Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Jiří Procházka is producing a great example for other fighters when it comes to how not to handle a defeat.
Just over two years on from his memorable crowning in Singapore at the expense of Glover Teixeira, Procházka looked to regain the light heavyweight crown in the main event of UFC 303 this past weekend.
In what marked his second attempt at achieving two-time champ status opposite Alex Pereira, “BJP” once again fell short. While their first showdown at Madison Square Garden last year had some controversy owing to cries of early stoppage, there was no doubt about “Poatan’s” superiority on June 29.
In the aftermath of his sophomore setback to the Brazilian knockout artist, Procházka released his first statement in the form of a video on his social accounts. In it, the Czech star gave an honest assessment of his defeat in Las Vegas, admitting that he either has to “evolve” or not return to the Octagon.
While some have praised that mindset, one former fighter was not impressed…
Sonnen Questions Procházka’s Focus On ‘Outcome,’ Not ‘Performance’
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen looked back on Procházka’s performance in Las Vegas and assessed his first post-fight statement on social media.
“The Bad Guy” pointed to the former champ’s statement regarding the need to evolve, suggesting that usually leads to changes such as a team switch, which in turn signals the “beginning of the end” for a fighter.
In simple terms, Sonnen described “BJP’s” remarks as the defeated light heavyweight “being a baby.”
“Jiří Procházka, already talking to the fans, already doing some weird Jiří stuff, and I don’t know, man, being a baby. I don’t know,” Sonnen said. “I turned this camera on, I wanted to make a nice piece about Jiří. I haven’t met him but I appreciate him. And I recognize the incredible grit to that guy. I mean, a real tough guy. … He is not going to give up. He says he’s got to either evolve or he’s got to quit. It’s just a very interesting statement.
“I do understand what Jiří’s saying…he’s talking about, you know, ‘I’m not going to settle in. I’m here to be champion, and I don’t have the skills and tools needed right now to deal with this threat,’ which is Pereira. … That’s a very dangerous game. In theory, that is absolutely right…it’s just an interesting game in practice,” Sonnen continued. “When you attempt to evolve, the first thing that traditionally happens is you leave your current situation. … It’s generally the beginning of the end. … You can’t, when you lose a contest, decide that that’s the time you’ve got to change things. You can’t be outcome-based. It’s a huge mistake. Champions don’t make it but the top contenders do. If you are outcome-based as opposed to performance-based, you’re really missing the number one philosophy that you need to be successful.”
It remains to be seen when Procházka will look to get back into the cage following his latest setback to Pereira, or even if.
Should he take time away and return once again in pursuit of two-time champ status, however, it stands to reason that the Czech star will do so looking to show new wrinkles and improvements to his game.
