Jiri Prochazka arguably authored the biggest comeback of 2025.
Just don’t tell him that.
On Tuesday, the former UFC light heavyweight champion responded to the UFC awarding him comeback of the year, posting a replay of his incredible third-round knockout of Khalil Rountree from this past October. Rountree appeared to be in control of the UFC 320 main card bout through two rounds, but succumbed to Prochazka’s strikes in Round 3.
Now, Prochazka is making it clear he doesn’t consider his win to be a comeback and that it was actually he, not Rountree, who was dictating the majority of the action.
See Prochazka’s post below.
“It was not comeback,” Prochazka wrote on Twitter. “I watched that two days back, and here is my result. I controlled my opponent all the fight. Even if he was many time successful with his techniques, I controlled distance, rhythm and precision of hits. Now is time to make a step up and show it.”
Though Prochazka went on to win the fight—and then double up on $50,000 bonuses with Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night awards—in the moment, he was down on the judges’ scorecards. All three had Rountree up 20-18 heading into the final round.
Prochazka, who has recorded 28 of 32 wins by knockout, was uncharacteristically ineffective in the standup against a well-prepared Rountree. However, according to Prochazka, this was all part of the plan and based on the end result, it’s hard to argue with him.
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