Jiri Prochazka responded to accusations of being fake from Carlos Ulberg by dismissing the criticism and calling Ulberg a stripper. The post also mentioned that Artem Vakhitov, who is helping Ciryl Gane prepare and was the last person to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing, stated in a recent interview that Pereira will lose because he has gained too much mass. Additionally, Islam Makhachev confirmed he has started preparing for his next fight, and Khamzat Chimaev responded to Sean Strickland's trash talk with surprising self-awareness, comparing Strickland to a circus clown and noting that Strickland's friends approached him and he backed down saying he was just promoting the fight.
Jiri Prochazka has hit back at Carlos Ulberg after the New Zealand light heavyweight accused the Czech fighter of being fake, with Prochazka dismissing the criticism and labeling Ulberg a "stripper" in a social media post.
Prochazka, ranked second in the light heavyweight division at 33 years old, carries a professional record of 32-6-1 and is one of the more dangerous strikers in the 205-pound weight class. Fighting out of Jetsaam Gym Brno in the Czech Republic, the six-foot-three, 191-centimeter veteran posts a striking rate of 5.69 significant strikes landed per minute at 55 percent accuracy, making his exchanges with any opponent a high-stakes proposition.
The same social media post touched on several other storylines circulating in the sport. Artem Vakhitov, who is assisting Ciryl Gane in preparation for his next bout and holds the distinction of being the last man to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing, claimed in a recent interview that Pereira will struggle because he has added too much body mass. Islam Makhachev, the welterweight champion with a 28-1-0 record and a relentless grappling game — averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes — confirmed he has begun camp for his next outing. Meanwhile, middleweight champion Sean Strickland found himself on the receiving end of a measured comeback from Khamzat Chimaev, who compared Strickland to a circus clown and noted that Strickland's own associates had approached him before Strickland walked back the confrontation, claiming it was only promotional theater. Strickland, 35, holds a 31-7-0 record and fights out of Xtreme Couture.
Why it matters
- Prochazka's public spat with Ulberg keeps the light heavyweight division in the spotlight while Prochazka sits at number two in the rankings
- Vakhitov's comments on Pereira add fuel to an ongoing debate about the champion's physical evolution between divisions
- Chimaev's response suggests a Chimaev-Strickland middleweight clash could be building, with Strickland holding the division's title
