Jiri Prochazka has never trained like your average MMA fighter, and his latest viral moment proves he’s still pushing that line, even if it nearly ended with Nina Marie Daniele needing to visit the hospital.
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Just days before his scheduled clash with Carlos Ulberg for the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 327, the former champion has found himself trending for something completely unrelated to fight prep. The clip from Nina Drama’s YouTube channel starts harmless enough. Prochazka is on the mat, Nina Drama on his back, attempting a rear-naked choke. He set the tone before they even started.
“I will try the one, if that works, because they showed it’s working in some video. I saw that, and I’m curious about that if it’s working,” Prochazka shared, making it clear this isn’t something drilled in camp, but something he picked up online.
Nina leans into it, joking that she’ll try to submit a UFC fighter. But the setup matters. She doesn’t have her hooks in, which means the choke isn’t fully secured, but it makes sense from an amateur’s perspective. As she locks in the position, Prochazka clamps down, literally. He places both his hands on his head and drives his chin into her forearm, using pressure to crush the limb instead of escaping the choke. The reaction is instant.
“Yeah, it’s working! Good? I saw that in the video,” Prochazka says.
Nina falls to the floor, clutching her arm and yelling in pain. She then asks him if he learned it from TikTok.
“I saw that on YouTube. I didn’t know if it was working,” the UFC star responds.
“It f—- works, dude,” Nina exclaims. “Dude, you almost broke my forearm. Jesus! Oh my God, it hurts! That works. If you’re ever in that position, do that. My God!”
“For MMA fighters, no,” Prochazka remarked. “Don’t do that. It’s not working.”
To his credit, Prochazka quickly added context. And that line matters because against trained opposition, this doesn’t hold up the same way. Once a rear-naked choke is fully locked under the chin, with proper control and squeeze, there’s very little room to improvise. In fact, applying pressure the wrong way can make things worse. Even hobbyists who’ve grappled casually know that once you’re caught clean, panic reactions often speed up the finish.
But this moment fits into a larger pattern with Jiri Prochazka. His training has never followed a traditional blueprint. From mountain isolation to extreme endurance drills like swimming under frozen water, he has always believed in pushing beyond what’s “normal.” That mindset shows up here, too, as not many professional fighters would admit to trying out techniques they learned from YouTube, and the fans had plenty to say.
Fans can’t believe Jiri Prochazka pulled the move on Nina Drama
One fan wrote, “Good to know even UFC fighters steal techniques from reels.” It’s a funny line, but there’s something real behind it. Fighters at the highest level are still students of the game. The difference is where they pull information from. Years ago, it was gyms, coaches, and instructional tapes. Now, it’s everywhere, including social media. But the risk is obvious, too. Not everything online translates to elite competition.
Another fan pointed out, “only works if opp isn’t serious about finishing the choke.” That’s probably the most accurate breakdown of the situation. The technique worked because the choke wasn’t fully locked. No hooks, no tight squeeze, and no immediate finishing intent. Against someone like Carlos Ulberg or any trained fighter, that window that Jiri Prochazka used to clamp down with his chin disappears quickly.
Someone else wrote, “He’s unironically going to do this in the octagon one day btw.” And honestly, with Jiri Prochazka, that doesn’t feel impossible. His style has always been unpredictable. He doesn’t fight like a textbook striker or grappler. If he sees something that works, even once, there’s always a chance he tests it again. Whether that’s confidence or risk depends on how it plays out.
A different viewer added, “Nina’s instinct to blame TikTok is pretty funny. And Jiri confirms it was YouTube.” That moment added a layer of humor, but it also highlights how blurred the lines have become. Techniques, trends, and ideas now travel through social media platforms before they ever reach a gym. The source seemingly matters less than the result.
And finally, one fan wrote, “I’ve been waiting for someone to try to cut off circulation/nerves from the tendons using your chin as a friction/clamp. It can be extremely painful when the muscle is being used/tensed up.” That’s where the conversation shifts from entertainment to actual mechanics. The move isn’t random. There’s logic behind it. Applying pressure to a forearm under tension can create sharp pain quickly. But again, it relies on imperfect positioning. At the highest level, fighters train specifically to avoid giving up that kind of leverage.
Ultimately, this moment says as much about Jiri Prochazka as it does about the modern fight game. You have a former champion, preparing for a title fight, casually testing something he saw online, and it actually worked, at least in that specific situation. That mix of curiosity and confidence is exactly what has made him different throughout his career, and it’s part of why he became champion in the first place. Whether that same unpredictable curiosity helps him reclaim the title or proves to be a liability against a disciplined striker like Carlos Ulberg is the question that defines his championship hopes.
