Jiri Prochazka. Photo via Instagram (@jirkaprochazka)
Former UFC champion Jiri Prochazka has vacated the 205 title due to an serious shoulder injury that forced him to pull out of his upcoming fight against Glover Teixiera.
In a recent statement on Instagram, Prochazka explained his feelings on vacating his light heavyweight title.
“I am very disappointed to announce that I will not be defending my belt at @ufc 282. I was injured in training in Las Vegas while finishing my preparation for my title defense in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. I injured my shoulder and surgery is required which will put me out of action for at least 6 months.
Knowing this information, I have decided, after consulting with UFC management, that due to this time constraint, I will not hold light heavyweight division and will vacate the title. I will go for the UFC belt as soon as the doctors give me the green light to fight. I’m going to go for the belt and I’m going to get it no matter who currently holds it. It’s always been the most important thing for me to put on the best performance and compare myself to the best. Let the best show no matter who’s there now.
I’ll be back in six months and I’ll take the title whoever holds it. I apologize to my fans, friends, family who bought tickets and made plans to come to Las Vegas to support me, it means a lot to me. I also want to apologize to Glover. Victory,” Prochazka wrote.
UFC president Dana White praised Prochazka for the decision to vacate the title, calling him “one of the classiest humans of all time”.
“He is such a warrior and was so bummed out. He brought up stepping aside to us before we ever got there. He’s going to be out a long time and at some point, we would probably have had to strip him. But he brought it up to us and said out of respect for the other fighters, he didn’t want to hold up the division. Let me tell you, that kid’s a stud, man, to react like that,” White said.