Ray Longo, trainer of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, criticized Jiri Prochazka's mental state and post-fight excuses about showing mercy. Longo stated that while Prochazka's unconventional methods like praying to Olympus, standing on his head, and drinking his own urine are entertaining, his loss to Ulberg resulted from mistakes, not mercy. Carlos Ulberg himself stated that Prochazka's mercy claim was complete nonsense and that fear was the real issue. Ulberg accused Prochazka of playing to the public and using the mercy excuse to angle for a rematch. Ulberg also noted that Prochazka did not approach him after the fight. Additionally, President Trump told Paulo Costa after his fight that he's "too handsome to be a fighter." There are also reports of tension at City Kickboxing gym between Israel Adesanya and Ulberg.
Ray Longo and Carlos Ulberg have both pushed back sharply on Jiri Prochazka's post-fight suggestion that he showed mercy during their contest, with Ulberg going further by accusing the Czech fighter of manufacturing an excuse to angle for a rematch.
Longo, the veteran trainer known for his work with Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, acknowledged that Prochazka's unorthodox lifestyle habits — which reportedly include praying to Olympus, standing on his head, and drinking his own urine — make for compelling theater. But Longo was direct in dismissing any notion that Prochazka's loss came down to a deliberate act of restraint, arguing it came from mistakes rather than mercy.
Ulberg was even blunter. The New Zealand-based light heavyweight called Prochazka's mercy claim complete nonsense and said fear was the real factor. He also pointed out that Prochazka did not approach him after the fight, adding weight to his accusation that the narrative was being shaped for public consumption rather than reflecting reality.
Prochazka, who carries a 32-6-1 record and is currently ranked second in the light heavyweight division, is one of the more physically imposing fighters in the 205-pound weight class at six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach. He lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, numbers that make his unorthodox aggression statistically effective even when it produces the kind of moments his critics now point to.
Why it matters
- Prochazka sits at number two in the light heavyweight rankings, meaning any rematch narrative carries real divisional weight
- Ulberg's public rebuttal positions him as the more composed figure heading into future matchmaking conversations
- Separately, reports of internal tension between Israel Adesanya and Ulberg at City Kickboxing add another layer of instability around Ulberg's immediate future
- President Trump's aside to Paulo Costa — telling the number-13-ranked middleweight he is "too handsome to be a fighter" — also drew attention over the weekend, though it carries no competitive implications
