Teixeira challenges Prochazka to rematch, but new champ wants Blachowicz
Glover Teixeira wants to run it back.
After losing the UFC light heavyweight title to Jiri Prochazka by fifth-round submission Saturday, Teixeira expressed interest in an immediate rematch:
Rematch?? @jiri_bjp @danawhite @ufc
— glover teixeira (@gloverteixeira) June 12, 2022
However, Prochazka said after his win he plans to make his first title defense against Jan Blachowicz, another former champion. Blachowicz lost the title to Teixeira last October but rebounded with a TKO victory over Aleksandar Rakic in the May 14 main event and called for a title shot.
"Now is Jan I think the next challenger," Prochazka told UFC reporter Megan Olivi. "So I'd like to fight Jan. Because I think I have the keys to defeat him."
Blachowicz unsurprisingly said he's game to face Prochazka in a chance to retake the throne following the UFC 275 main event. He called the potential matchup "the biggest fight" in European history. Blachowicz is Polish, while Prochazka is Czech.
Jiri, let's do this! The Battle for Europe. The biggest fight in the Continent's history. @jiri_bjp @ufc @UFCEurope #UFC275
— Jan Blachowicz (@JanBlachowicz) June 12, 2022
Teixeira was up on two of three judges' scorecards heading into the fifth round and would have retained his title - either by decision or split draw - had he survived another 28 seconds.
Saturday's headliner will go down as one of the most thrilling title fights in UFC history. Throughout almost five full rounds, Prochazka and Teixeira rocked each other on the feet and did damage from top position. Teixeira had multiple submission attempts himself. But in the end, Prochazka mounted a comeback and handed Teixeira his first career submission loss in one of the most stunning finishes in recent memory.