Alex Pereira believes Jiří Procházka “lost credibility” after their first fight at UFC 295

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira feels Jiří Procházka hasn’t turned the page on their first fight ahead of their UFC 303 rematch.

Pereira will return to defend the UFC light heavyweight title in a rematch against Procházka in the UFC 303 headliner on Saturday. On short notice, he returns to the Octagon after Conor McGregor’s withdrawal from the card’s main event.

Just seven months after their first fight, Pereira will face Procházka in a rematch of their vacant title fight at UFC 295. The fight ended by controversial stoppage after Pereira dropped Procházka following a series of brutal clinch strikes.

Procházka seemed to take the loss in stride and dispelled the notion that the stoppage was premature. He pivoted on that stance in the days and weeks after.

Pereira feels Procházka’s integrity is in question after switching back and forth on how their first fight concluded.

Alex Pereira scolds Jiří Procházka after post-UFC 295 remarks

In a recent sitdown interview with Daniel Cormier, Pereira was asked why he was insistent on facing Procházka again.

“I think because of the way he spoke, first he said he accepted the knockout, he accepted the result of the first fight,” Pereira said. “Then, all of a sudden he started changing, saying he didn’t accept the stoppage…

“So, doing that, he ended up showing that he’s lost a little bit of credibility and merit.”

Pereira targeted a rematch with Procházka almost immediately after finishing Jamahal Hill at UFC 300. The rematch happened faster than both fighters anticipated, but the clash was one of the biggest fights of the summer.

Pereira has the opportunity to bring finality to his rivalry with Procházka and move towards other top contenders. Magomed Ankalaev, Hill, and others are waiting in the wings for a title shot.

Ahead of UFC 303, Procházka has scolded Pereira and accused him of using “dark magic” to enhance his fight camps. As of this writing, Pereira hasn’t addressed these accusations and comments.

As Pereira prepares to face Procházka for the second time, he plans on leaving no doubt inside the Octagon. The pre-fight banter has added more fuel to what will likely be another intense environment at UFC 303.