"He operates on a special frequency" - RIZIN announcer Joe Ferraro compares Jiri Prochazka to Georges St-Pierre
RIZIN announcer Joe Ferraro recently weighed in on the rise of UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka. According to Ferraro, 'BJP' was a little different even during his reign as the RIZIN light heavweight champion.
Known to be a strict adherent of the samurai "Bushido" spirit, Prochazka operated on a "special frequency", as per Ferraro. While he always sported a smile on his face, the Czech fighter was always intense right from the weigh-ins. Ferraro recently told Giancarlo Aulino in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA:
"He's your modern day samurai. He believes in that Bushido spirit. We knew that, even all the interviews and all the times we were able just to hang out, [we knew] you're dealing with somebody a little bit different. Not off killer, not whacko, just he operates on a special frequency. Just a little bit different than everybody else. Always had time for you, always had a smile but always intense, from weigh-ins to competing."
An OG journalist and analyst of the Canadian MMA scene, Ferraro has also witnessed the rise of Georges St-Pierre. According to 'Showdown' he had the same early inhibitions about Prochazka's UFC journey that he had about 'GSP'. Ferraro further added:
"It's no different than when I was with Georges St-Pierre back in the day, right. As soon as they get to the big show, the UFC, you're worried. It's like, are you that good, are you really that good? Then they win their first fight and you're like, 'Okay well but are you really really that good, let's see your second fight'. And they pull it off. And then they both became champions."
Watch Ferraro's interview with Sportskeeda MMA below:
Georges St-Pierre predicted that Jiri Prochazka would become a UFC champion
Jiri Prochazka scored a second-round TKO win over Volkan Oezdemir in his UFC debut in 2020. A spinning-elbow KO of Dominick Reyes in his next fight immediately propelled Prochazka to a title shot against Glover Teixeira.
Ahead of Prochazka's UFC 275 title fight, Georges St-Pierre predicted that 'Denisa' would be a UFC champion someday. 'Rush' said in an interview with James Lynch:
“A lot of guys, they haven’t been exposed so I’m curious to see him compete more but he’s very impressive, I think he’s going to be the future world champion.”
Watch GSP's interview with Lynch below:
Jiri Prochazka went on to score an iconic upset win over Teixeira with half a minute left in the bout.