Aleksandar Rakic is set to return to the Octagon after nearly two years, facing off against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 300. Rakic’s last fight was against Jan Blachowicz in May 2022, where he unfortunately suffered an ACL tear in round three, forcing an early end to the bout.
The two light heavyweights will square off in the featured preliminary bout for UFC 300, happening on April 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. And before the fight, Rakic credited NBA champ Nikola Jokic with underscoring the Serbian connection.
UFC 300: Serbian Connection Aleksandr Rakic Credits NBA Champ Nikola Jokic
During a recent NBA trophy tour with UFC fighters, each fighter participated in a brief photoshoot with the NBA trophy. However, it remains unclear why the trophy tour occurred with the UFC. Interestingly, Aleksandar Rakic, a UFC fighter, was not the first Serbian to have the honor of holding the NBA Finals Trophy. When asked whom the trophy reminded him of, Rakic mentioned Nikola Jokic, a Serbian basketball player who has been awarded the MVP title three times. Rakic said, “Nikola Jokic has been MVP three times from Serbia.”
Aleksandar Rakic has faced several opponents who have either held the UFC title at 205 pounds or competed for it in the past. Following surgery after a mishap, Rakic was slated to make his comeback earlier this year in a rematch against Blachowicz at UFC 297. Still, Blachowicz pulled out due to a shoulder injury. Meanwhile, Jiri Prochazka returned from injury in his last fight, where he lost to Alex Pereira in the vacant light heavyweight title bout at UFC 295.
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After almost two years, Rakic’s much-anticipated comeback to the Octagon will see him square off against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 300. The victor of their bout might be in line for a showdown against the Russian fighter in a potential number-one contender matchup, determining the next challenger for the 205-pound title. Make sure not to miss the live-action!
