VIDEO: One year since a giant milestone! Recall how Jiri Prochazka became UFC champion

It was June 12, 2022. It was about 6:30 a.m. when the biggest MMA fight ever featuring a representative of the Czech Republic began. Jiri Prochazka was fighting for the UFC title, his opponent was Glover Teixeira. Mark the milestone.

He came to the UFC as the champion of Japanese Rizin. Right from the start, he was the biggest star from our country to emerge in the organization. And his fights have looked like it.

Right from the start, Jiri Prochazka faced a dangerous fighter who had never been knocked out. The Moravian samurai, however, managed to finish Volkan Oezdemir in an exemplary manner after a risky, yet attractive performance.

It was clear that the UFC has a new star who is specific, interesting and will attract attention. Next up was a fight with Dominick Reyes, the man many experts and fans thought would beat the legendary Jon Jones on points.

Just like with Oezdemir, Procházka gave a great performance. Again, he landed the hard shots himself, but it was him who made sure the fight was over with a hell of an elbow from the turn. Once again, he was the first to knock Reyes out.

It was clear that this was a special fighter. And so he got his shot at the title. He was expected to face Jan Blachowicz, but he was surprisingly stopped by veteran Glover Teixeira, who was facing his first defence against the Moravian puncher.

It should have been a big test for Procházka. Teixeira was a complex fighter with great grappling and wrestling. He was expected to find his way to success that way.

However, when the fight happened in the early hours of June 12, we witnessed a phenomenal battle between two fantastic fighters. The stand-up shootouts, the almost incomprehensible evasions of Walk from submission attempts, the huge drama.

And half a minute before the end of the last round came the shock. Prochazka put the Brazilian legend in a choke and won. It was the most improbable win that has ever happened in the UFC. Teixeira had never been finished on a submission, and Prochazka was the first. Nobody expected anything like this.

A phenomenal milestone had been reached, our MMA scene had seen its next Nagano, this time in combat sports. Almost nothing else was written about that day. And it was no different in the days that followed.

Then when the Moravian fighter returned to his homeland and arrived in Brno, a completely filled Svoboda Square was waiting for him. A hero had arrived in the Moravian capital. He had not expected such a welcome himself.

The walker could have already had a defence behind him, but unfortunately he was injured and now he is still recovering. Instead of Teixeira, who retired after losing to Jamahal Hill, he will face the new champion. The date is pending.

Source: UFC, Tapology