Oct 4, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, UNITED STATES; Jiri Prochazka (red gloves) reacts after the fight against Khalil Rountree Jr (blue gloves) during UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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Jiri Prochazka To Make Middleweight? ‘BJP’ Is Confident In His Ability To Cut To 185 lbs; But Wants To Do This One Thing At 205 First!

Weight cutting is one of the most brutal aspects of MMA. Fighters drain their bodies to dangerous levels just to gain competitive advantages. Some handle it better than others, and then there are fighters who compete comfortably at their natural weight. Jiri Prochazka has always been one of those light heavyweights who seems to fit perfectly at 205 pounds. The former champion walks around between 215 and 220 pounds, which isn’t massive for the division.

That reasonable weight range has led to some interesting speculation about whether ‘BJP’ could drop down a weight class. Most fighters struggle moving down after years at a higher weight, but Prochazka recently surprised everyone with his thoughts.

Jiri Prochazka Reveals His Confidence In Making The Middleweight Limit

Speaking with Patrick McCory, Jiri Prochazka made his move to UFC middleweight became a real possibility when the Czech fighter admitted he’s confident in his ability to cut to 185 pounds.

“For me to cut to [205-pounds], is not a problem. I think to middleweight, would be really something. I’m confident I can make it with my body because I know my body. So, I believe I can make it.”

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He explained that he knows his body well enough to believe he can make the cut successfully. That’s a bold statement from someone who’s never competed at middleweight in the UFC. However, Prochazka isn’t rushing into anything. He made it crystal clear that this wasn’t his first priority and he wants to do something else first.

Prochazka Wants The Title Back Before Exploring New Challenges

Jiri Prochazka’s (32-5-1) recent career trajectory has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. He became light heavyweight champion, then suffered two consecutive losses to Alex Pereira in title fights. But ‘BJP’ bounced back impressively with two massive wins. He earned a third-round TKO over former champion Jamahal Hill at UFC 311, then followed that with a dramatic comeback finish against Khalil Rountree.

Those wins put him right back in the light heavyweight title picture. And before his move to middleweight, he wants to capture the light heavyweight belt again.

“I first really want to bring the light heavyweight title back to Czechia.”

That’s where his head is right now. He is not daydreaming about middleweight glory but focusing on unfinished business at 205 pounds. The middleweight talk is interesting and genuine, but it’s clearly plan B rather than plan A. Prochazka wants to prove he belongs at the top of light heavyweight before seeking new mountains to climb.

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Jiri Prochazka

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!