It’s nothing new for a celebrity to be deeply affected by a fan’s story! During a 2023 visit to his hometown in Chechnya, Khamzat Chimaev was brought to tears after he spoke to a 10-year-old fan. This revealed a tender side to the usually stoic ‘Borz.’ Yet, he is not alone in feeling deeply moved by the stories of one of his fans. Former UFC champion Jiri Prochazka also connected with a fan. 

The 32-year-old Czech fighter is hours away from his fight against Khalil Rountree Jr. on the undercard of UFC 320, headlined by Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. However, ahead of the fight, fans have grown curious about his solidarity with his fan, Ashly McGarity, which sparked cancer rumors. What exactly happened? And what did ‘The Czech Samurai’ do?

Jiri Prochazka’s special gesture for fan battling cancer

Ahead of his UFC 311 fight against Jamahal Hill in January this year, the Czech fighter shaved his head in solidarity with a fan, Ashley McGarity, who is battling cervical cancer. He unveiled his new look in a press conference for the fight, explaining, “This hair was inspired by Ashley. That girl, she’s fighting with cancer. She will come tomorrow. This is me showing solidarity, because it’s about sending good energy.”

McGarity was losing her hair due to chemotherapy, so she cut it short to resemble her favorite UFC fighter. Jiri Prochazka was deeply moved by this and pledged a generous donation. “Yesterday, I reached 1m followers on Instagram, so I will give 1m [Czech Koruna] by my foundation to oncologist patients. Martial arts has something to give back, it’s all about good energy,” he added. Prochazka planned to donate £33,372 ($40,682), and reports revealed that even UFC CEO Dana White doubled that amount by getting involved. 

Regardless, Prochazka’s gesture to shave his head started separate rumors that he was the one suffering from cancer, but they were just that—rumors. In the meantime, the 32-year-old has found a new perspective on fighting ahead of the Rountree Jr. fight.

Swimming under ice gave Jiri Prochazka a new perspective

Jiri Prochazka is no stranger to extreme training, but his latest challenge nearly pushed him to the edge. While preparing for his upcoming fight, Prochazka swam under a sheet of ice. “When the offer came, I said to myself, ‘Why? Because I want to,’” Prochazka said at media day. “But when I first went down under the ice, I realized, f—k, you can die there. No light, nothing. That was scary.”

This experience was like a fight for him, a fight to survive. “You can’t do that just because you want. You really have to want that from your heart,” he explained. “I took it like a fight — win or nothing.” The experience gave him a new perspective on fighting. He added, “Maybe that’s why I’m fighting. Because you are touching all the time this essence of loss, of death.”

It appears Jiri Prochazka is more than just a fighter. Prochazka’s compassion for McGarity reveals a side of him that people don’t often get to see. What did you think of the 32-year-old’s special gesture for his fan?