Procházka vs Stirling Preview: Knockout Machine Meets Unbeaten Volume Striker

Doha's November 21 main event pits two light heavyweights who would much rather settle things standing up. Czech star Jiří Procházka (#2, 32-6-1) has 28 knockout wins on his record. New Zealand's Navajo Stirling (#5, 11-0) has yet to lose as a pro. UFC Fight Night at ABHA Arena opens with the prelims at 6 p.m. local time, and the main card follows at 9 p.m.

Physically, there's not much separating them. Stirling, who turns 29 on November 7, is an inch taller, 76 inches to 75; Procházka, 34, has the marginally longer reach, 80 inches to 79. The real separation shows up once the strikes start flying.

Procházka is a finisher through and through. Twenty-eight of his 32 wins (88%) have come by KO/TKO, three by submission and just one on the scorecards, and he owns 23 first-round finishes. In the UFC he lands 5.61 significant strikes per minute at 56% accuracy, with a 0.81 knockdown average. Most of that work happens on the feet (78%), with 15% on the ground and 8% in the clinch. The catch is what he gives back: 5.67 significant strikes absorbed per minute, slightly more than he lands, and only 45% striking defense.

Stirling, who made his Octagon debut in December 2024, presents a different problem. He is the busier man, landing 6.47 significant strikes per minute at 55% accuracy, while absorbing just 2.56 per minute and defending 58% of what comes back. That's a +3.91 differential per minute. Seven of his wins came by KO/TKO (64%) and four went the distance (36%); he has no submission wins and no submission attempts in the UFC. His knockdown average sits at 0.62, and his strike distribution mirrors Procházka's: 77% standing, 17% on the ground, 6% in the clinch.

Don't expect a grappling match to break out. Procházka averages 0.49 takedowns per 15 minutes and Stirling 0.82, and both defend takedowns well, at 68% and 71% respectively. Even their average fight times line up almost exactly: 10:15 for Procházka, 10:24 for Stirling.

That leaves one question to answer. Can Procházka land his power cleanly on a man who gets hit less than half as often as he does, before Stirling's output and defense turn the Czech's open style against him?

Planning to be there? It makes for a long night, so get in early for the prelims. Grab your seats now: Procházka vs Stirling tickets for Nov. 21.