Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling's coach Ray Longo has called for greater discussion of mental health issues in MMA, specifically targeting Jiri Prochazka's post-fight explanation about showing mercy. Longo suggested Prochazka's eccentric behaviors and his "mercy" excuse were signs of deeper issues, stating the fighter simply made a critical mistake. Meanwhile, Carlos Ulberg rejected Prochazka's mercy claim entirely, asserting that fear, not compassion, caused Jiri's tactical error. Ulberg also criticized Prochazka for not approaching him after their fight and accused him of performing for public reaction. The post also notes apparent tension within City Kickboxing gym, with Israel Adesanya and Ulberg reportedly not seen together recently and ignoring each other's fight results. President Trump reportedly told Paulo Costa after the fight that he was "too handsome to be a fighter."
Ray Longo, the longtime coach of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, has waded into the controversy surrounding Jiri Prochazka's post-fight comments, calling for a broader conversation about mental health in mixed martial arts while suggesting the Czech fighter's "mercy" explanation masked a simpler truth: he made a mistake.
Prochazka, 33, carries a 32-6-1 record and holds the number-two ranking in the light heavyweight division. Fighting out of Jetsaam Gym Brno, the six-foot-three, 203-centimeter reach striker has built a reputation for unconventional behavior and an unorthodox approach to combat. Longo pointed to those eccentricities alongside the mercy claim as potential indicators of deeper issues, stopping well short of accepting Prochazka's framing of events at face value.
Carlos Ulberg pushed back even harder, flatly rejecting the mercy narrative. Ulberg argued that what Prochazka described as compassion was, in reality, hesitation rooted in fear — a tactical error dressed up in spiritual language. Ulberg went further, criticizing Prochazka for failing to approach him after their fight and accusing him of playing to the crowd rather than being genuine.
Adding another layer to the story, tension appears to have surfaced inside City Kickboxing. Ulberg and teammate Israel Adesanya, the 36-year-old middleweight ranked eighth at 24-6-0, have reportedly not been seen together recently and are said to be ignoring each other's fight results — a notable development given the gym's profile as one of MMA's premier training environments.
On a lighter note, President Donald Trump reportedly told Paulo Costa following the event that he was "too handsome to be a fighter." Costa, ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division at 16-4-0, averages a division-leading 6.26 significant strikes landed per minute.
Why it matters
- Prochazka's post-fight credibility is under scrutiny from multiple figures inside the sport
- The reported rift at City Kickboxing between Adesanya and Ulberg raises questions about the gym's internal cohesion
- Longo's mental health framing adds a sensitive dimension to what began as a straightforward tactical debate
