Teetering on the edges of the Light Heavyweight gold, Jiri Prochazka has come close to reclaiming the belt on multiple occasions, but hasn’t been successful. Now, with him firmly placed at the top of the 205 lbs leaderboard once again, Prochazka won’t let this opportunity slip away easily, even if it comes with some hard choices.

Coming face-to-face with Alex Pereira at UFC 295 was the first roadblock Prochazka hit in his path to grab the LHW belt that he never lost. While he ran it back with ‘Poatan’ at UFC 303 to avenge his failed title defense, he only returned fruitlessly before returning to title conversations as the No. 1 contender once again.

Jiri Prochazka shuts the UFC title shot dilemma

After bouncing back with a 2-fight win streak by defeating Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr., the former Light Heavyweight champion finds himself well-deserving of a third title shot. And he won’t let any obstacle ruin his chances of the bout, not even the fighter on the other side of the Octagon. In fact, Prochazka, who is expecting his firstborn daughter in April this year, with partner Kamila, has already made up his mind about the LHW title opportunity.

“She have the date with the baby about 11th of April, 13th of April. And the possible date of fight is 11th of April… And I told her, like, if there will be possibility to fight for a title, I have to accept that,” he told MMA Today.

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His long-time partner, Kamila Kordulíková, a lawyer by training, has remained extremely supportive of his decision, as Prochazka further shared, “She said, like, if that will be for fight, for title, let’s go for that. Go for that and do it.” This serves as Prochazka’s moral anchor, as Carlos Ulberg awaits his first UFC title shot.

However, with the title shot still hanging in the balance, there’s still uncertainty surrounding Prochazka’s opponent. While Alex Pereira is the current division king, he has previously revealed his willingness to move up a weight class to take on Jon Jones. That could vacate the belt, with No. 3 contender Carlos Ulberg and Prochazka potentially vying for it.

In fact, talks of Ulberg against Prochazka have recently surfaced on the internet, setting up a date for the clash.

Prochazka provides an update on the fight with Carlos Ulberg

As rumors of a UFC 327 matchup between the two light heavyweight swirled, Jiri Prochazka was quick to put them to rest. However, ‘BJP’ left the door wide open for the anticipated clash, revealing that the fighters are in the negotiating stages of the bout.

“Just quickly, all this information on the internet about me and Ulberg isn’t true. Because the fight is not confirmed yet, it’s still in negotiation. Just for me, I can say I want to fight till the end of March, because in April it’s time for the baby,” Prochazka clarified through his socials.

Apparently, the set date for the event was the biggest resistance for Prochazka, who still wanted to be there for the birth of his baby. However, his recent resolution underscores his unfathomable heart and willingness to set aside almost everything for his next title shot.

But whether the fight would be for the light heavyweight belt remains debatable, with Prochazka potentially turning the fight down should the case be any different. As ‘BJP’ has himself iterated time and again, he is ready to put on his gloves for the LHW crown, as he shared on X: “I don’t care who, but my stand is still the same. Now I believe I’m in a position to fight for the belt.”

Should Ulberg only be a litmus test to decide whether Prochazka deserves the title shot, the Czech fighter is ready to push back on the fight date. However, whether two resounding wins are enough to propel him back to division gold is just as questionable. What are your thoughts? Would you like to see Prochazka get a title shot up for the third time?