Jiri Prochazka reveals the samurai who inspired him to follow the warrior code

UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochakza revealed Miyamoto Musashi is his favourite samurai in Japanese history – after reading his classic ‘The Book of Five Rings’.

And Prochazka said Musashi was the person who inspired him to follow the warrior code, with the Czech hard man incorporating it into all aspects of his daily life.

Prochazka won the 205lbs belt in just his third fight with the promotion, submitting former champ Glover Teixeira at the end of the fifth and final round.

The two light heavyweights put on a fight of the year contender, but it was Prochazka who ultimately came out on top.

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And he credits the legendary swordsman Musashi with totally changing his way of life in general.

Prochazka exclusively told GiveMeSport.com: “I don’t know a lot of samurai, just a few warriors, true warriors.

“But I think the most important person in my life is Miyamoto Musashi because of his book and his life.

“For me, he was so inspirational. That’s why everybody is talking about me watching all the samurai movies and all this stuff. But it’s not like that.

“It’s not like that, it’s nothing more than I read the book, and I started to include these rules in my life.

“Because I know it’s functional, it’s simple, and it’s powerful. And that’s the paradox because the simplest things are the strongest.”

Prochazka is of course referring to The Book of Five Rings, which Musashi wrote while on his travels around Japan in 1645.

Like the samurai of old, he was seen sporting an iconic topknot during his fight with Teixeira in the main event of UFC 275 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang on June 12.

Asked why he