Jiri Prochazka says ‘deal' in place around Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev rematch
At UFC 320 in Las Vegas, Pereira will aim to reclaim the title from Ankalaev, having lost it to the Russian with a decision defeat in March.
But should either fighter fail to make it to the main event, Prochazka will step in – potentially for a trilogy bout with Pereira, who twice beat the Czech in title fights.
Prochazka is scheduled to face Khalil Rountree Jr, another former foe of Pereira, on the undercard at UFC 320, but the former champion could see himself elevated to the headline fight if needed.
'Yeah, that's right, yeah,' Prochazka, 32, told journalist Ariel Helwani on Monday (28 July). 'That was the deal with UFC.'
He also added that the winner of his fight with Rountree will be next in line for a title shot, saying: 'Yes, yeah. It's not yet on paper, but we are right now... That was their word, so.'
Given Prochazka and Rountree's respective histories with Pereira, a fight between either man and Ankalaev would mark a fresher match-up atop the 205lb division.
Prochazka first faced Pereira in November 2023, fighting the Brazilian for the vacant title, which the latter won with a second-round TKO. In their rematch last June, 38-year-old Pereira achieved the same result in the same round, retaining the title.
That preceded a fourth-round TKO of Rountree in October, as Pereira overcame a slow start to record a third straight retention of his title. He then lost the belt to Ankalaev, 33, via unanimous decision in March.
Prochazka and Rountree will each enter their clash at UFC 320 on the back of a stoppage win over Jamahal Hill. Prochazka beat the former champion in January, before American Rountree, 35, did the same in June.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Riley Gaines slams 'corrupt' investigation into claims trans volleyball player was part of plan to harm teammate
Riley Gaines has fumed over what she believes was a 'corrupt' investigation into claims that transgender volleyball player Blaire Fleming conspired with an opponent to harm one of her San Jose State University teammates. Fleming, who is a biological male, was at the center of fierce controversy last year after multiple schools refused to play volleyball against SJSU's women's team due to their inclusion on the roster. A host of players from colleges in the same conference as the Spartans filed a lawsuit seeking to block the redshirt senior from the 2024 Mountain West tournament, before some of their teammates even hopped on board, albeit unsuccessfully. Following several forfeits from rival teams, Blaire and SJSU made it all the way to the final in their senior year, where they were beaten by Colorado State. Amid the outrage over their inclusion, Fleming was hit with shocking allegations from fellow SJSU star Brooke Slusser, who alleged last November that they conspired with a rival player to purposely spike the ball in her face during a game. Slusser alleged in a lawsuit that was signed by 10 other women's college volleyball players past and present that Fleming and other teammates snuck out of their hotel the night before an October 3 game against Colorado State and met with an opposing player. The lawsuit claimed a teammate who snuck out with Fleming later told players and coaches of their alleged plan with Colorado State player Malaya Jones to have Slusser spiked in the face during a match. The players who were with Fleming also claimed they saw their teammate hand over an SJSU scouting report with an agreement to throw the match in Colorado State's favor. In November, the Mountain West Conference launched a probe into the allegations before concluding 'sufficient evidence' could not be found. However, Slusser now claims one of her ex-teammates made investigators aware of what they allegedly saw on the night. 'Based on what I was told, exactly what one of my teammates had seen go on that night — about talking about the scouting report and leaving the net open — was told to those lawyers. So, that should have been sufficient evidence [of the alleged plan by Fleming],' Slusser told Fox News Digital while calling for the investigation to be reopened. 'People are telling you this happened, and it's not second-hand information. She sat there and heard the conversation between Blaire and Malaya. So, to me, just from what I know without even having to dig deep into this investigation, there is sufficient evidence, and they were told sufficient evidence.' Gaines, a former college swimmer and conservative activist who has been at the forefront of the campaign to keep biological males out of women's sports, took to social media on Thursday to brand the investigation 'corrupt'. 