Carlos Ulberg rejected Jiri Prochazka's claim that he showed mercy during their fight, stating that fear and hesitation were the real factors. Ulberg criticized Prochazka for not approaching him after the fight and accused him of playing to the audience with fabricated excuses. Ray Longo, trainer of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, commented on mental health issues in MMA, suggesting Prochazka's post-fight explanations about showing pity were signs of someone who "messed up badly." Ulberg believes Prochazka is creating this narrative to justify getting a rematch, but insists Magomed Ankalaev will defeat Prochazka. There also appears to be tension at City Kickboxing gym, with Israel Adesanya and Ulberg not being seen together recently and ignoring each other's recent performances. President Trump reportedly told Costa after the fight that he was "too handsome to be a fighter."
Carlos Ulberg has publicly rejected Jiri Prochazka's post-fight claim that he deliberately showed mercy during their light heavyweight bout, saying the real explanation is far simpler: Prochazka hesitated out of fear.
Ulberg was direct in his assessment, accusing Prochazka of performing for the crowd with a fabricated narrative rather than accepting the reality of what happened inside the cage. He also took aim at Prochazka for failing to approach him after the fight concluded, framing it as a sign of disrespect. In Ulberg's view, the mercy story exists for one reason — to manufacture justification for a rematch.
Prochazka, the 33-year-old Czech contender ranked second in the light heavyweight division, carries a record of 32-6-1 and trains out of Jetsaam Gym Brno. Known for an unorthodox, high-volume offensive style, he lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate and boasts an 80-inch reach at six-foot-three.
Ray Longo, the trainer behind champions Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, weighed in on the broader controversy, suggesting that Prochazka's post-fight explanations about showing pity were the words of someone who, in Longo's framing, had simply "messed up badly." Longo's comments touched on the subject of mental health in MMA, adding another layer to the growing criticism directed at Prochazka's public statements.
Ulberg also made clear he believes Magomed Ankalaev will beat Prochazka when that matchup takes place.
Separately, the story surfaces a subplot involving City Kickboxing. Ulberg and teammate Israel Adesanya — the 36-year-old Nigerian middleweight ranked eighth at 24-6-0 — have reportedly not been seen together recently and appear to be overlooking each other's performances, suggesting tension within the gym's ranks.
On a lighter note, President Trump reportedly told Paulo Costa following his fight that he was "too handsome to be a fighter." Costa, the 35-year-old Brazilian middleweight ranked 13th at 16-4-0, lands 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate, among the highest output figures in his division.
Why it matters
- Prochazka sits second in the light heavyweight rankings, meaning the narrative around his performance directly affects title-picture positioning
- Ulberg's pointed insistence that Ankalaev beats Prochazka signals where he sees the division's legitimate hierarchy
- Reported friction between Ulberg and Adesanya inside City Kickboxing could have broader implications for one of MMA's most prominent training camps
