After getting brutally knocked out by now-champion Jiri Prochazka in one of the most exciting fights of 2021, two-time UFC title challenger Dominick Reyes is looking to return this fall.
For Reyes, he just needed to take some time away from the chaos of MMA and the UFC.
“I had to do some soul searching of my own,” Reyes said recently on The MMA Hour. It was necessary for me to understand my own limitations before I could be part of the mix. I also had to talk to [the media],, because I wouldn’t have the truth to give you the answers that I wanted. After I got my stuff together and got back to my roots I felt good. I am happy about my life and my future and excited for what the next .”
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Prochazka vs. Reyes headlined UFC Vegas 25 in May 2021. Prochazka defeated Reyes with a spinny elbow in a grueling fight to win the title. The Czech standout went on to win the title via fifth-round submission in the main event of UFC 275.
It was the third straight loss for Reyes, who also was on the wrong end of championship bouts against Jon Jones and Jan Blachowicz in his prior two outings.
After getting knocked out in back-to-back fights, the 32-year-old said he wasn’t pondering retirement.
” I have never thought of not fighting. Not ever.” Reyes stated. “It was just needing to stop messing around, stop messing around on the streets and just get my s*** together. Although I took some time off from fighting, I didn’t consider quitting — Jiri didn’t fight until [UFC 275].. He hasn’t fought in over a year. He didn’t get knocked out, I did, but he just stayed out. I’m looking to take a little bit more time and I’m looking to come back around October.
“But, I did not do any work until [this past] Oct when I visited Vegas to try out Xtreme Couture. Sean Strickland sparred with me a bit, and it might have been the lightest sparring he has ever done. But, when I returned to Vegas, I was at my heaviest weight ever. I was like 245, pretty out of shape, but they were cool, man — good people over there. I was able to focus again on the game thanks to them. Since then, I have been enjoying training and just being .”
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The No. 9 ranked light heavyweight in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings won his first six UFC bouts — including victories over Jared Cannonier, Ovince Saint Preux, Volkan Oezdemir, and former UFC champion Chris Weidman — to earn his first championship opportunity.
While he might be feeling a little down after his three previous bouts, “The Devastator” feels ready for a major sports comeback.
” I have learned lessons. I’ve seen and experienced the industry. I’ve also seen people and their personalities. “I feel like the first time, I put too much into how the media perceived me and I cared too much about the fans talking crap, and I made some mistakes there. I didn’t really know what to expect. It’s been a great experience .”
