Jiri Prochazka isn’t exactly known for getting involved in controversy. He follows the Bushido code: train, fight, respect. However, Khamzat Chimaev isn’t like that. What was once a training relationship has deteriorated into something much more personal. And now, ‘Denisa’ is peeling back the layers to reveal what sparked the fallout and why he simply cannot respect the man vying for the UFC middleweight gold.

In a recent fan Q&A, ‘The Czech Samurai’ acknowledged that his issue with Chimaev isn’t about fighting skills but rather about character. “He tried to use my position to go to my position and try to take some focus on him,” Prochazka said. The Czech fighter did not mention any specific betrayal, but it was evident that he believed Chimaev attempted to walk over him rather than rise on his own.

The issue wasn’t about losing to Chimaev in the gym; it was being used as a springboard without consent. “As I met him, I don’t like him,” he said bluntly. That animosity only grew when Chimaev ramped up the trash talk. “He is, like, trying to attack other people, like, without any reason,” Jiri Prochazka added, emphasizing a fundamental moral clash.

For ‘Denisa,’ the martial arts path is about discipline and honor, not power play. “This is a game about the fighting. Not about to speak about other people and to attack personally.” Chimaev, at least in his opinion, does not fight with just his fists; he uses words as weapons, and Jiri Prochazka refuses to play along. The irony is that this enmity didn’t have to exist.

Their feud began in the privacy of a sparring room and escalated into an internet circus. Khamzat Chimaev’s bold claims of overpowering Jiri Prochazka in training garnered attention online, but they also shattered a possible friendship, prompting ‘Denisa’ to openly reply with anger and threats.

“Shut your mouth or pay for your actions inside the Octagon,” Prochazka said in 2023. That warning still stands. As ‘Borz’ prepares for a middleweight title fight against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319, Prochazka continues his journey at light heavyweight. So, a fight between the two appears unlikely, for the time being. However, the tension continues to rise.

And if their paths intersect again, it will be more than just rankings and belts. It will be personal. But till then, Chimaev might prefer not to focus on his former sparring partner. Instead, he has found a new one, and that man can surely help him get his hands on the title.

After sparring with Jiri Prochazka, Khamzat Chimaev trains with two-time Olympic gold medalist

Khamzat Chimaev, who has always been accused of talking too much, has been remarkably silent in recent weeks. However, this silence is not the result of retreat. Rather, it is the kind of attention that only a title shot can inspire. With Jiri Prochazka in the rearview mirror, ‘Borz’ has shifted his focus to a new challenge: becoming UFC middleweight champion.

And in order to do so, he’s gone to someone who knows a thing or two about dominance—both on the mat and in the history books. In the lead-up to UFC 319, Chimaev withdrew to the mountains of Kislovodsk, away from the distractions of social media, and into the wrestling room with Abdulrashid Sadulaev, popularly known as “The Russian Tank.”

Sadulaev, a two-time Olympic gold winner and six-time world champion, goes beyond wrestling to redefine what it means to control an opponent. Training with him isn’t about posting Instagram videos or self-promotion; it’s a lesson in pressure, dedication, and determination. And for Chimaev, who already has a terrifying grappling reputation in MMA, this partnership means one thing: he is honing his sharpest weapon.

Du Plessis may be the champion, but his takedown defense rate is only 50%. That might be an issue against someone like Khamzat Chimaev, who has Sadulaev on his side and is currently leveling up. Seeing that the middleweight title is up for grabs, ‘Borz’ believes now that personal feuds can wait. As of now, it’s all about gold.