Ray Longo, coach to Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, criticized Jiri Prochazka's claim that he showed mercy in his loss to Carlos Ulberg at UFC 327, calling it evidence of mental issues in MMA and stating Prochazka simply made a serious mistake. Carlos Ulberg himself rejected Prochazka's mercy narrative, saying it was fear and hesitation that held the Czech fighter back, not compassion. Ulberg accused Prochazka of playing to the audience and making excuses to secure a rematch, adding that Prochazka didn't even approach him after the fight. Ulberg predicted that Magomed Ankalaev would defeat Prochazka decisively. The post also notes that Prochazka suffered a presumed ACL tear with an estimated 9-12 month recovery time, though official confirmation is pending this week.
The fallout from UFC 327 continued Monday as both Ray Longo and Carlos Ulberg publicly dismissed Jiri Prochazka's claim that he showed mercy during his loss to the New Zealander at the April 11 event.
Longo, the head coach at Serra-Longo Fight Team whose fighters include bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili and former champion Aljamain Sterling, did not mince words. He called Prochazka's mercy narrative a textbook example of the mental side of MMA going wrong, arguing the Czech fighter simply made a serious mistake and dressed it up as a choice.
Ulberg was equally blunt. The 35-year-old New Zealand light heavyweight, now 15-1 and ranked third in the division, rejected the compassion framing entirely, saying it was fear and hesitation that stopped Prochazka, not any act of kindness. He accused the Czech of playing to the crowd and manufacturing a storyline to leverage a rematch. Ulberg added that Prochazka never approached him after the fight, and predicted that Magomed Ankalaev would beat Prochazka convincingly when the two meet. Ulberg lands 6.54 significant strikes per minute and carries a 55 percent striking accuracy, numbers that reflect the relentless offense he brought into the contest.
Prochazka, 33 and ranked second at light heavyweight with a 32-6-1 record, now faces a potentially lengthy absence. A presumed ACL tear is believed to have been suffered during the bout, with an estimated nine-to-twelve month recovery window. Official medical confirmation was still pending as of the report date.
Why it matters
- Prochazka's injury could sideline a top-two light heavyweight contender for the better part of a year
- Ulberg's win and subsequent callout of the mercy narrative strengthens his position as a legitimate title challenger at 205 pounds
- The public dispute raises questions about whether a rematch between the two could materialize and on what timeline
Saturday, April 11, 2026
