TLDR
- Prochazka claims he performed at only 40-50% capacity after Ulberg injured his knee at UFC 327
- The former champion says mercy took over and he was ‘just sparring’ instead of finishing the fight
- Ulberg knocked out Prochazka with a counter left hook at 3:45 of the first round
- Prochazka calls pulling back ‘one of my biggest mistakes’ and has lost three straight UFC title fights
- The Czech fighter expects to begin negotiations for his next bout within a month
Sources: Bloody Elbow | MMA News | MMA Junkie | Sherdog
Jiri Prochazka says he dropped to 40-50% of his performance level the moment he realized Carlos Ulberg had blown out his knee at UFC 327. The former UFC light heavyweight champion lost his chance at reclaiming the vacant title when Ulberg knocked him out in the first round on April 11 in Miami.
Prochazka now admits that mercy took over once he saw his opponent was hurt. He says he was waiting for the referee to stop the fight instead of pressing forward.
“From the moment the injury happened to Ulberg, I wasn’t at 100 percent anymore,” Prochazka said. “I was at maybe 40-50% of my performance, and I was just sparring and waiting for the referee to stop the fight at any moment.”
Prochazka had been dominating early in the fight. He battered Ulberg’s lead leg with low kicks and watched the New Zealander stumble around the cage.
But instead of finishing the fight, Prochazka visibly pulled back on his offense. Ulberg steadied himself against the fence, timed a counter left hook, and swarmed with ground strikes to secure the knockout at 3:45 of the opening round.
🚨Jiri Prochazka says he believes he will fight for the title before Carlos Ulberg returns from his injury
“I was just sparring and waiting for the referee to stop the fight at any moment…”
“It was a big mistake, maybe one of the my biggest.” pic.twitter.com/9sFSvuYDj6
— Combat Casuals (@Combat_Casuals) April 21, 2026
Prochazka Calls It His Biggest Mistake
The Czech fighter now says easing up was a major error. “It was a big mistake, maybe one of my biggest,” Prochazka said in his recent comments.
The admission lines up with what viewers saw during the broadcast. After Ulberg’s injury became visible, Prochazka appeared hesitant to continue attacking despite having his opponent in serious trouble.
Prochazka is now addressing critics who questioned his effort during the fight. He stands by his explanation that the injury disrupted his focus and caused his performance to drop dramatically.
The loss extends a difficult stretch for Prochazka in title fights. He has now lost three straight UFC championship bouts.
Before the Ulberg defeat, Prochazka lost back-to-back title fights to Alex Pereira. The UFC 327 bout offered him a chance to reclaim the belt with the title vacant, but he came up short again.
Return Timeline Taking Shape
Despite the losing streak, Prochazka is already planning his comeback. He told reporters he expects to be back in negotiations for his next fight within a month.
Ulberg, meanwhile, faces a potentially lengthy recovery from the knee injury. The blown-out knee nearly cost him the belt but he managed to secure the finish before the damage forced a stoppage.
Prochazka has not specified who he wants to fight next or what timeline he is targeting. He said discussions about his next bout should begin within the next month.
The former champion’s comments provide insight into what happened during one of the more unusual knockouts in recent UFC history. A fighter who appeared to be winning handily lost after pulling back out of concern for his opponent’s injury.
Prochazka said he expects to return to title talks despite the current three-fight skid in championship bouts.
