The final UFC PPV of the year comes with a new main event and will crown a new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion as Jiri Prochazka relinquished the title due to injury. The new main event for the title will be Magomed Ankalaev taking on Jan Blachowicz.
Glover Teixeira was scheduled to face Prochazka in a rematch for the title but declined to face Ankalaev which was the fighter that was offered to the former UFC champion. A fight against Blachowicz was not offered according to a report from Ariel Helwani. Teixeira felt like he needed more time to prepare for Ankalaev and requested to fight him at UFC 283 but the UFC declined.
Unfortunately, Prochazka suffered a serious shoulder injury which “will require a significant rehabilitation period” per a statement from the UFC. Helwani’s report indicates that Prochazka hurt it while training in wrestling.
Payout Perspective:
It’s not clear if the UFC requested Prochazka to relinquish the title, he was told to give up the title or he came up with the idea himself to not hold up the division. It sounds like from a tweet from the now former champ that he consulted with the UFC. It appears that the UFC did not offer an interim title fight like they have done in the past for similar situations. Of course, the issues may be the uncertainty of the return for Prochazka as well as the business aspect of having a title fight on December’s PPV.
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