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Prochazka has tightened up his overall game and is looking forward to showing his new level of fighting when he faces Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 300.

Jiri Prochazka’s quest to regain his UFC light heavyweight title was derailed back in November 2023 by Alex Pereira when the scary Brazilian striker knocked him out in the second round (watch the finish here).

According to Prochazka, the defeat taught him the value of keeping his game tight during a firefight.

“I have to keep all the fight in my hands, every detail,” Prochazka told Inside Fighting in a new interview. “Every detail, every small step in the cage, everything. Because until that [KO] moment, I handled that fight. It was my mistake, it was small mistake, but in this game, there is no place for these small mistakes. So that’s why I’m making the steps up in these small things: to be the best.”

Now Alex Pereira is the 205 pound champion, and he will defend the title in the main event of UFC 300 against Jamahal Hill. Jiri is keeping a close eye on that fight, considering he’s hoping to fight the winner as soon as possible. While Hill is convinced the fight is a mismatch in his favor, Prochazka sees advantages for both men.

“More weapons in that fight I feel like there is on Jamahal Hill’s side,” he said. “Jamahal Hill will have the better chances at the start of the fight. When the fight will continue, there is more chance, like I’ve seen, for Pereira. But we’ll see, let the better win.”

Further down that same card, Prochazka is fighting Aleksandar Rakic. A powerful win, he hopes, will propel him right back into the No. 1 contender spot.

“I believe in that. I will do everything for that,” he said. “I believe I can be the champion, and I will.”

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Six years removed from his grudge match with Hall of Fame star, Khabib Nurmagomedov, former two-weight UFC champion, Conor McGregor has once more hit out at the retired Russian – again accusing him of “running” from a rematch against himself.

McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion, has been sidelined since he fractured his left tibia and fibula in a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to common-foe, Dustin Poirier back in the summer of 2021.

And as for Nurmagomedov, the Russian sambo specialist called time on his illustrious career back in 2020, successfully unifying the lightweight titles with a blistering second round triangle choke submission win over then-interim champion, Justin Gaethje.

Immediately linked with a comeback fight the following year as UFC CEO, Dana White attempted to persuade the Russian to fight McGregor in a championship rematch should he have beaten the above-mentioned Poirier in their January rematch, ultimately to no avail.

Conor McGregor hits out at Khabib Nurmagomedov

Maintaining his fierce hatred and rivalry with Nurmagomedov in the time since his retirement, McGregor – who is expected to make his return in a summer fight with Michael Chandler at long last more, blasted the former champion for retiring – accusing him of “running” from both a re-run at the sport of mixed martial arts.

“Fighting a bear is handy,” Conor McGregor told UniLad whilst carrying out promotional work for Road House. “I fought one [Khabib Nurmagomedov] that trained with bears back in the day. He’s only a little fool, he went running.” 

Sharing the Octagon in a blockbuster UFC 229 lightweight title fight back in October 2018, McGregor suffered an eventual fourth round neck crack submission defeat to Nurmagomedov – with the pair and both corners engaging in a heated and ugly post-fight brawl following the culmination of the headliner.

What are your thoughts on Conor McGregor’s feud with Khabib Nurmagomedov?

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In a stunning display of unsportsmanlike conduct, flyweight Igor Severino was disqualified during his UFC Vegas 89 bout against Andre Lima after biting him.  

Midway through the second round, Severino bit Lima in the arm while Lima was attempting to take him down.  Referee Chris Tognoni halted the fight and called in a doctor to check Lima before disqualifying Severino.  The bite marks were clearly visible during Lima’s post-fight interview.  

“Those were two up-and-coming undefeated fighters,” UFC CEO Dana White told Kevin Iole. “If you get frustrated and want out of the fight, there are plenty of ways to do it, but the worst thing u can do is bite your opponent. Now, you get cut and lose the biggest opportunity of your life. Not to mention, he’s going to have real problems with the NSAC.”  

Back at UFC 47 in April 2004, heavyweight Wes Sims accused Mike Kyle of bitting him during their match.  During the post-fight press conference a bite mark was clearly visible on Sims’ chest.  That’s the only other time I can recall that a fighter has bitten another fighter inside the octagon.  

Of course, the most famous bite in combat sports came in June 1997 when Mike Tyson bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s ear at the MGM Grand Garden and was disqualified.  

Igor Severino biting Andre Lima at UFC Vegas 89 video

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Jake Paul sounds like he’s ready to stand and trade with Mike Tyson.

Over the course of a 20-year pro boxing career, Tyson earned a reputation as one of the most fearsome knockout artists in combat sports history, regularly decimating his opposition in seconds and turning them into highlight-reel fodder. On July 20 in Arlington, Texas, “Iron Mike” returns to the ring to face Paul in a bout that will be broadcast to millions live on Netflix.

