Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prockazka might have been sidelined by a brutal shoulder injury, but he’s never taken his eyes off the prize. Prochazka vacated the title, which Jamahal Hill captured at UFC 283 this past weekend, due to the injury. However, he revealed on The MMA Hour that his recovery is going far better than anticipated, and he is looking at a return to the Octagon in summer.
“Everything is going a great way. Next week I’m going to Las Vegas to continue in rehabilitation and all these processes to be quick, to [have] the fastest way back possible. I don’t want to be [too] fast for the shoulder, but it’s getting much better than everybody expects, so I’m happy for that.
Prochazka Eyes Summer Return
I think I can be back in July or August, something like that. Six or seven months, something like that. Because I don’t want the fastest way back just to fight. I know this is not the best attitude. I want to be sure that my body works for 200 percent, and I think it can be in summer of this year. Just let me work on that and I will be back as soon as possible.”
Prochazka is also very interested in facing the current champion, Jamahal Hill. Hill is one of the few younger fighters at the top of the weight class, and Prochazka finds the prospect fascinating.
“I was a little bit surprised by Glover Teixeira’s performance, his energy and his speed. He was so slow. He was a little bit slow. Amazing work from Jamahal, he did everything right. So congratulations to him and I’m looking forward for him.
I thought [Teixeira] had big chance to win, especially in Rio with the home crowd. Everything worked in this event for him, so I’m a little bit surprised by that, but that’s good. A good step for light heavyweight, and I’m happy for that. I’m happy for this result because Jamahal Hill is a young guy, he’s dangerous, and I like to [have] before me somebody like him, who [will] challenge me. I’m looking forward to starting training.”
There’s no clear timeline for Prochazka yet, but the Czech fighter remains hopeful. “I don’t want to speak about me because I want to be focused to be healthy, to be ready to fight.
On paper, right now, it’s Jamahal. On paper. But I’m still here, and I’m working on that to be back to being, on the paper, the best. But normally, I’m taking myself to be the best light heavyweight of the world. That’s my opinion.”
Will we see Jiri Prochazka back in action this year? Let us know in the comments.
