'Czech Samurai' Jiří Procházka claims UFC Light Heavyweight title

Czech MMA star Jiří Procházka, nicknamed the 'Czech Samurai' for his adherence to the Bushido code, defeated Brazil's Glover Teixeira at UFC 275 in Singapore this morning to win the organization's Light Heavyweight title.

Procházka has become the first Czech to win a UFC title, and he accomplished the feat in just his third UFC match.

Unlike Procházka's previous fight, which ended in a spinning back elbow knockout of Dominick Reyes in the second round, this morning's match against Teixeira was a hard-fought affair that nearly went a full five rounds. Procházka defeated Teixeira by submission with just 28 seconds remaining in the final round.

Procházka was a slight favorite in the fight according to Vegas odds, but Teixeira scored an advantage by bringing the fight to the mat in the early rounds. By the end of the second round, both fighters were bloody, with Procházka suffering a laceration over his left eye.

The Czech fighter also suffered an injury to his left hand during the match.

Immediately after the match, Procházka displayed his trademark humbleness.

"I thought I would show a better performance, I'm sorry for that," Procházka said from the Octagon after the victory. "Next time I will be a better." 

"It was a true war," he added. "Glover is a true warrior. I like that."

The 29-year-old Procházka improves to 3-0 in the UFC and 29-3 in his professional career, which includes four years in Japan's Rizin organization. Teixeira, 13 years older than Procházka, drops to 33-8 in his professional career.

In a sport dominated by macho aggression and trash talk, Procházka stands out as a more peaceful fighter who always shows respect for his opponents. But that wasn't always the case.

Before his fighting career, Procházka was a devoted fan of the football club Zbrojovka Brno and involved in organized hooliganism.

During his years in Japan, Procházka was introduced to the Bushido code, a set of ethics developed by the samurai hundreds of years ago. He credits Miyamoto Musashi's The Book of Five Rings with changing his life.

With the Light Heavyweight belt now around his waist, Procházka will look to defend it in his next match. That could come against Poland's Jan Blachowicz, who lost the title against Teixeira last year.

" Jiří, let's do this! The Battle for Europe," Blachowicz wrote on Twitter after Procházka's victory. "The biggest fight in the Continent's history."