Jiri Prochazka survives an early storm to finish Alexander Rakic at UFC 300… as the former light heavyweight champion picks up his first win since losing the title

Jiri Prochazka completed a thrilling comeback to secure a second-round stoppage Alexander Rakic at UFC 300.

The two European light heavyweight contenders faced off in the featured prelim on Saturday’s star-studded event from Las Vegas.

In his first fight since dropping the title to Alex Pereira in November, Prochazka demonstrated his characteristic reckless abandon from the opening bell, walking the Austrian down towards the cage.

With Prochazka wading forward Rakic found his range early in the fight, peppering the Czech with a series of low kicks that forced him into adopting an unfamiliar southpaw stance.

Prochazka’s relentless pressure continued though, and he began finding more success towards the end of the first.

As the fighters returned for the second round, Prochazka’s forward momentum began to pay dividends and he dropped Rakic with a knee before raining down strikes and forcing referee Herb Dean to intervene.

Speaking following the fight the 31-year-old insisted Rakic’s pre-fight comments about his behaviour outside the cage had only served to motivate him in competition.

‘I have to say, he talks about me like I’m not a Samurai, it’s true but I’m just a man and we all need to be inspired by an idea or something.’ He said.

‘Him saying that pushed me more to prove I am living with these rules and I believe in myself, in my dreams and want to prove to everybody I can make the best performance of the night. 

‘I said it would be the perfect storm, it was not perfect but it was a storm!’