Jiří Procházka is reportedly heading to Qatar to fight Navajo Stirling in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Doha on November 21. FightBook MMA reported the matchup, and Heavy also referenced the bout as a big light heavyweight fight on the way. The UFC hasn’t put out an official announcement yet.
It’s a real fight on paper. In the latest UFC Meta Rankings, Procházka sits at No. 3 at 205 pounds, behind only Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev, with Carlos Ulberg holding the belt. Stirling is No. 7, and Heavy described him as an undefeated up-and-comer. So the former champ is putting a top-three spot on the line against a guy with nothing on his record but wins and every reason to swing for the fences.
Procházka’s last trip to the Octagon was a title fight against Ulberg in April. Ulberg tore his ACL during that bout, and the champion is still out. A clip posted by Title Fight on Monday showed Ulberg back in training, but Heavy reported he isn’t expected to return until the first or possibly second quarter of next year. That leaves the division in a holding pattern at the top, and Heavy floated the idea that the Doha winner could be the one waiting for Ulberg when he’s healthy.
The Costa Problem
Here’s where it gets messy. Bloody Elbow reported that Paulo Costa turned down a fight against Stirling, with the Brazilian holding out for something bigger, specifically the title. Costa is ranked No. 4, one spot behind Procházka, and hasn’t competed since April, when he knocked out Azamat Murzakanov with a third-round head kick in his light heavyweight debut.
Since then, Costa has spent his time feuding with the promotion online. Dana White has claimed Costa rejected several offers. Costa says otherwise. On Monday he posted on X, “Nothing from the UFC,” and said he plans to fight at an event at the end of the year somewhere, adding, “I’m in great shape and in my prime.” He has one fight left on his current deal, per Bloody Elbow, and wants to fight it out so he can test free agency.
Meanwhile Ankalaev, a former champion himself, is also without an opponent, according to Heavy. That’s two of the top four at 205 sitting idle while a busted knee keeps the belt on ice.
Quick Take
I’ll give Procházka his flowers for this one. He’s ranked No. 3, coming off a title fight, and he could have done what Costa is doing: point at the belt, wait for Ulberg’s knee, and dare the UFC to make him take a risk. Instead he’s flying to Doha to fight an unbeaten guy four spots below him who gains everything and loses nothing by beating him. That’s a bad business decision and a great fighter decision, and I’ll take the second kind every time. If Stirling wins on November 21, Costa’s going to have a very awkward time explaining why he said no.
