Ray Longo, coach to Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, commented on Jiri Prochazka's post-fight behavior, questioning mental health issues in MMA. Longo referenced Prochazka's unconventional practices like praying to Olympus, headstands, and drinking his own urine, saying while it's entertaining, his "mercy" explanation for losing was just him "screwing up badly." Carlos Ulberg stated Prochazka didn't show mercy but was held back by fear, accusing him of playing to the public to justify a rematch request. Ulberg also noted Prochazka didn't congratulate him after the fight and suggested everything Prochazka does is calculated for public reaction. Additionally, Donald Trump reportedly told Paulo Costa after his fight that he's "too handsome to be a fighter," and there are rumors of tension at City Kickboxing gym between Israel Adesanya and Ulberg, as they haven't been seen together and haven't publicly supported each other's recent fights.
Ray Longo has publicly questioned the mental state of Jiri Prochazka following the Czech fighter's most recent bout, while Carlos Ulberg fired back at Prochazka's post-fight explanation with pointed accusations of excuse-making and audience manipulation.
Longo, the respected coach best known for working with Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, acknowledged that Prochazka's unconventional habits — including praying to Olympus, performing headstands, and reportedly drinking his own urine — make for entertaining viewing. However, Longo was blunt in dismissing Prochazka's claim that he showed "mercy" in the loss, calling it simply a matter of the fighter "screwing up badly." Longo also raised broader questions about mental health awareness within the sport.
Ulberg went further, stating that Prochazka was not held back by mercy but by fear. The New Zealand-based light heavyweight accused Prochazka of playing to the public in order to manufacture justification for a rematch. Ulberg also noted that Prochazka did not congratulate him after the fight, and suggested that every move Prochazka makes is carefully calculated for public reaction rather than genuine expression.
Prochazka, 33, carries a 32-6-1 record and is currently ranked second in the light heavyweight division. The six-foot-three Czech fighter out of Jetsaam Gym Brno is one of the more prolific strikers in the division, landing 5.69 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate.
Ulberg trains out of City Kickboxing, the Auckland gym he shares with middleweight ranked fighter Israel Adesanya. Notably, the summary also flags reported tension between Ulberg and Adesanya at City Kickboxing, with the two not having been seen together recently and neither having publicly supported the other's recent performances.
Why it matters
- Prochazka sits at number two in the light heavyweight rankings, meaning the narrative around his loss directly affects the rematch conversation at the top of the division
- Ulberg's credibility in calling out the post-fight behavior adds weight to the criticism, given he was the opponent at the center of Prochazka's "mercy" claim
- The reported rift at City Kickboxing between Ulberg and Adesanya, if accurate, could have consequences for one of MMA's most prominent training camps
