Jiri Prochazka Returns Against Unbeaten Navajo Stirling in Qatar

Jiri Prochazka's last fight ended in the strangest way possible. Carlos Ulberg hurt his knee in the first moments of their April title fight and still knocked the Czech out on one good leg. Ulberg needed ACL surgery and is out for the rest of the year.

Prochazka's comeback is now set. The former light heavyweight champion (32-6-1) will face unbeaten Navajo Stirling (11-0) in a five-round main event at UFC Fight Night on Nov. 21 at ABHA Arena in Doha, Qatar. It's the UFC's second event in Qatar.

It's a risky fight for a former champion. Stirling has nothing to lose and a perfect record to protect, and a win over a name like Prochazka would move him into the title picture. For Prochazka, losing twice in a row would make another title shot much harder to get.

The rest of the card

Another former champion is in the co-main event. Aljamain Sterling (26-5), the ex-bantamweight titleholder, faces 24-year-old Kevin Vallejos (18-1) at featherweight. Sterling, 37, is 3-2 since moving up in 2024, and a win could put him in line for his first shot at the 145-pound belt.

Brian Ortega (16-5), a two-time featherweight title challenger, meets Dan Hooker (24-15), and former flyweight challenger Kyoji Horiguchi (36-6) takes on Asu Almabayev (24-3).