Ray Longo, coach of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, criticized Jiri Prochazka's post-fight explanation that he showed mercy to Carlos Ulberg, suggesting Prochazka needs mental health help and simply made a major mistake. Carlos Ulberg also rejected the mercy narrative, stating that Prochazka was driven by fear and hesitation rather than compassion. Ulberg accused Prochazka of playing to the crowd and using the mercy excuse to angle for a rematch, which Ulberg believes will never happen. Both Longo and Ulberg emphasized that Prochazka lost because he made poor in-fight decisions, not because of any deliberate compassion. The post also references apparent tension at City Kickboxing gym between Israel Adesanya and Ulberg, as they have not been seen together recently and do not publicly support each other's fights.
The fallout from UFC 327 continued this week as coach Ray Longo and light heavyweight contender Carlos Ulberg both pushed back hard against Jiri Prochazka's claim that he showed mercy during their fight, which Prochazka lost.
Longo, known as the longtime coach of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, was blunt in his assessment. He suggested that Prochazka needs professional mental health support and that the Czech fighter simply made a significant in-fight mistake, dressing it up afterward as an act of compassion rather than owning the error.
Ulberg, who improves to 15-1-0 with the victory and sits ranked third in the light heavyweight division, was equally dismissive. The 35-year-old New Zealander out of City Kickboxing said Prochazka hesitated out of fear, not charity, and accused him of playing to the crowd. Ulberg also framed the mercy narrative as a transparent attempt to angle for a rematch, one he made clear he has no interest in granting. Ulberg is one of the division's most active strikers, landing 6.54 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, and his physical tools — standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach — make him a difficult puzzle for any opponent.
Prochazka, now 32-6-1 and ranked second at light heavyweight, stands six-foot-three and carries an 80-inch reach. The 33-year-old from Brno lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy and has built a reputation on unorthodox, high-risk offense. Both Longo and Ulberg argued those risks caught up with him at UFC 327.
Why it matters
- Ulberg's win and pushback strengthen his case as a legitimate title contender at 205 pounds
- Prochazka's post-fight explanation has drawn widespread skepticism and could affect his standing in the division
- Tension reportedly exists between Ulberg and teammate Israel Adesanya at City Kickboxing, with the two not publicly supporting each other's bouts, adding an internal storyline to the gym's profile
