Former UFC champion Jiri Prochazka shows off absolutely bizarre health routine that helps him 'cleanse'

Former light heavyweight world champion Jiri Prochazka has shown off a wild new regime that leaves him 'cleansed and reborn' as the UFC star takes on his biggest fight yet.

There's no denying that to be a mixed martial arts champion, you have to undertake some serious health checks.

From strict diets to intense fitness programmes and brutal post-fight recovery regimes, there's a lot that goes into MMA rather than just rocking up in the octagon and throwing hands.

It's something that countless fighters have professed about, as the brutal sport puts its athletes in scary situations, such as Ilia Topuria, who has been open about his conditioning in post-fight updates since suffering facial injuries to Justin Gaethje.

Jiri Prichazka has taken that ethos and run it up the wall, though, as the 33-year-old Czech fighter has showcased a wild new system that helps him to be 'cleansed'.

Jiri Prochazka runs into nettle beds in bizarre health regime

Ranked number three in the world in the Light Heavyweight division, holding the world number one title between June 11, 2022, and November 11, 2023, Jiri Prochazka is known for an unorthodox and unpredictable fighting style.

But he's now earned a reputation for an unorthodox and unpredictable training style.

Reeling from his sixth career loss in a first-round knockout to Carlos Ulberg in April, Prochazka has been filmed getting back into shape ahead of a potential comeback fight this summer.

However, the video in question shows the UFC star running into a bed of nettles with nothing but his knickers on, allowing the plant to sting his entire body.

The deliberate technique even saw him pick up branches and rub them over his body head-to-toe, before joking that he would even sting his private collection.

"All night body tingling, but the next day, feel cleansed and reborn," he can be heard saying in between painful groans.

According to the AI machine Grok, this practice is called 'urtication' and actually does have health benefits.

"A small randomized trial found applying nettle leaves daily to osteoarthritic thumb joints significantly reduced pain and disability vs placebo. The compounds (histamine, formic acid, etc.) create a counterirritant effect that boosts local circulation and may dampen broader inflammation over time."

Some fans were left shocked by the video, which is certainly a different choice from other fighters.

"Anything but practicing defending left hooks," one person joked.

Another added, "He just does the most random things and side quests and nobody questions it because he’s an absolute unit."

Currently, Prochazka doesn't have a fight lined up, but it certainly looks like he is preparing for a big comeback.

Let's just hope that the nettle stings don't hurt as much as a flying knee kick.