Jiří Procházka doesn’t seem to think Jan Blachowicz’s title as “undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion” changes the fact that it’s still Jon Jones’s division.
Jon Jones’s status as the greatest light heavyweight of all time is hardly ever met with any resistance from historians of the sport, but he has not competed in the division since February of last year. Furthermore, he has been firm in his decision to officially move up to heavyweight, as made evident by his vacating of the light heavyweight title, public contract negotiations for a heavyweight title fight, and his major bulking-up efforts.
The light heavyweight title vacancy has been filled ever since September of last year by Jan Blachowicz, who also already turned in a successful title defense by fending off middleweight invader Israel Adesanya. Still, despite occupying the light heavyweight throne while demonstrating the division’s current supremacy over middleweights, Jan Blachowicz is still not considered the true light heavyweight king by at least one top contender of the division, #2-ranked Jiří Procházka (transcribed by Jed Meshew of MMA Fighting).
“He’s the king of the light heavyweight division,” Procházka told RT Sport. “I think he would be the greatest opponent of the light heavyweight division for me. But he’s now in heavyweight, so what now? So yeah, I’m a little bit, not sorry, I’m not sorry for that, but I think when he will be in light heavyweight that will be more dangerous for everybody.”
As we know, Jon Jones is not on the radar for any light heavyweights at the moment and perhaps never will be again, so Procházka is already entertaining the ideas of other opponents, with reigning champion Jan Blachowicz at the top of the list.
“I’m looking for the toughest fighters,” Procházka said. “The toughest fighters, the first one was Volkan (Oezdemir) and I think he is great but there is a better opponent before him. Dominick was one of the greatest opponents in the light heavyweight division, I think. His style is very unique and very dangerous. And the next one I think, now, is Blachowicz. That’s what I’m looking for now.”
Jan Blachowicz has already expressed interest in fighting Procházka as well. But maybe after hearing Procházka proclaim Jon Jones as the light heavyweight king, Blachowicz will retract his interest and hit Procházka with the, “Why don’t you go fight the ‘real’ king?”
Do you agree with Jiří Procházka? Is Jon Jones the true light heavyweight king?
