Jiri Prochazka: Jamahal Hill might have misdirected hostility thinking about Pereira at UFC 311

LOS ANGELES – If Jamahal Hill is counting his chickens, so to speak, his next opponent thinks he might regret it.

Hill, a former light heavyweight champion who never got to defend the belt because he had to vacate it with an injury, takes on Jiri Prochazka on Saturday at UFC 311 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.

Prochazka (30-5-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) was a champ, himself, who had to vacate the belt with an injury. But he thinks Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) might be talking about his recent loss to dominant champion Alex Pereira a little too much – and his goal to get another shot at him. After all, he has to get through Prochazka first.

“I will just say that it’s a big mistake (if he’s not focused on me),” Prochazka said at Wednesday’s media day for UFC 311. “When you are not focused on what’s right before you, and you’re looking for another opponent, it will cost you a lot. Who are you? It’s just about staying humble, staying focused on what’s before you.”

Prochazka submitted Glover Teixeira to win the title in June 2022, but later vacated it because of his injury. In January 2023, Hill beat Teixeira for the belt Prochazka vacated – only to later have to vacated it, himself.

Prochazka was knocked out by Pereira at UFC 295 for the belt vacated by Hill. He rebounded at UFC 300 with a knockout of Alexsandar Rakic, but was knocked out again by Pereira in a rematch at UFC 303. And in between those wins over Prochazka, Pereira also knocked out Hill at UFC 300.

“I don’t speak about other opponents, about who will be next,” Prochazka said. “Even if I said that I want to fight Alex Pereira a third time because I believe in myself, I believe in my style, in my changes of my style, changes in my personal lifestyle, everything – no. This is not the place right now. There is Jamahal Hill here this Saturday. I want to win, and I’m going to win this fight – and then we can talk about others.”

Check out Prochazka’s full interview in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.