Ray Longo, trainer of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, suggested the MMA community needs to address mental health issues, specifically referencing Jiri Prochazka's unusual training methods and post-fight comments about showing mercy. Longo stated Prochazka simply made a bad mistake rather than showing mercy. Carlos Ulberg responded to Prochazka's mercy claims, saying it was fear that stopped Prochazka, not compassion, and accused him of making excuses to get a rematch. Ulberg also revealed Prochazka did not approach him after the fight and believes Prochazka only cares about public reaction. Additionally, Trump reportedly told Paulo Costa after his fight that he is too handsome to be a fighter. The post also mentions potential tension at City Kickboxing gym between top fighters and a suspected ACL tear for Ulberg requiring 9-12 months recovery.
Ray Longo, the trainer behind Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, has waded into the ongoing controversy surrounding Jiri Prochazka's post-fight comments, suggesting the MMA community needs to take mental health more seriously — and pointing to Prochazka's unconventional training methods and public statements as cause for concern.
Prochazka, the 33-year-old Czech Republic native ranked second in the light heavyweight division, carries a 32-6-1 record and is known for one of the most aggressive output rates in the sport, landing 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. After his recent loss to Carlos Ulberg, Prochazka claimed he had shown mercy by stopping his assault, a statement Longo flatly rejected. In Longo's view, Prochazka simply made a bad mistake in the fight — nothing more.
Ulberg, fighting out of City Kickboxing in New Zealand, pushed back even harder. The 35-year-old, ranked third at light heavyweight with a 15-1-0 record, stands six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach and averages 6.54 significant strikes per minute — the highest output among the three fighters mentioned here. Ulberg said it was fear, not compassion, that caused Prochazka to stop, and accused him of manufacturing a narrative to justify a rematch. Ulberg also disclosed that Prochazka did not seek him out after the fight, characterizing the mercy claim as a play for public sympathy rather than a genuine reflection of events.
The situation is further complicated by a reported suspected ACL tear for Ulberg that could sideline him for nine to twelve months, as well as whispers of internal tension at City Kickboxing among its roster of top-ranked fighters.
Separately, Brazilian middleweight Paulo Costa — ranked thirteenth in his division at 16-4-0 — drew a lighter moment when Donald Trump reportedly told him after his fight that he is too handsome to be a fighter. Costa, who lands 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, did not appear to dispute the assessment.
Why it matters
- Prochazka's mercy narrative, if widely accepted, could strengthen his case for a rematch with Ulberg in a stacked light heavyweight division
- Ulberg's potential ACL injury would remove the third-ranked contender from action for the better part of a year, reshaping the title picture
- Tension at City Kickboxing could affect matchmaking dynamics for one of MMA's most prominent gyms
