Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka isn’t wasting time figuring out his next move after his brutal loss at UFC 327. Instead, he has already pointed in the direction of two big names, Magomed Ankalaev and Paulo Costa, for his Octagon return.
Prochazka suffered a shocking first-round knockout defeat to Carlos Ulberg, who managed to rally and finish the fight despite dealing with a compromised leg early in the contest. The result stunned fans, but it hasn’t slowed Prochazka down. He’s already targeting a comeback later this year.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Prochazka made it clear he wants meaningful opposition when he returns.
“Something around October… right now, Costa or Ankalaev,” Prochazka said when discussing his timeline and potential opponents.
Despite the setback, Prochazka still holds a strong position in the division rankings, sitting near the top of the light heavyweight ladder. A win in his next fight could quickly push him back into title contention.
The matchup options he mentioned aren’t random either. Both Magomed Ankalaev and Paulo Costa bring name value, striking power, and rankings relevance that make sense for a high-profile return.
Ankalaev, a former champion, has been out of action since a loss to Alex Pereira cost him the UFC light heavyweight title. Costa, on the other hand, just picked up a major win over Azamat Murzakanov and is building momentum as a fresh contender in the division.
With much of the top 10 already tied up—Pereira moving up, Jan Blachowicz injured, and Prochazka already having wins or losses against several contenders—Ankalaev and Costa stand out as the cleanest options for a fresh fight.
However, Ankalaev didn’t take long to respond to the callout, and he didn’t hold back.
“Jiri Prochazka got knocked out by a man with one leg and now he calls me out, after finding out I already have an opponent,” Ankalaev wrote.
“Carlos Ulberg is right, this guy is a pretender. He never wanted to really fight me and he’s the number one easy fight in the light heavyweight division.”
The comments add more fuel to a division already packed with tension, especially with Ulberg expected to miss several months due to injury after his title-winning performance.
While the UFC hasn’t confirmed Prochazka’s next opponent or the final schedule for the end of the year, there is growing speculation that a return in Abu Dhabi or Salt Lake City could be on the table.
