Aleksandar Rakic is looking to fight Jiri Prochazka on the same card as the light heavyweight title fight.
Jan Blachowicz is set to defend his belt against Glover Teixeira in September and after that, it’s uncertain who would be next. For Rakic, he wants a number one contender bout against Prochazka.
“He did a great performance,” Rakic told MMA Junkie of Prochazka. “He knocked out Reyes. He’s now a top contender, and this fight makes sense against Jiri. The result what happened on Saturday is the best thing that could have happened to me because this wakes my attention, my motivation. I’m even now more motivated to go back to the gym, to train harder and harder.
“This fight against Jiri makes the most sense now, and Glover (Teixeira) is going to fight Jan (Blachowicz) in September,” Rakic continued. “Who else is gonna fight Jiri instead of me? Who?”
Rakic is coming off a decision win over Thiago Santos at UFC 259 in what was a rather lackluster fight.
However, according to Rakic, he believes he is a problem for the division and is confident he can KO anyone in the division.
“Everybody is talking about my last two fights. They were boring, and I didn’t knock them out,” Rakic said. “Everybody had that one fight that was not so spectacular, and in the last fight against Santos, we knew he’s dangerous in the counters, so I was a little bit patient with my attacks because he’s wild, wild countering. So that’s the reason the fight went like this, but a win is a win.
“I know I can knock anybody out in the division, and I can finish anybody in the division. It’s just a matter of time,” Rakic concluded. “I don’t want to force any knockouts or any submission. It will come by itself. But I know what I’m capable of doing, and this is the fight that makes the most sense, me and Jiri, and the winner is gonna fight for the title.”
Whether or not the UFC will book a number one contender bout between Aleksandar Rakic and Jiri Prochazka is uncertain.
