Ray Longo, trainer of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, has criticized Jiri Prochazka's mental approach to fighting, suggesting mental health issues in MMA need discussion. Longo mocked Prochazka's unconventional practices like praying to Olympus, standing on his head, and drinking his own urine, calling his "mercy" excuse after losing to Ulberg complete nonsense. Carlos Ulberg echoed these sentiments, stating that Prochazka's claim of showing mercy was false and that fear was the real factor. Ulberg believes Prochazka is making excuses to secure a rematch and accused him of playing to the audience. Ulberg also noted that Prochazka never approached him after the fight. Additionally, Donald Trump reportedly told Paulo Costa after his fight that he is "too handsome to be a fighter." There are reports of tension at City Kickboxing gym between top fighters, with Israel Adesanya and Ulberg not seen together recently and not supporting each other's performances.
Ray Longo has publicly taken aim at Jiri Prochazka's mental approach to the sport, while Carlos Ulberg has pushed back hard against the Czech fighter's claim that he showed mercy during their recent bout.
Longo, the head trainer behind Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, singled out Prochazka's unconventional training rituals — including praying to Olympus, standing on his head, and drinking his own urine — as he called for a broader conversation around mental health in mixed martial arts. Longo was particularly dismissive of Prochazka's post-fight suggestion that he had extended mercy to Ulberg, calling that explanation complete nonsense.
Prochazka, 33, carries a 32-6-1 record and is ranked second in the UFC light heavyweight division. The Czech fighter trains out of Jetsaam Gym Brno and is one of the more prolific strikers in the weight class, averaging 5.69 significant strikes landed per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate.
Ulberg, for his part, rejected Prochazka's mercy narrative entirely, stating that fear was the genuine reason behind his opponent's performance. Ulberg accused Prochazka of manufacturing an excuse to engineer a rematch and of playing to the crowd rather than being honest. He also noted that Prochazka never came to speak with him once the fight was over.
Separate reports have surfaced suggesting tension within City Kickboxing, with Israel Adesanya and Ulberg not seen together recently and apparently not appearing at each other's events. Adesanya, 36, holds a 24-6-0 record and sits eighth in the middleweight rankings. The Nigerian-born veteran has built his career on a high-volume striking output of 4.03 significant strikes per minute.
In a lighter aside from the same event, Donald Trump reportedly approached Paulo Costa after his fight and told the Brazilian middleweight — who ranks thirteenth in the division with a 16-4-0 record — that he is too handsome to be a fighter.
Why it matters
- Prochazka's mental framing of the loss could affect his positioning for a light heavyweight title shot or rematch
- Reported friction between Adesanya and Ulberg raises questions about cohesion inside one of MMA's most prominent gyms
- Longo's comments signal that his high-profile training camp is paying close attention to the light heavyweight division