'A SJSU women's volleyball player says her male teammate colluded with their opponent to spike her in the face in a match. The investigation was cleared in 3 days by the SAME firm that defended the male's eligibility. Beyond corrupt,' Gaines posted on X. Fox News Digital also interviewed SJSU athletic director Jeff Konya about Slusser's claims, only to allegedly stand up and walk away five minutes in while saying: 'I'm done.' Konya was reportedly played a clip of the allegations against Fleming, before he said about Slusser: 'I have no idea if she's telling the truth or not.' The trans athlete has now left college following their redshirt senior year with the Spartans When asked if he could confirm or deny whether any of the witnesses corroborated Slusser's story, he claimed: 'I have no idea.' Konya was then quizzed on whether he was satisfied with the way the investigation was handled, before he claimed: 'Yeah, I believe it was done professionally.' Slusser, who suffered a concussion in 2023 and looked to avoid hits to the head out of fear of brain damage, was never hit in the face during the October 3 game against Colorado State, yet she recalled moments that made her suspicious before she even knew about Fleming's alleged plot. 'There was a lot of court open, more than usual, when it came to where I was supposed to be playing defense,' she said. 'After finding out that it was [allegedly] purposeful, that the block wasn't there, I was enraged, because it could take one more slam to my head, and I could be done with volleyball forever.' Slusser also alleged in the lawsuit that the night before the game one of her teammates approached her with a warning after receiving a text message telling them to stay away from her as it 'wasn't going to be a good situation' for her on the court. It is unclear whether the warning was linked to Fleming's alleged plan to have the ball spiked in her face.
Reuters
24 minutes ago
- Reuters
Rangers trade for Twins LHP Danny Coulombe
July 31 - The Texas Rangers acquired left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe from the Twins on Thursday as Minnesota continued its trade-deadline fire sale. Texas dealt left-handed pitching prospect Garrett Horn to Minnesota to complete the trade. Coulombe, 35, returned to the Twins after previously pitching for them in 2020-22 and has enjoyed a career year. He has gone 1-0 with two saves and a career-best 1.16 ERA through 40 appearances, including one start as an opener. In 11 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2014-15), Oakland Athletics (2015-18), Twins and Baltimore Orioles (2023-24), Coulombe has gone 16-9 with five saves and a 3.28 ERA in 328 career games (two starts). He's fanned 300 batters in 304 2/3 innings. Horn, 22, was a 2024 sixth-round draft pick by Texas and has split this season between Rookie ball and Class-A. He is 0-3 with a 2.92 ERA in nine starts. --Field Level Media
Sky News
24 minutes ago
- Sky News
Hulk Hogan died of heart attack, says medical examiner
The legendary WWE wrestler Hulk Hogan, who passed away last week in Florida, died of a heart attack, according to a Florida medical examiner's report. Hogan, 71, was pronounced dead in hospital less than 90 minutes after medics arrived at his home in Clearwater, Florida, in response to a call about a "cardiac arrest". The report released on Thursday noted his death was from a "natural" cause and formally listed as "acute myocardial infarction", a technical term for a heart attack. In his honour, Florida governor Ron DeSantis said flags will be flown at half-staff at all official buildings on Friday, which he declared "Hulk Hogan Day in Florida". The pro wrestling icon, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, previously had leukaemia and atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, the report from the District Six Medical Examiner added. Hogan was perhaps the biggest star in WWE's long history. He was known for both his larger-than-life personality, including ripping shirts, not just in the ring but also at the Republican National Convention. Hogan was the main draw for the first-ever WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years in its signature event. 0:33 He faced everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon. He claimed his first WWE world championship by defeating the Iron Sheik in 1984. Hogan went on to win five more world championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 by Sylvester Stallone. He appeared in numerous movies and television shows, including his own reality series, and in 2024 endorsed Donald Trump's presidential bid. His death prompted the US president to pay tribute in a Truth Social post, writing that the "Hulkster" was "strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart". Among the world of wrestling, WWE icon The Undertaker wrote on X that "the wrestling world has lost a true legend", while former WWE wrestler Triple H said Hogan was "the archetype of what it meant to be a 'Superstar' - a global sensation that inspired millions". Hogan was married three times and had two children. His wife Sky Daily posted on Instagram that Hogan "had been dealing with some health issues, but I truly believed we would overcome them".
