Ray Longo criticizes Prochazka's 'mercy' excuse, Ulberg calls it fear

Ray Longo, trainer of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, has called for discussion about mental health issues in MMA while criticizing Jiri Prochazka's post-fight "mercy" explanation. Longo stated that while Prochazka's unusual training methods are entertaining, his excuse after the loss was simply a cover for a major mistake. Carlos Ulberg echoed these sentiments, claiming Prochazka's mercy narrative was fabricated and that fear was the actual issue. Ulberg stated Prochazka didn't congratulate him after the fight and accused him of playing to the audience to secure a rematch. Ulberg insisted there will be no rematch and predicted Magomed Ankalaev will defeat Prochazka. Additionally, tensions appear to be brewing at City Kickboxing gym, as Israel Adesanya and Ulberg have not been seen together recently and are reportedly ignoring each other's recent performances. Ulberg is suspected to have suffered an ACL tear, which typically requires 9-12 months recovery, though official confirmation is pending this week.