Jiří Procházka on what he learned during recent 3-day isolation without light and food: “You become a friend to yourself”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka underwent a three-day isolation without basic needs ahead of his Octagon return.
Procházka will face UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in the UFC 303 main event on Saturday in Las Vegas. He and Pereira will headline the card on short notice after Conor McGregor’s withdrawal from his scheduled fight with Michael Chandler.
Procházka is a unique persona in and out of the cage. He’s known for unorthodox techniques inside the Octagon while suffering through unorthodox training methods ahead of his fights.
To further fuel the intrigue behind his Samurai ways, Procházka entered a three-day isolation without food and electricity. During the isolation, he still trained despite the fast and will look to demonstrate the fruits of his labor at UFC 303.
Jiří Procházka: Isolation “Easier than you’d think”
In a recent episode of The MMA Hour, Procházka shared what he took away from his three-day isolation.
“It was great! Three and a half days, just you and water,” Procházka said. “Still training, but spending the time with your best ideas, motivation, go through your fears and that’s all that you do…
“We had a bag there, a shower, toilet, and in a few minutes when you shut the lights, then you recognize everything there because you have the senses of the touch. Shadowboxing, breathing techniques, visualization…it’s much easier than you’d think. It’s just about being a friend to yourself, and then gently, step by step, you will do whatever [you want].”
Procházka seeks revenge against Pereira at UFC 303, just seven months after losing by knockout at UFC 295. He’s looking to continue the form he demonstrated against Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 300.
Time will tell if Procházka’s short, unusual training camp methods will pay off at UFC 303. His remarks about isolation and self-growth say that he’s entering this fight with a lot of humility and strength.
