Jiri Prochazka explains why he was “surprised” Alex Pereira accepted title fight on short notice at UFC 303

Jiri Prochazka didn’t know if Alex Pereira would accept the rematch on short notice at UFC 303.

After Conor McGregor was forced to withdraw from his UFC 303 main event fight against Michael Chandler, the UFC pivoted to make the rematch between Prochazka and Pereira for the light heavyweight title. The two took the fight on just two weeks’ notice which Prochazka says came with a pay bump, but he was surprised that Pereira decided to defend his belt on short notice.

“I was a little bit surprised by that, I can say yes. Because I don’t know what was the reason he said yes, if it’s money or something else, but communication with me from the UFC, they gave me some better, I don’t want to be concrete, but we negotiated about better money. So I don’t know how it was with Alex,” Jiri Prochazka said on The MMA Hour.

“But I didn’t know about the money or whatever when I accepted [the fight], so for me this is not so important because the main point is to get the title and to bring it back to the Czech Republic,” Prochazka added.

Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira fought back in November and it was the Brazilian who won by second-round knockout to win the vacant title. Although Prochazka lost the first fight, he has confidence he will be able to avenge the loss.

“I will win the fight. I will win the fight and I believe in that and I will do that, that’s all. I will not step into a fight where I don’t believe in that, in myself. I already accept that I will do everything and right now is the great chance to show that,” Prochazka said.

Prochazka enters his UFC 303 title fight against Alex Pereira as a +130 underdog, but he has confidence he will pull off the upset and reclaim his light heavyweight title.