Ray Longo, coach of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, addressed mental health issues in MMA while criticizing Jiri Prochazka's post-fight behavior and excuses. Longo dismissed Prochazka's claim that he showed mercy to Carlos Ulberg, stating that Prochazka simply made a critical mistake. Carlos Ulberg directly rejected Prochazka's mercy narrative, saying Prochazka was motivated by fear rather than compassion and is playing to the audience for a rematch opportunity. Ulberg revealed that Prochazka did not approach him after the fight and believes everything Prochazka does is calculated for public reaction. Donald Trump reportedly told Paulo Costa after the fight that he is "too beautiful to be a fighter." There appears to be tension at City Kickboxing gym between top fighters Israel Adesanya and Ulberg, who have not been seen together recently and have not publicly supported each other's recent performances.
Ray Longo, the respected coach behind Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, has publicly criticized Jiri Prochazka's post-fight conduct and weighed in on the broader topic of mental health in mixed martial arts following the Czech fighter's recent loss.
Longo rejected Prochazka's suggestion that he showed mercy to Carlos Ulberg during their bout, arguing that the number-two-ranked light heavyweight did not hold back out of compassion but instead made a costly error in the fight. Prochazka, who carries a 32-6-1 record and stands six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach, is known for his aggressive output — landing 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy — making any lapse in judgment particularly costly against a dangerous opponent.
Ulberg himself went further, directly disputing the mercy narrative in pointed terms. The City Kickboxing product said Prochazka was driven by fear rather than goodwill in that moment, and accused the Czech fighter of crafting a public-facing story designed to manufacture a rematch opportunity. Ulberg noted that Prochazka did not seek him out after the fight and characterized his behavior as consistently calculated for audience reaction.
On a lighter note, Donald Trump reportedly told middleweight Paulo Costa — who holds a 16-4-0 record and lands 6.26 significant strikes per minute — that he was "too beautiful to be a fighter" following the event.
Why it matters
- Prochazka sitting ranked second at light heavyweight means the mercy-versus-mistake debate has direct implications for who earns the next title shot
- Ulberg publicly framing the loss as a genuine competitive victory rather than a gift strengthens his case for a meaningful divisional climb
- Reported tension between Ulberg and City Kickboxing teammate Israel Adesanya, the number-eight-ranked middleweight at 24-6-0, adds an internal storyline to watch at one of the sport's most prominent gyms
