JRE MMA Show #165 with Jiří Procházka

Jiří Procházka shares insights into his philosophy on fighting, emphasizing the present moment, self-awareness, discipline, and recognizing fighting as personal development and self-exploration.

Procházka Emphasizes a Present-Moment Mindset in Fights, Free From Ego or Unnecessary Thoughts

Procházka values maintaining control over one's body, mind, emotions, and logic, underlining the need to operate in the present moment. He underlines the importance of showing one's true self, triggering behaviors such as aggression and self-confidence but keeping the ego in check to prevent it from burning the individual. He advocates a mindset of being present, stating, "to be there, be here and now."

Procházka Seeks "No Mind" By Becoming Part of the Fight's Flow

Procházka describes a state of "no mind" where he becomes part of the fight's flow, avoiding the need to defend because of heightened awareness. He also highlights the practice of spending time in nature and mountain sleeping to understand the "present moment and rare natural power," which is instrumental in developing a "pure mind, pure focus, pure consciousness right here, right now." He intends to interact with his opponents fearlessly and to react instinctively as part of the flow, sensing everything as an extension of himself.

Procházka on Self-Knowledge, Discipline, and Cultivating One's True Self For Effective Fighting

Procházka Thinks Ego Hinders Performance and Misguides Fighters

Procházka discusses how the ego can misguide fighters, leading to harmful decisions and emphasizing the significance of controlling aggression to stay balanced. He alludes to his evolution beginning with his title fight against King Mo Lawal in Rizin when he started to sense his opponent and the environment, realizing the need for calmness and stability. This self-awareness translates into effective fighting and the cultivation of his true self.

Procházka observes his progress objectively, planning and evaluating from a third-person perspective. He approaches fights with the belief that becoming emotional, as Jose Aldo did against Conor McGregor, can lead to defeat. He advocates instead for a focus on the fight plan, devoid of emotional influence.

Procházka Views Fighting As Personal Development and Self-Exploration

Procházka Sees Fighting as a "True Life" Experience Teaching Valuable Self and World Lessons

Procházka reveals his enthusiasm for the warrior’s path, striving to experience true power and integrate it into his daily life. He regards himself as a piece of art and frequently engages in introspection to advance his present-m ...

Procházka's Training: Meditation, Isolation, Darkness

Jiří Procházka describes his unique training regimen that includes spending long periods in darkness and isolation for meditation. This discipline is not only about building mental strength but also maintaining grounded thoughts and enhanced discipline.

Procházka: These Practices Develop Awareness, Focus, and Inner Connection

During his meditation practice, Procházka focuses on observing his mind to determine which thoughts are beneficial for his life and which should be discarded. He talks about how intense meditation, particularly when practiced in darkness or without food, can lead to a profound state of self-awareness where one can "see who you truly are." These methods are crucial for developing heightened awareness, razor-sharp focus, and a deep inner connection.

Procházka Trains By Punching and Kicking Trees to Connect With Primal Aspects of Fighting and Existence

In a fascinating blending of mind and body disciplines, Procházka adopts techniques like punching trees and interacting with nature as part of his physical regimen. This is not just training his body but also connecting with the primal aspects of fighting and existence.

Procházka Views Nature Training As a Means to Transcend His L ...

Jiří Procházka's journey through mixed martial arts (MMA) has been a profound one, marked by challenges and adversity, including losses to fighters like Alex Pereira. These moments have led him to question his abilities and mindset, spurring a transformation not only in his approach to fighting but in his self-perception as well.

Procházka Faced Career Challenges and Adversity, Including Losses to Alex Pereira, Leading Him to Question His Abilities and Mindset

Rising MMA star Jiří Procházka ​reflects on his early encounters with Alex Pereira. He recalls focusing too much on his opponent's capabilities in their first fight. His fixation led him to push even harder in the second bout. These losses became a critical point for Procházka, forcing him to reassess his approach and mindset toward fighting. In discussions with Joe Rogan, Procházka admits that the setbacks led him to desire a "true challenge," expressing a readiness to face top-five contenders—a craving that demonstrates his eagerness to test and refine his abilities and mental fortitude.

Procházka Realized He Was too Focused on His Opponent and External Factors, Instead of Staying True to Himself and His Training

Procházka acknowledges during his chat with Rogan that he became overly engrossed in his spiritual quest and external beliefs, calling this "the way to hell." This misdirection led him away from self-focus, a critical error he identified. To rectify this issue, he engaged in profound self-talk and meditation, which he found to be incredibly powerful tools. Going forward, he emphasized the importance of staying true to his own training and abilities.

Procházka's learning process also took him to the UFC Performance Institute in Mexico City, where he focused on improving his technique and defense, lessons he took from his second fight with Pereira. This training was about more than just skill—it was a recommitment to himself and the disciplined practice of mixed martial arts.

Procházka's Losses Spur Self-Reflection, Fueling Dominant Win Over Jamal Hill

Every setback served as a stepping stone toward greater self-awareness for Procházka. Following his losses, he pursued a black belt in Kyokushin Kai Karate, indicating a moment of reflection. He began reevaluating everything, from every move to every thought leading up to a fight. Procházka learned from his mistakes—primarily, how focusing too much on his opponents, rather than on internal mastery, had led to failure.

This reflective state played a vital role in his preparation to fight Jamal Hill. Although he doesn't mention Hill by ...

Jiří Procházka and Joe Rogan engage in a discussion about the UFC and offer their critiques and preferences regarding the promotion and the rules of mixed martial arts (MMA).

Procházka Criticizes MMA's Focus on Hype over the Fight

Procházka voices his discontent with MMA’s emphasis on promotional antics such as hype and trash-talking. He stresses the need for fighters to remain genuine in both attitudes and actions before and after a fight, instead of fabricating different personas for show. This sentiment resonates throughout their conversation as Procházka emphasizes honesty, consistency, and the importance of self-expression through performance over creating hype. A person true to their character, Procházka argues, doesn't need to intimidate or show off since genuine confidence comes from self-awareness and the knowledge of one's abilities as well as the opponent's. Discussing the superfluous game-playing aspect of MMA, he insists that real self-expression is being eclipsed by artificial hype.

Procházka Open to Radical Changes: Removing Weight Classes, Time Limits, and the Cage Format

During the discussion with Joe Rogan, Procházka shows support for a variety of potential changes to MMA that could bring the sport back to its primal roots.

He expresses a liking for open weight classes and is critical of the practice of weight cutting, suggesting that fighters should compete at their natural weight. Rogan and Procházka both mention negative aspects of weight cutting and propose that performing at natural weights would bring out more authentic competition.

Procházka further agrees with Rogan regarding the current use of cages in MMA fights. He and Rogan consider alternative environments like a matted basketball court, which they feel could draw the sport closer to its combative essence. Procházka delves into the idea of fighting in a more raw and primal way, recalling environments like the Hunger Games where combatants would engage each other in natural settings. He envisions fights with minimal restrictions, similar to ancient combat for survival, which are more authentic and have fewer rules.

Rogan brings up the concept of having no time limit fights focused on submission, to which Procházka agrees. Additionally, Rogan suggests that fights should r ...