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INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Jiri Prochazka shaved off his signature hairstyle ahead of UFC 311.
Former light heavyweight champions Prochazka (30-5-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) and Jamahal Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) square off on Saturday’s main card (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) at Intuit Dome.
Prochazka surprised many when he showed up to Thursday’s UFC 311 pre-fight press conference with a shaved head. A longtime fan of Prochazka’s, Ashley McGarity, paid homage to his “war hair” just before undergoing her cancer treatment, which immediately caught his attention.
Prochazka revealed that he’s donating 1 million Czech Koruna to support cancer research, which UFC CEO Dana White said he plans on matching.
“This hair was inspired by Ashley,” Prochazka said. “That girl, she’s fighting with cancer. She will come tomorrow. This is my showing solidarity because it’s about sending the good energy.
“Yesterday, I reached 1 million followers on Instagram so I will give for each other 1 million (Czech Koruna) by my foundation to oncologist patients. Martial arts has something to give back – it’s all about good energy.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 311: Jiri Prochazka shaved his head in support of fan fighting cancer
