare for one of his biggest fights
Blessed with sensational striking skills, honed through his time at Glory Kickboxing, Matěj Peňáz has proven himself as a force to be reckoned with in Oktagon MMA.
Utilizing his outrageous reach, the gifted competitor picks his opponents off at will, before finishing them with his devastating power.
On February 1, Peňáz will compete at Oktagon 66, against David Zawada, inside the PSD Bank Dome, Düsseldorf, Germany, in the opening round of the Tipsport Gamechanger.
The competition, akin to The Champions League of MMA, pits the best mixed martial artists in Europe against one another with an awe-inspiring prize pot of €1,000,000.
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The tournament features an array of talented prospects, but perhaps none more so than Peňáz, who’s proven himself as one of the most devastating competitors in the promotion.
After all, Jiri Prochazka wouldn’t bring someone in to help prepare him for one of the biggest fights of his career, if he didn’t rate their skills.
In an exclusive interview with Bloody Elbow, Peňáz enthused: “I’ve been friends with Jiri for a long time. We’ve known each other for more than ten years. I’ve trained with him, and we’ve been in the same gym before.
“He asked me if I could help with the preparation for Jamahal Hill, because I’m also southpaw. So, I came to the Czech Republic, and we did specific drills and lots of sparring.
“It’s always good to train with Jiri; he’s a very nice guy. He has a great style, so you always have to be prepared.
“It was good for me, because it was two months until my fight, so it was my preparation too.”
Matěj Peňáz reveals his favorite Jiri Prochazka memory
Born in a small village in the Czech Republic, Peňáz grafted with everything he had to get to a level where he was good enough to mix it with the likes of Prochazka.
Upon meeting, the pair hit it off instantly, with the UFC star even coming up with the moniker that the Oktagon icon still uses today.
The 28-year-old explained: “We have a lot of stories together. For example, my nickname—it’s from Jiri. My surname, in Slovakian, means money.
“Jiri started calling me ‘Money’, and it’s stayed with me. We have lots of stories, and we’ve done lots of camps.
“I’ve known him since the start of his MMA career.”
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