Jiri Prochazka Told He Must 'Evolve' in UFC After Alex Pereira Figured Him Out

Former fighter Matt Brown believes Prochazka's lack of evolution could be his downfall against Carlos Ulberg at UFC 327.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 8:04pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist-inspired painting depicting an MMA fight between two fighters, their bodies and movements broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes of color.A fractured, geometric illustration captures the intensity of the vacant light heavyweight title fight between Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg.Today in Miami

Jiri Prochazka, the Czech MMA star, has been dominant in the UFC since signing with the promotion in 2020, racking up a series of knockout wins. However, former fighter Matt Brown believes Prochazka needs to evolve his game if he wants to continue finding success, especially after Alex Pereira became the first fighter to figure out his unorthodox style. Brown suggests that if another fighter with strong fundamentals, like Prochazka's upcoming opponent Carlos Ulberg, can gameplan against Prochazka's predictable approach, they may be able to replicate Pereira's success.

Why it matters

Prochazka is one of the most exciting and dynamic fighters in the UFC's light heavyweight division, but his reliance on his explosive, unorthodox striking style could eventually become a liability if he doesn't adapt and evolve his game. This fight against Ulberg represents a crucial test for Prochazka to show he can make the necessary adjustments to his approach to maintain his status as a top contender.

The details

Prochazka suffered two stoppage losses to Alex Pereira, who was able to figure out and counter Prochazka's aggressive, high-volume striking. Now, former fighter Matt Brown believes other fundamentally sound light heavyweights like Ulberg could follow a similar blueprint to defeat Prochazka if he doesn't start to evolve his game. Brown argues that Prochazka has simply been doing 'more of the same' since joining the UFC, without displaying significant improvements or adjustments to his fighting style.

  • Prochazka suffered his second loss to Alex Pereira in 2024.
  • Prochazka will face Carlos Ulberg in the main event of UFC 327 on April 27, 2026, with the vacant light heavyweight title on the line.

The players

Jiri Prochazka

A Czech MMA fighter who has compiled an impressive record in the UFC's light heavyweight division, known for his aggressive, high-volume striking style.

Alex Pereira

A Brazilian MMA fighter who is the only person to have defeated Prochazka, doing so in two separate fights.

Carlos Ulberg

A New Zealand-born MMA fighter who trains at the renowned City Kickboxing gym and is set to challenge Prochazka for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title.

Matt Brown

A former UFC fighter who has provided analysis on Prochazka's need to evolve his fighting style to maintain his success in the promotion.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I think my biggest question with Jiri that I've had for a long time and I'm going to keep having — you can't play around with non-fundamentals forever. At some point, that starts to catch up with you.”

— Matt Brown, Former UFC Fighter

“Jiri can be figured out. Because when he came into the UFC, and he was on his way up, nobody had seen this before for the most part. Alex figured it out, which Alex is good at figuring out striking.”

— Matt Brown, Former UFC Fighter

“But now it's been seen, and I think if someone, these fundamental guys who have better fundamentals like an Ulberg, if they can game plan towards this, they should be able to figure it out.”

— Matt Brown, Former UFC Fighter

What’s next

Prochazka will face Carlos Ulberg in the main event of UFC 327 on April 27, 2026, with the vacant light heavyweight title on the line.

The takeaway

Jiri Prochazka's unorthodox and aggressive fighting style has made him a fan favorite in the UFC, but former fighter Matt Brown believes that if Prochazka doesn't start to evolve and improve his fundamental skills, other fighters like Carlos Ulberg will be able to replicate the success that Alex Pereira had in defeating him. This fight against Ulberg represents a crucial test for Prochazka to show he can adapt his approach and maintain his status as a top contender in the light heavyweight division.