Carlos Ulberg firmly rejected Jiri Prochazka's claim that he showed mercy during their UFC 327 fight. Ulberg stated there was no mercy and that what drove Prochazka was fear and indecision, accusing the former champion of playing to the audience rather than fighting like a true champion. He believes Prochazka is making this excuse to try to get a rematch, which Ulberg says will not happen. Ulberg also predicted that Magomed Ankalaev would defeat Prochazka if they fought, saying Ankalaev would "kick his ass." The comments highlight the bad blood between the two fighters following their controversial encounter.
Carlos Ulberg has fired back at Jiri Prochazka following their UFC 327 meeting, flatly denying the Czech fighter's claim that he showed mercy during the bout and accusing him of using the narrative as a ploy to engineer a rematch.
Ulberg, who fights out of City Kickboxing in New Zealand, was direct in his rebuttal. The 35-year-old, ranked third at light heavyweight with a 15-1-0 record, said what Prochazka characterized as mercy was in reality fear and indecision. The six-foot-four New Zealander, who carries a 77-inch reach and lands 6.54 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, dismissed the idea of a rematch outright, saying it simply will not happen.
Prochazka, ranked second in the division, enters this war of words with a 32-6-1 record. The 33-year-old Czech fighter stands six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach and is one of the sport's most prolific strikers, landing 5.69 significant strikes per minute. Despite that output, Ulberg accused the former champion of grandstanding for the crowd rather than competing with genuine championship-level intent.
Ulberg also turned his attention to the light heavyweight picture above him, predicting that the division's top-ranked contender, Magomed Ankalaev, would thoroughly beat Prochazka. Ankalaev, a 34-year-old Russian fighter out of Gorets Fight Club, carries a 21-2-1 record and sits fifth in the pound-for-pound rankings. Standing six-foot-three with a wrestling-oriented game that averages 0.79 takedowns per 15 minutes, Ankalaev presents a contrasting stylistic challenge to the stand-and-trade approach Prochazka prefers.
Why it matters
- Ulberg's win at UFC 327 puts him in direct contention at 205 pounds, with his ranking just behind Prochazka's
- His dismissal of a rematch could shape how the division's next title contender is determined
- The triangle of Ulberg, Prochazka, and Ankalaev now clouds the light heavyweight title picture considerably
