issue 220

August 2025

Here’s a throwback to the night Jiri Procházka ushered out the old guard during five blood-soaked rounds against Glover Teixeira. His opponent was an all-time great in his own right, who used his elbows to good effect and split open Jiri, but that didn’t dim his samurai mentality. With just 28 seconds left on the clock, Jiri pulled what many believed was unthinkable: a rear-naked choke on the veteran opponent. It was one of the first taps that Teixeira had ever done in his career, and although Jiri called it a “horrible performance,” it only reflects his standards and still won him Fight Of The Night. The post-fight image of him standing with his hair tied high like a medieval warrior remains one of MMA’s iconic snapshots, and that all started with this blow. Since then, only Alex Pereira has been able to stop him in the UFC. As Prochazka gears up for another bout, fans can only hope for the samurai knot’s return. Usually, when it is there in all its glory, history follows.  

Date: June 12, 2022

Location: UFC 275, Singapore Indoor Stadium, Kallang, Singapore