When a UFC champion walks into a karate dojo, you might expect fireworks, flying kicks, and a few bruised egos. But when that champion is Jiří Procházka, the Czech samurai-philosopher with a penchant for both knockouts and existential musings, you get something far more memorable: a masterclass in martial arts, mindset, and a bit of wisdom.
Jiří Procházka and Martial Arts
Procházka, the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and the first Czech fighter to wear UFC gold, recently dropped by the Enkamp brothers’ dojo for a session that was equal parts sparring and spiritual seminar. The result? A viral video and a treasure trove of quotes that left martial artists everywhere rethinking their approach.
“If you don’t know how to train alone, you will be just led by somebody in the gym, by the coach, by your parents, by whoever,” Jiří Procházka told his hosts, channelling the spirit of a wandering ronin. “You have to be your own leader in your life. You have to be honest with yourself every time. Honest. What is my limit right now? Where is my fear right now? What I have to do or what I have to understand is just be you. Pure yourself.”
If that sounds more like a TED Talk than a pre-fight pep talk, you’re not wrong. Jiří Procházka’s approach is as much about conquering the mind as it is about conquering opponents. He’s known for meditating in darkness, punching trees, and sleeping in the mountains, training methods that would make even the most dedicated martial artist raise an eyebrow.
But don’t mistake his introspection for softness. When Jiří Procházka talks about presence in the fight, he means business: “Control your focus right now because this right now is the main thing in the fight. Be still in control. Slowly breathe in. Breathe out. Slower slower slower. Feeling good. Feeling fresh. Prepared for whatever.”
It’s this blend of calm and chaos that has made Procházka a fan favorite. He’s as likely to deliver a highlight-reel finish as he is to drop a philosophical bomb. And he’s not shy about calling out the overthinkers: “It’s so simple and we are doing something like that and catching up and down. No, it’s about the boom and win. So just do what works. Just do what works. Do whatever… People overintellectualise things. It’s simple. The simplicity comes from just wanting to go there and win.”
For Jiří Procházka, the real opponent isn’t across the mat, it’s in the mind. He preaches self-discipline, meditation, and the art of enjoying the moment: “Just enjoy the moment here and now. Be here and now. So easy. Come on.”
Because in Jiří’s world, the greatest victory is not over an opponent, but over oneself. As he puts it, “Many people are afraid of training by themselves because they don’t enjoy their own company… how you want to be a strong man in before all the world if you are not strong person just just by just like that enjoying your peace enjoying your silence and that’s it that’s that’s all.”
