Prochazka unbothered by Hill’s trash talk ahead of UFC 311

Jiri Prochazka is not being drawn into any trash talk with Jamahal Hill ahead of the pair’s fight at UFC 311 in Los Angeles on January 18.

Both lost to Alex Pereira in their most recent fights, but Hill is claiming that Prochazka’s defeat was far more comprehensive than his own, saying the Czech was “completely shut down, completely exposed”.

The American has a track record of provoking his opponents in the build-up to fights, recently sparking the ire of Pereira himself at the UFC Performance Institute after he confronted the Brazilian before UFC 310.

“I don’t care what he’s saying because it’s not just primarily about me, it just shows what is in his head,” said Prochazka, who is a -125 favourite at Bovada heading into their bout.

“He’s an opponent who I wanted before.

“He had a lot of things to say about me and my style, my everything, whatever.

“He knows just my fighting style and in that, he’s totally out with his commentary.

“So that’s why I don’t care about these trash talks.”

Prochazka and Hill are second and third, respectively, in the UFC rankings for the light heavyweight division, but both will face challenging paths to reach the pinnacle of the sport.

Each was comprehensively beaten by champion Pereira in their clashes, with Hill knocked out in the first round and Prochazka finished in the second.

However, Prochazka is confident that UFC bookies are correct in their forecast of the fight, saying that Hill’s words have revealed his weak mindset.

“He’s just showing that about himself because, lots of talking, lots of talking,” he said.

“The man is not here in this world to speak about others, but to do the right things.

“When the man wants to fight, when a warrior wants to fight, he will fight.

“That’s all. No talk, no doing bullshit, some stupid things. Do it. That’s all.

“Do you know how the true confident man, a real man [looks] like? He don’t know.

“He don’t need to say some shit about others, to speak about his strong sides and about the weaknesses in his opponent because he’s self-confident too much to not do that.

“That’s, for me, the true power of the man.”

Sports news