Jiri Prochazka said Conor McGregor still has to prove he belongs among the UFC elite, as the former champion’s comeback talk resurfaced during a recent appearance on Adin Ross’ livestream on Kick. Prochazka, who is set to fight Carlos Ulberg this weekend for the vacant light heavyweight title, said he has enjoyed watching McGregor at his best, but only when the Irish star was fully convinced in himself.
“I really liked to watch Conor McGregor when he believed in himself, and he was in the right mood,” Prochazka said, adding that McGregor now has to show he can still compete at the top level. “Who knows? He has to prove that. He has to show that,” he said.
McGregor has not competed since UFC 264 in July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier. He was later scheduled to return against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June 2024, but the fight did not materialize after McGregor withdrew because of injury. That missed comeback has kept the discussion about his future alive, and Prochazka’s comments offered another blunt reminder that the conversation is no longer about reputation alone.
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The Czech fighter’s remarks landed at an especially relevant moment because he is preparing for his own title fight while McGregor’s next move remains uncertain. Prochazka also summed up the unforgiving standard in the sport with a line that cut through the nostalgia. “In this game, there’s one rule. You are on top, burning, firing, and you can shine, or stay back. That’s the rule,” he said.
For McGregor, the next chapter remains unwritten, but the bar set by fighters still active in the championship race is clear: return, prove it, and earn the right to be taken seriously again.
