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Ultimate Fighting Championship
Martial ArtsMixed Martial Arts

UFC: Jiri Prochazka warns Israel Adesanya of dangers at light heavyweight – ‘he must be careful’

  • Middleweight champ moves up a division to challenge light heavyweight king Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 on March 6
  • No 5-ranked Prochazka has no qualms with ‘Stylebender’ jumping the queue for title shot and dreams of future clash

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Why you can trust SCMP
Israel Adesanya poses on the scale during the UFC 253 weigh-in on September 25, 2020 at Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
John Hyon Ko

Jiri Prochazka has a friendly warning for Israel Adesanya.

The date has been set for UFC middleweight champ Adesanya (20-0) to move up a division and challenge Jan Blachowicz (27-8) for the light heavyweight title at UFC 259 on March 6, setting the stage for the Nigerian-Kiwi to earn legend status by becoming only the fifth individual to hold two titles simultaneously for the organisation.

But No 5-ranked light heavyweight Prochazka (27-3-1) of the Czech Republic points to one glaring factor that could be the difference-maker.

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“[Adesanya] must be much more careful because in our division the punches are more dangerous than in the 84 kilograms, in the middleweight,” the former Rizin champ told SCMP MMA.

There are many who are likely perplexed the middleweight champ is skipping the queue at 205 pounds and instantly challenging for the title, yet the 28-year-old Prochazka has no qualms.

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