Jiri Prochazka followed up Khalil Rountree Jr.’s incredible knockout with some hilarious analysis in his post-fight press conference.
“I started believing in my defense. Hands up. Man, I didn’t understand that it worked!
As a reminder, this is a former UFC light heavyweight champion who admits that he doesn’t think having a high guard and using head movements is an effective form of defense in MMA.
Who am I to judge? Prochazka again finished the job with a stunning knockout over Rountree Jr. in the third and final round. It was the finish he desperately needed after losing the first two rounds of the fight on the judges’ scorecards.
Jiri Prochazka’s head movements
Jiri Prochazka showed some impressive head movement in the final round. Fighting in the pocket is where the Czech fighter excels, he has tremendous power in his hands, so he slips punches quickly, and even if he gets hit, he has a strong chin. It seems that he needs a fight to be at war in order to perform at his best.
Did Jiri Prochazka raise his hand?
Regarding Prochazka’s comment that his hands are up, I have not yet seen this from him due to the sustained period of the fight. Even in the final round, when he dominated Lonetree Jr., there was no high guard from the fighter. Prochazka’s jaw remained open for the counter many times and he habitually placed his hands on his hips.
It was the chaos he created and the relentless barrage of high-paced attacks that won the fight for him. Rountree Jr.’s gas tank looked depleted at this stage, while Prochazka looked like he was just getting started. A barrage of punches and elbows ultimately proved too much for the American to handle and he fell to the canvas, defeated and midway through the final round..