Ray Longo, trainer of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, questioned Jiri Prochazka's mental state following his loss to Carlos Ulberg, dismissing Prochazka's claim that he showed mercy as nonsense. Longo stated that Prochazka simply made a critical mistake rather than showing compassion. Carlos Ulberg echoed this sentiment, saying Prochazka was driven by fear and indecision, not mercy, and accused him of playing to the audience with fabricated excuses to justify a rematch. Ulberg added that Prochazka did not even approach him after the fight and predicted that Magomed Ankalaev would dominate Prochazka if they meet. The post also noted apparent tension at City Kickboxing gym between Israel Adesanya and Ulberg, who have not been seen together recently and have not publicly supported each other's recent performances.
Ray Longo and Carlos Ulberg have both publicly rejected Jiri Prochazka's claim that compassion cost him his light heavyweight bout at UFC 327 on April 11, with the veteran trainer calling the explanation flatly nonsensical.
Longo, best known as the corner coach for Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, argued that Prochazka did not show mercy during the fight — he simply made a critical mistake. In Longo's view, framing an error as a conscious act of kindness misrepresents what actually happened inside the cage.
Ulberg was even more direct. The New Zealander, who improves to 15-1-0 with the victory, said Prochazka was driven by fear and indecision in the moment, not mercy, and accused him of constructing a narrative for the audience to justify a rematch. Ulberg also noted that Prochazka did not approach him after the fight, and he went further by predicting that Magomed Ankalaev would dominate Prochazka if the two ever share the Octagon. Ranked third in the light heavyweight division at 35 years old, Ulberg has now established himself as a genuine title contender. He lands 6.54 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, numbers that reflect an aggressive, precise approach.
Prochazka, who carries a 32-6-1 record and is ranked second in the division at 33 years old, entered UFC 327 as one of the sport's most dynamic strikers, averaging 5.69 significant strikes per minute with 55 percent accuracy and an 80-inch reach. The loss will raise real questions about where he sits in the divisional pecking order going forward.
Why it matters
- Ulberg's win over the second-ranked Prochazka puts him in a strong position to claim the next light heavyweight title shot
- Prochazka's post-fight narrative has drawn public pushback from both a prominent coaching voice and his own opponent, complicating any immediate rematch case
- A separate undercurrent involves apparent tension at City Kickboxing between Ulberg and ranked middleweight Israel Adesanya, with the two teammates notably absent from each other's recent public support
Saturday, April 11, 2026
