UFC light heavyweight Jiri Prochazka has issued a statement regarding the shoulder injury that has forced him to relinquish his championship.
On Wednesday, it was first reported by Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports that the main event between Prochazka and Glover Teixeira was off the UFC 282 card on December 10th with Prochazka vacating the title due to a serious shoulder injury.
UFC issued a statement confirming the news and moving the scheduled fight between Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz to the main event slot to compete for the vacant 205-pound championship as Teixeira was left the odd man out. The statement added that Prochazka will fight for the title when he returns.
Just spoke to Glover and Jiri’s team. Here’s the full story on UFC 282, live from my car. pic.twitter.com/okx1yH2B0r
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 23, 2022
In further reporting from Ariel Helwani, he stated that Teixeira was offered the spot to fight Ankalaev for the vacant title on December 10th but the former champion wanted more time to prepare for the new opponent. Teixeira suggested either fighting Blachowicz on December 10th or Ankalaev in January on the pay-per-view card in Brazil. According to Teixeira, UFC balked at both options stating they needed a main event for December 10th and wanted Ankalaev in the fight.
Prochazka issued a statement on Instagram regarding the situation:
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 lightheavyweight 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 lightheavyweight 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!
UFC 282 will take place from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on December 10th with the new main event between former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev.
