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Rizin FF light heavyweight champ Jiri Prochazka has signed with the UFC for a debut to be determined.
A Rizin official with knowledge of the signing confirmed the news to MMA Fighting after an initial report by ESPN.com. Prochazka’s manager, Martin Karaivanov, tweeted a picture of the fighter signing a contract on Wednesday afternoon.
Prochazka, 27, is less than one month removed from a highlight-reel knockout of UFC veteran C.B. Dolloway at Rizin FF 20, which took place Dec. 31 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
Literal and figurative kicks cannot save C.B. Dollaway, as Jiří Procházka (26-3-1) clatters the 20-bout UFC vet to keep his light heavyweight strap. The Slavic samurai rides a 10-fight tear with eight straight knockouts. He owns 25 finishes, 23 in round one. #RIZIN20 #RIZINFF pic.twitter.com/bu4vz7FzGf
— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) December 31, 2019
The win prompted Dolloway’s longtime teammate, Ryan Bader, to issue a callout; the two were briefly linked to a meeting at the New Year’s Eve show before Bader bowed out, citing an inability to come to terms on a deal.
Under the Rizin banner, Prochazka built an impressive winning streak, winning 11 of 12 bouts with all but one earned via stoppage.
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