It’s official. Jiri Prochazka (@jiri_bjp)
will face Dominick Reyes in a light heavyweight bout on May 1.
#GP
pic.twitter.com/uOWlzifsaG— Paradigm Sports (@ParadigmSports)
February 11, 2021
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. A major light heavyweight bout scratched from an upcoming
card has been pushed back to May. Paradigm Sports, the management team of Jiri
Prochazka (27-3-1), announced
on Thursday that his battle with Dominick
Reyes (12-2) has been re-booked on the May 1
UFC Fight Night event. The two were
initially set to headline UFC Fight Night 186 on Feb. 27, but
Reyes suffered an undisclosed injury that forced him out of the
matchup. It is currently unclear if the light heavyweights will be
placed in the main event of this May 1 card.
Prochazka made a spectacular first impression by shutting Volkan
Oezdemir’s lights out in July 2020 in the second round. The
only light heavyweight king in Rizin Fighting Federation history, Prochazka
captured the throne in a rematch with Muhammad Lawal at Rizin 15 in
2019. “Denisa” still
holds the records for the most wins (11), most finishes (10),
most knockouts (nine) and is tied for the most appearances in Rizin
history (12, with two other fighters). Prochazka sports a sky-high
stoppage rate of 96 percent, while going the distance just twice in
his career.
Reyes began his career with 12 consecutive wins, including six
victories inside the Octagon over names like Oezdemir, Chris
Weidman and Ovince St.
Preux on his way up. A clash with Jon Jones at
UFC 247 in 2020, where
many scoring the bout awarded the win to Reyes, ended up as the
first career setback for “The Devastator.” The Californian
attempted to rebound months later against Jan
Blachowicz for the vacant light heavyweight crown, but he ended
up getting knocked out. Like his opponent, Reyes sports a solid
finish rate – his sits at 75 percent.
The UFC Fight Night event on May 1 does not officially have a
location, although it is expected to take place at the UFC Apex in
Las Vegas barring an improvement with the coronavirus pandemic on a
global level. Other matchups on the card include a featherweight
scrap between Cub Swanson
and Gavin
Tucker, and another at 145 pounds as T.J. Laramie
faces Damon
Jackson.
