Jiří Procházka’s team says middleweight move is under consideration after UFC 303

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka has a slew of options on the table after his second loss to Alex Pereira.

Procházka lost to Pereira’s in a short-notice main event booking at UFC 303 last Saturday in Las Vegas. After a win at UFC 300, Procházka got another light heavyweight title shot on weeks’ notice but fell short by head kick knockout.

Procházka’s second defeat to Pereira comes just seven months after falling to him for the then-vacant title at UFC 295. He defeated Aleksandar Rakić in a come-from-behind win at UFC 300.

After two losses to Pereira, Procházka is on the outside looking in on the light heavyweight title picture. He’s previously teased a future run at 185lbs, and according to his coach, he’s now seriously considering a new chapter.

Jiří Procházka pondering middleweight move after UFC 303

During a recent interview with TN CZ Sport, Procházka’s head coach Martin Karaivanov weighed in on a possible move to the middleweight division.

“Personally speaking I see [middleweight] as a potential restart and a positive step,” Karaivanov said of Procházka’s next move. “He is also still at an age where he can cut weight to [185] relatively well. We will definitely talk about it. It won’t be my decision, but a team decision. Middleweight would make sense because it would be a new start, something new to focus on. A return to light heavyweight would make sense if and when it starts becoming difficult for him to cut weight to middleweight.” (h/t MMA Mania)

Procházka hasn’t fought at middleweight during his professional MMA career which has included stints at heavyweight and openweight. A move to middleweight could potentially set him up for a potential No. 1 contender fight.

The 31-year-old Procházka is right in the middle of his physical prime, and a move to middleweight could breathe new life into his diverse skillset.