Ray Longo, trainer of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, has sharply criticized Jiri Prochazka's post-fight explanation of showing "mercy" to Carlos Ulberg. Longo suggested that mental health issues in MMA need to be discussed, calling out Prochazka's unconventional practices like praying to Olympus, standing on his head, and drinking his own urine. He stated that Prochazka simply "messed up badly" rather than showing mercy. Carlos Ulberg echoed this sentiment, claiming that fear, not mercy, prevented Prochazka from finishing the fight, and accused him of playing to the audience for a rematch opportunity. Ulberg also noted tension, stating Prochazka didn't congratulate him after the fight. Additionally, Donald Trump reportedly told Paulo Costa after his fight that he's "too handsome to be a fighter." Ulberg may have suffered an ACL tear with a 9-12 month recovery timeline, pending confirmation this week.
Ray Longo, the trainer behind Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, has gone on the offensive against Jiri Prochazka's post-fight narrative, dismissing the Czech fighter's claim that he showed "mercy" to Carlos Ulberg rather than finishing him. Ulberg himself has also pushed back firmly on that account.
Prochazka, 33, carries a 32-6-1 record and sits ranked second in the light heavyweight division. The six-foot-three Czech fighter out of Jetsaam Gym Brno is one of the sport's most aggressive strikers, averaging 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. His unorthodox personality has long been part of his public image, but Longo used that eccentricity as the centerpiece of his criticism, pointedly referencing Prochazka's reported habits including praying to Olympus, standing on his head, and drinking his own urine. Longo stated plainly that Prochazka "messed up badly" and suggested the sport needs a broader conversation about mental health.
Ulberg, ranked third in the same division at 35 years old, carries a near-pristine 15-1-0 record fighting out of the renowned City Kickboxing gym in New Zealand. The six-foot-four "Black Jag" actually out-paces Prochazka offensively, landing 6.54 significant strikes per minute. Ulberg rejected the mercy framing entirely, arguing that fear stopped Prochazka from finishing the fight rather than any generous impulse. He also accused Prochazka of playing to the crowd to manufacture a rematch opportunity, and noted that Prochazka did not congratulate him following the bout.
Separately, Donald Trump reportedly told middleweight Paulo Costa that he was "too handsome to be a fighter" following Costa's most recent contest. Costa, ranked 13th at middleweight, holds a 16-4-0 record and lands an imposing 6.26 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Ulberg's win over a top-two light heavyweight opponent strengthens his title case significantly
- A potential ACL injury to Ulberg, with a reported 9-12 month recovery window pending confirmation, could disrupt the division's contender picture
- The public dispute over Prochazka's post-fight explanation complicates any immediate rematch narrative
