‘No way that style holds up well’

Jiri Prochazka has proved the likes of Michael Chandler flawed together with his success within the Octagon.

The previous RIZIN light heavyweight champion brought his unorthodox and wild fighting style to the UFC in 2020.

Prochazka brutally knocked out Volkan Oezdemir in his debut at UFC 251 and has continued to deliver similar performances, helping him win the title and defeat various high-profile names at 205 kilos.

Now, as Prochazka gears as much as battle Carlos Ulberg for the vacant light heavyweight belt in Saturday’s UFC 327 primary event, let’s have a look back at what the Czech star’s peers were saying about his arrival six years ago.

Rate UFC 327 out of 10. 👀

The cardboard has lost its co-main event between Joshua Van and Tatsuro Taira. 🏆

Fighters were split when UFC 327 star Jiri Prochazka KO’d Volkan Oezdemir in his debut

Prochazka had 23 knockouts in 26 profession wins when he signed to the UFC. Despite making a reputation for himself in Asia, ‘BJP’ was still a largely unknown quantity to audiences in North America.

He modified that with a vicious performance against Oezdemir on the UFC’s ‘Fight Island’, and he immediately won over various big names together with his unique approach to striking.

Michael Chiesa: “Win or lose, I’m a fan of Jiri at this point. I really like the antics.”

Sodiq Yusuff: “It is a very different style…I dig it.”

Stephen Thompson: “Woooooow!!!”

Derrick Lewis: “Swang and bang!!!!!”

Sean O’Malley: “Ouch.”

But various fighters were expressing concern about Prochazka’s style of their immediate reactions on social media.

Amongst them was Michael Chandler, who gave a grim prediction in regards to the Czech star’s probabilities of success in the sunshine heavyweight division after seeing his UFC 251 debut.

Michael Chandler: “There isn’t any way that style holds up well within the LHW division. He’s unorthodox…but head movement is slow for speed of the punches for the burden class.”

Megan Anderson: “What a crazy debut by Prochazka. How low he has his hands stresses me out.”

Brian Kelleher: “This guy is wild man.”

Dennis Bermudez: “Prochazka is a weird fighter.”

Suffice it to say, the fan favorite has proved Chandler flawed in a significant way in his subsequent fights.

Just one man has been in a position to get the higher of the 33-year-old’s unorthodox movements on the feet.

Prochazka’s loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 303 marked his second failed attempt at regaining the sunshine heavyweight crown. His reign beforehand was transient, dropped at an end by an unlucky shoulder injury.

Outside of defeats to ‘Poatan’, Prochazka has submitted Glover Teixeira and knocked out Dominick Reyes, Aleksandar Rakic, Jamahal Hill, and Khalil Rountree Jr. since his UFC debut.

The previous champion will now look so as to add Ulberg to his list of victims contained in the Octagon after they do battle inside Miami’s Kaseya Center.