Details are still to come as far as the exact rules that Paul and Tyson will be competing under, but both men appear to be serious about wanting to score a knockout. In Paul’s case, he wants to at least give Tyson the chance to be the first man to put him down for the count.

“I am biting off a lot,” Paul said on his BS w/ Jake Paul podcast. “This is definitely the toughest, most savage, lethal opponent regardless of age, because the power is the last thing to go. But the reaction and reception of it is insane. I almost can’t even believe it, so very surreal and very, very grateful for all of that. We’re going to see.

“I want to see how hard he hits. Mike, I really want to see, bro. Let’s see all the legends, the myths, because you’re Iron Mike Tyson, but I have an iron chin, people know that. I take shots. I think people are underestimating me being able to deal with his power, and that’s something that’s going to make it interesting.”

Paul, a YouTuber and social media influencer who has dedicated himself to boxing the past few years, is coming off of back-to-back first-round knockouts of Ryan Bourland and Andre August. He also holds wins over former UFC stars Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley, and Ben Askren and has rarely been hurt over the course of 10 pro bouts.

Is he nervous at all that Tyson could turn back the clock and unleash the beast?

“No, not at all,” Paul said. “I’m excited. I literally can’t wait to look across the ring and see him and give him a f****** death stare.”

Paul and Tyson have already had the opportunity to stand face to face and despite Tyson still having the potential to knock him out, Paul could only chuckle at the absurdity of the situation he’s found himself in.

“I just laughed,” Paul said. “I did the faceoff, and then I walked away and I just laughed to myself. I was like, ‘Ha! This is insane.’ On my screen, my eyeballs are the ones facing off against Mike Tyson, and I just couldn’t believe it. The fact that it’s on Netflix, I think that’s going to really revolutionize the game in boxing. I think streaming could eventually be a very bright future for the sport, and it’s just like a whole entertainment spectacle. Cowboys Stadium.

“I’ll probably still do pay-per-view, I don’t know. We’ll see, maybe this is what the fans are going to show out for.”

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Kayla Harrison, arguably the longtime face of the Professional Fighters League, is now in the UFC, and while PFL co-founder Donn Davis wishes she was still on the roster, the believes the promotion will be just fine without her.

Following Harrison’s win over Aspen Ladd at the PFL World Championships event this past November, Davis believed Harrison still had one fight left on her PFL deal, but then she ended up signing with the UFC and will face Holly Holm at UFC 300 on April 13. When asked what happened with the situation, Davis gave his honest response.

“I don’t know,” Davis said on The MMA Hour. “And I talked to Kayla, and I believe Kayla and I have a very good relationship, and I don’t know [what happened]. So I can only speculate and I don’t really like to speculate about things that are about other people.

“So one, I don’t know, and two, I’m disappointed. So I think – unlike Dana [White] when he talks about other fighters, tends to be negative if they leave, tends to be negative if they don’t do what UFC wants them to do – here, I’m disappointed. PFL, in six years, has never lost a fighter, and remember, in year one and year two and year three, PFL was not a strong company. We’re a new company, so there were many reasons for fighters to leave and they never did. Now, did we release up fighters? Yes. Did we upgrade fighters? Yes, because we were always getting better. Never had a fighter leave, so this is the first time in six years.

“And ironically, PFL had never been stronger and the matchups we had for Kayla Harrison, were better than the matchups she was going to get at UFC. She was going to fight Cris Cyborg, which I believe is the biggest fight available in the women’s division possible. It’s a legacy, career statement fight for her. [Then] Larisa Pacheco, who beat her fair and square. So Kayla’s, call it next two to three fights at PFL are harder than they are at UFC, are bigger than they are at UFC. So I don’t know. I really can’t explain her motivations for leaving, and I was disappointed.”

Harrison competed 16 times for the promotion — which was originally World Series of Fighting before transitioning to the PFL — along with one fight for Invicta, winning all but one — a decision loss to Pacheco at the PFL World Championships in November 2022. Additionally, it seemed that a fight with Cyborg with inevitable after the PFL absorbed Bellator this past November.

Unfortunately, that fight may never happen, and Davis admits that he is sad about that — or not having any fight involving Harrison in his promotion. But in the end, Davis feels the PFL will march forward without her with great success.

“That being said, because PFL has never been stronger – 80 fighters ranked in the top-25, 33 fighters ranked in the top-15 – we’re fine,” Davis explained. “It’s almost like when people post about UFC, they’re always fine if Connor’s not fighting this year or something like that. So our brand, our ratings, our financials, zero impact to Kayla not being here.

“But personally, I don’t like when any fighter leaves. So I wish she was here.”

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