This is the fight game, and fair is a term that rarely gets used in any scenario. This term has been used to grab your attention.

Now that you are here, indulge me.

Jiri Prochazka’s stunning knockout of Dominick Reyes set the fight world ablaze this past weekend. Not only the Czech fighter gain notoriety worldwide but the win also confirmed that he would be the next man up.

Leading to the fight UFC president Dana White had announced that the winner of Reyes v Prochazka would fight the winner of Blachowicz v Teixeira.

To be honest, at the time I had no problem with that and endorsed the announcement.

However, as the fight drew closer and closer the decision began to look like a hasty one. For one the Blachowicz v Teixeira had not been officially booked, until the day of the fight. And secondly, someone was being overlooked.

That, someone, was the then number two ranked (now number three ranked) Aleksandar Rakic 14-2.

The majority of the fight world will have no qualms about the rankings as they stand, but therein lies the problem. Why was it so easy for Rakic to be skipped in line? While one can ask why he was not the contender after beating the same two individuals Teixeira’s defeat to earn a title shot.

Rakic has won six straight and defeated Oezdemir in 2019 the man Prochazka successfully debuted against. Prochazka is a 2-0 fighter in the UFC. It’s not to say the record should deny him a title shot, we have seen many others fast-tracked to a title shot before. The issue lies in that there is someone with a more established UFC record. This athlete was ranked behind the two men doing battle in September for the title. And that man was overlooked by Dana White and company.

Now while Dana White may not change his mind. He could be persuaded to do so if Rakic and his team were to make the right kind of noise. Rakic would have to call out Prochazka and ask to face him on the same card their division’s title card.

This will not be attractive to Dana White as the top of the division is now littered with nobodies besides these two. Risking them both could mean issues for Rakic.

However, the title fight at UFC 266 is scheduled for September, essentially meaning the winner of the bout will not fight Prochazka in 2021. This is the very reason why Rakic should start giving rise to the need for the number two and three fighters to face one another this year. Dana White can not have a scenario where both these fighters do not fight for the remainder of the year.

Nor can Dana White schedule Rakic with number seven ranked Magomed Ankalaev. And the same is true for Prochazka who can not face anyone else in the division but those above him. Also is he willing to fight just once this year?

Prochazka v Rakic my fellow fight fans, that’s the fight to make.

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