It's official. Jiri Prochazka (@jiri_bjp) will face Dominick Reyes in a light heavyweight bout on May 1. #GP pic.twitter.com/uOWlzifsaG
— Paradigm Sports (@ParadigmSports) February 11, 2021
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Paradigm Sports, the management team of Jiri Prochazka (27-3-1), announced on Thursday that his battle with Dominick Reyes (12-2) has been re-booked on the May 1 UFC Fight Night event. The two were initially set to headline UFC Fight Night 186 on Feb. 27, but Reyes suffered an undisclosed injury that forced him out of the matchup. It is currently unclear if the light heavyweights will be placed in the main event of this May 1 card.
Prochazka made a spectacular first impression by shutting Volkan Oezdemir’s lights out in July 2020 in the second round. The only light heavyweight king in Rizin Fighting Federation history, Prochazka captured the throne in a rematch with Muhammad Lawal at Rizin 15 in 2019. “Denisa” still holds the records for the most wins (11), most finishes (10), most knockouts (nine) and is tied for the most appearances in Rizin history (12, with two other fighters). Prochazka sports a sky-high stoppage rate of 96 percent, while going the distance just twice in his career.
Reyes began his career with 12 consecutive wins, including six victories inside the Octagon over names like Oezdemir, Chris Weidman and Ovince St. Preux on his way up. A clash with Jon Jones at UFC 247 in 2020, where many scoring the bout awarded the win to Reyes, ended up as the first career setback for “The Devastator.” The Californian attempted to rebound months later against Jan Blachowicz for the vacant light heavyweight crown, but he ended up getting knocked out. Like his opponent, Reyes sports a solid finish rate – his sits at 75 percent.
The UFC Fight Night event on May 1 does not officially have a location, although it is expected to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas barring an improvement with the coronavirus pandemic on a global level. Other matchups on the card include a featherweight scrap between Cub Swanson and Gavin Tucker, and another at 145 pounds as T.J. Laramie faces Damon Jackson.