Muhammed Lawal returned to the United States in the spring of 2019 and faced some questions about his fighting future. The former Strikeforce and Rizin champion was finished in the third round by Jiri Prochazka at Rizin 15 in Yokohama, Japan.
At the time, few people in the U.S. MMA scene knew about Prochazka, who Lawal had beaten by first-round knockout in 2015. But Lawal, better known as "King Mo," had been aware for some time just how good the Czech kickboxer was and could be.
"Prochazka is a problem for anybody," Lawal, who now coaches at American Top Team, told ESPN. "When I fought him, people were like, 'Oh, you lost to Jiri.' No, that kid is good -- that kid can fight. Just because they're not fighting in America or for certain organizations people think they're terrible."
Lawal was proved right at UFC 251 last July. Prochazka made his UFC debut and ran through former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir, finishing him by TKO in the second round. Prochazka earned a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus with the victory.
After that showing, the UFC is obviously confident in throwing Prochazka to the wolves at 205 pounds. On Saturday night, "The Czech Flying Monster" faces former title challenger Dominick Reyes in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas. Reyes took all-time great Jon Jones to the brink at UFC 247 in February 2020 before losing by unanimous decision. Reyes then got knocked out by Jan Blachowicz in a battle for the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 253 last September.
Reyes also fought Oezdemir, winning by split decision in March 2019.
Prochazka, who is the slight favorite at -130, is just 28 years old. He has been past the second round only three times in 31 fights, most recently in the win over Lawal, and he's never fought past the third. Reyes is 31 with only eight UFC fights. Which of the two will emerge as the future of one of the UFC's hallmark divisions? ESPN asked several top coaches for their analysis and predictions.
Eric Nicksick, Xtreme Couture MMA coach
I think Reyes needs to drag this into the deeper rounds, because we just haven't seen Prochazka there yet. I think if you're Reyes, you want to try and see what you can do as far as wrestling, clinch work, etc. We haven't seen Reyes offensive wrestle too much before in the UFC, but that's a good angle for his game plan here.
Jiri has a weird rhythm. I don't mean that disrespectfully. I think 'erratic' is a good word for it. It's hard to watch and figure out. It's hard to get the timing off his rhythm, and I think that makes him good in the early rounds. People have a hard time finding his range. In the gym, we call fighters like that 'boogers.' It's kind of a s---ty thing to call someone, but it means he doesn't really have normal Muay Thai or kickboxing rhythm. He's a booger. That's Jiri.
This is more of a make-or-break fight for Reyes. I think this is where Reyes needs to lean on his fight IQ. He needs to focus on situational awareness and try not to get into a brawl early. Testing Prochazka's cardio will be important, as well as collecting data on the reads early in the fight, which will benefit him as the rounds go deeper.
I think Reyes is a good underdog bet. I'll go Reyes by TKO, say in the fourth round.
Muhammed Lawal, American Top Team coach
I think Prochazka is a big problem, because of his pace, his chin and his heart. His weakness would probably be cage work, because he spent so much time in Japan fighting in a ring. I feel like if Reyes is smart, he'll put him against the cage. The thing is, Jiri is so long and in good condition, throws a lot of punches and kicks. It's going to be an interesting fight.
Jiri fought wild against Volkan, because Volkan is not as fast. If his opponent has speed, he shows him more respect. If you don't have any speed, he's going to play with you. I think Reyes matches up good, though, if he uses his wrestling and mixes it up. Jiri probably won't throw too many kicks versus Reyes because he'll be worried about the takedown. If Reyes gets him to the ground, he has to get him on the ground and flatten him and just keep working. Jiri doesn't stop coming. Even when I knocked him out the first time, he was still trying to get up. I hit him hard -- I hit him with everything. And he was still trying to stand up. He's a problem, man.
Jiri's confidence is riding sky-high. A confident fighter is hard to beat. It'll come down to game plans. If Reyes goes out there just to fight with Jiri, in my opinion he'll lose. If he comes out there with a smart game plan, he can win the fight and possibly get a stoppage. Try to use the cage if you can, man, because Jiri is quicker than he looks, he hits hard, he can kick, he has a great gas tank.
Sayif Saud, Fortis MMA head coach
This is a really interesting fight. Where there isn't a question mark is that Jiri has thunderous power in his hands. There's no doubt that if he touches you, there's a good chance you're going to sleep. And he knows that. He has a very unorthodox style, does a lot of weird stuff. That shows he's confident and relaxed. Does that work? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But it shows he's relaxed. He's got a lot of experience outside the UFC. I think he believes in himself.
I understand why Jiri is a slight favorite here. If you look at Dom Reyes, the only guy he's beaten recently who is still streaking is Jared Cannonier, but he dropped down to middleweight after that fight. It's kind of hard to see where exactly Reyes is at right now mentally. I believe he definitely wants to prove himself and get back the winner's circle.
It's a pick 'em fight. If Dom and his team can come up with a strategy, he can win this fight -- like take Jiri down and beat him on the ground. We haven't seen Dom there, though. It's not how Reyes usually fights. On the feet, Jiri's three-inch reach advantage could come into play. That's a big deal. If I had to lean one way, I think the oddsmakers are calling it spot on. Jiri at -130 sounds about right. I'd give a slight advantage to Jiri based on his reach, power and experience. But of course, counting out Dom Reyes would be foolish.