Aleksandar Rakic is confident about his upcoming UFC 300 fight with Jiri Prochazka, despite Prochazka’s unorthodox style, and believes a good performance could put him in the title picture.
Aleksandar Rakic ain’t sweating Jiri Prochazka’s unconventional fighting style. Not one bit.
The upcoming April 13 clash at UFC 300? It’s pegged as a striker’s paradise. Rakic and Prochazka, both known for their standup game, are set to go head-to-head. Rakic’s had ample time to study Prochazka, the former light heavyweight champ. He’s been out of the game since May 2022 due to a nasty knee injury from a fight with Jan Blachowicz.
And Rakic? He’s confident he can take Prochazka’s spot in the contender’s line.
“Jiri’s been dropped in almost every UFC fight,” Rakic pointed out on The MMA Hour. His chin isn’t necessarily weak, but he takes punches differently. Rakic was taken aback by Prochazka’s takedown against Pereira. It was well-executed, but it’s one of his weaknesses. He’s almost always losing, but the good thing? He always comes back and finishes strong.
“I just gotta stay sharp and focused with him,” Rakic added.
Prochazka’s first UFC loss was at UFC 295 last November. He was TKO’d by the formidable Alex Pereira in a vacant light heavyweight title fight. It wasn’t his first time being stung by a striker, but he’d previously managed to win back-and-forth battles with Glover Teixeira, Dominick Reyes, and Volkan Oezdemir. He didn’t get a chance to bounce back against “Poatan,” though.
Rakic? He’s just had his second UFC loss. Neither of his octagon losses were decisive, though. He lost a controversial split decision against Oezdemir in December 2019. And against Blachowicz, the fight ended prematurely when Rakic tore his ACL in the third round.
Rakic was supposed to have a rematch with Blachowicz at UFC 297. But Blachowicz pulled out due to shoulder surgery, and Rakic was moved to UFC 300 to face Prochazka.
“Ask me, I want to close the chapter with Jan,” Rakic said. “But I don’t feel like I lost to Jan because he was better. I lost because I injured myself. I beat myself. So, this fight isn’t about revenge. It’s just a regular fight.”
“But for the fans, it’s more exciting to fight Jiri Prochazka. He’s from the Czech Republic, I’m from Austria. We’re close, both European, both young. He’s got an exciting style, and I’d love to test myself against a former champ like him.”
Rakic is stepping back into a light heavyweight title picture filled with uncertainties. Pereira hasn’t scheduled his first title defense yet. Top contenders Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker are having a rematch after their first fight ended in a no-contest. Former champ Jamahal Hill is still recovering from an Achilles injury. Khalil Rountree Jr. is also a possible title challenger.
Depending on his performance in his comeback fight, Rakic believes he could be next in line for the title.
“If I beat Jiri well, with a good performance, I’ll be in the title picture straightaway,” Rakic said. “I don’t know how long Pereira’s recovery will take, or what’s going to happen with the winner of Ankalaev-Walker. But if I beat Jiri well, I’ll be right in the mix.”