Jiri Prochazka Punches Trees 500 Times a Day, Every Day for Training

Jiri Prochazka, the UFC’s number two-ranked lightweight contender, also known as the Czech Samurai or Jiri “Denisa” Prochazka, has revealed his everyday training involves punching a tree 500 times with nothing but UFC’s 4-ounce gloves.

In talks with the MMA Hour’s Ariel Helwani, Jiri said, “It’s helpful for me.. It’s good for the body to be in the technique. To be like a rock. Then I can go through the opponent’s bodies with my technique, and my technique can be more dangerous. [Therefore,] It’s a good training for the body.”

Helwani, who appeared shocked and nonetheless impressed, asked from the 28-3 lightweight contender whether he used the same UFC gloves and whether Jiri used a regular punching bag. The Czech Samurai confirmed the former and said, “After 200, 500 punches to the tree, then I go to the bag, and the bag is very easy.”

Upon further inquiry, Jiri also revealed that he did not take breaks in between the punches, saying, “that’s how my training must be because if you wanna show something crazy, something new, you need to train like that.”

After having performed last in May against Dominick Reyes, knocking out the former title contender with a spinning elbow in round 2 and earning himself $100,000 as bonuses of Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night.

Jiri Prochazka has proved with his 25/28 K.O wins that he certainly packs a punch, especially considering that 21 of these were in the first round.

Still waiting on his title shot with the injured 42-year old champion Glover Texeira, Jiri said in the past that he would revisit the possibility of fighting Aleksander Rakic, who recently called out Jiri in comments that were deemed disrespectful as Rakic said that, “the time will come when I cut that ugly Czech flag sh*t off his head.”

Photo credit: mmamania