UFC 295 headliner Jiri Prochazka addresses Jamahal Hill drama: 'Please, be honest with yourself'

07/11/2023 01:00

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka fights on Saturday to retake the title he lost due to injury, and he's laser focused on beating Alex Pereira at UFC 295.

There's been plenty of opportunities to lose focus, and Prochazka isn't getting caught up in the drama surrounding the light heavyweight title. Jamahal Hill is still listed as the champion on the UFC's website, but he still believes he's the rightful champ heading into the bout for the vacant title.

"Yes, sure [I feel like the champ]," Prochazka said Monday on The MMA Hour. "I have to take it like that, because it's my mindset to direct it for this feeling, to show that I'm the champion."

Hill has a claim to the throne as the second straight champ forced to relinquish the belt due to injury. The torn Achilles heel that sidelined him after winning the vacant title in January will eventually heal, and he's expected to face the winner of Prochazka vs. Pereira.

Hill was emphatic about his place in the division, saying his title-winning performance against Glover Teixeira was stronger than Prochazka's. He also fired back at Prochazka's and MMA Hour host Ariel Helwani for what he believed was unfair treatment.

Prochazka was listening and didn't appreciate being the target of a fellow fighter.

"It was not nice," he said. "The guys like to talk – just talk. But please, be honest with yourself with this talking about others. I can speak the truth just about myself, because I don't know about everything. I know everything about myself, and I'm honest with myself, so I can speak for just myself.

"These guys, I'm not talking their talking too seriously, because if you really know the true power of the world, not just you speak, not just to the world, to outside, but you also speak to inside to yourself. If you're not giving your life to every word, then it's starting to not be pureness. That's what I don't like about the guys, the other fighters. Some fighters, take their speaking very seriously, and a lot of them, they don't care. They just speak."

Prochazka spoke at length about the choices he makes to maintain honor in a sport of prizefighting. Much of it comes down to being true to his words and actions.

"For me, what I'm doing, what I'm saying, and everything, that's my lifestyle," he said, "That's everything. I like to do that with everything, like there is nothing left. This is a my last moment. That's why I like to have this hairstyle, live by the samurai [text]. It helps me to be 100 percent here and now and to speak in the truth, to myself and to others."

Although he doesn't like the trash talk, Prochazka bears no grudge toward Hill. Eventually, they will face off in the cage, and things will be much simpler then.

"I know that Jamal spoke about me, many bad things, many good things, doesn't matter for me," he said. "I like him, I like other guys in the division. I will just show that I am the best in the division."