Jiri Prochazka has a chance to regain his UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 295 when he takes on Alex Pereira at Madison Square Garden. He remains, however, the undisputed title holder of a different sort: “Denisa” is the most tested UFC fighter ever.
The USADA database shows that Prochazka was drug tested a stunning 64 times in 2022, double the numbers of the next athlete on their list, cycling’s Lauren DeCrescenzo at 29. Things have settled down for Jiri in 2023: USADA has only tested him 9 times in 2023. But in a new interview on The MMA Hour, the Czech fighter admitted the specter of early USADA visits still gives him anxiety.
“In the Czech Republic, yes [almost always the same USADA people],” he said about the situation. “Yeah, I know them. One guy and one woman. Yeah [they’re nice].”
“Sometimes it was like I woke up and [gasps] ‘Oh f—, today they will come, today they will come! I need to be prepared for that,’” he continued. “Because it was not good sleeping. It was not good sleeping, many times per week [makes blood drawing motion on arm] from injections, taking blood. Here in U.S. they just do, like, thumb, take the little blood, like a drop of it. But [in Czech] they took a lot of blood. Like one bottle of blood.”
In the past, Jiri has been more diplomatic about the situation. Maybe his change in tune has to do with USADA’s partnership with UFC ending come 2024. They’ll be replaced by Drug Free Sport International.
“Now I am free,” he said with a smile. “Two more months and then another [drug testing agency].”
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
