Jiří Procházka

Jiří Procházka, known to fans as "BJP" and "Denisa," is a Czech professional mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division of the UFC and previously reigned as a champion in Japan's RIZIN Fighting Federation.

Raised in the South Moravian region of the Czech Republic, Procházka grew up immersed in combat sports, training in Muay Thai and Kyokushin karate from a young age. He went on to earn a black belt in Kyokushin and a Czech national Muay Thai title before building his career across European and Japanese promotions, eventually becoming the first Czech fighter to sign with RIZIN. He has trained out of gyms including Jetsaam Gym Brno alongside a tight-knit team built around his own personal philosophy of combat.

In RIZIN, Procházka won the promotion's inaugural light heavyweight championship with a third-round TKO of Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal and successfully defended the belt against C.B. Dollaway before departing for the UFC.

Procházka fights with an unorthodox, unpredictable style rooted in Bushido and Zen philosophy, describing his approach as "no-mind" combat driven by instinct rather than strategy. He fights from an unconventional, low-guard stance, relies on elite head movement and reflexes rather than textbook defense, and is capable of finishing fights with spinning strikes, elbows, and sudden bursts of violence from any angle. His durability and willingness to absorb damage in order to create openings have made him one of the sport's most thrilling live draws.

In the UFC, Procházka scored highlight-reel wins over Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes before challenging Glover Teixeira for the light heavyweight championship at UFC 275, submitting him with a rear-naked choke in the closing seconds of the fifth round to become the first Czech-born UFC champion. A shoulder injury later forced him to vacate the title before he could defend it, and he was defeated by Alex Pereira

Stats last updated: August 18, 2026