Dominick Reyes returns to the Octagon against Jiri Prochazka on May 1st

By Adam Martin - February 11, 2021

UFC light heavyweight Dominick Reyes returns to the Octagon against Jiri Prochazka on May 1st, in a fight originally booked for February.

Dominick Reyes

The UFC originally intended on Reyes vs. Prochazka headlining the Fight Night card planned for February 27, but the fight was scratched and replaced by a new main event featuring heavyweights Ciryl Gane and Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Fortunately, Reyes vs. Prochazka has been quickly salvaged and re-booked for just two months later. It now takes place on May 1. Prochazka’s management team at Paradigm Sports was the first to reveal the new fight announcement. The fight will serve as the five-round main event.

It’s official. Jiri Prochazka ( @jiri_bjp ) will face Dominick Reyes in a light heavyweight bout on May 1. #GP

This is a phenomenal fight between two of the top light heavyweight contenders in the UFC. Reyes is ranked No. 3 overall while Prochazka is No. 5, so the winner of this matchup will certainly be in the conversation to get a title shot later this year. Right now, Reyes and Prochazka are chasing No 1. contender Glover Teixeira, who himself is chasing the winner of the UFC 259 main event between UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz and Israel Adesanya.

Reyes (12-2) won the first 12 fights of his MMA career, including six-straight wins in the UFC, before losing a controversial unanimous decision to Jon Jones in his bid for the title back at UFC 247. After Jones retired and vacated the title, Reyes fought Blachowicz for the vacant title and was finished. Still, losing to Jones and Blachowicz is respectable, and what Reyes did before that in the Octagon was very impressive. That being said, he definitely needs a win here.

Prochazka (27-3-1) had an impressive UFC debut last year when he finished Volkan Oezdemir with punches at UFC 251. Just 28 years old, Prochazka is riding an 11-fight win streak into this bout. The Czech Republic native also has notable career wins over UFC veterans CB Dollaway and Fabio Maldonado. He has won his last nine fights in a row by way of knockout.

Who do you think wins this upcoming light heavyweight matchup between Dominick Reyes and Jiri Prochazka?

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Topics:

dominick reyes Jiri Prochazka UFC