Ray Longo, trainer of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, has spoken out about mental health in MMA while criticizing Jiri Prochazka's post-fight explanations. Longo said that while Prochazka's unconventional methods like standing on his head and drinking his own urine are entertaining, his "mercy" excuse after losing was problematic, stating Prochazka simply messed up badly. Carlos Ulberg also challenged Prochazka's mercy claim, saying it was fear that stopped him, not compassion. Ulberg accused Prochazka of playing to the crowd and making excuses to get a rematch, which Ulberg believes won't happen as Ankalaev will dominate him. Ulberg also noted that Prochazka didn't approach him after their fight and seems to do everything for public reaction.
Ray Longo, head trainer at the Serra-Longo Fight Team and corner man to both bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and former champion Aljamain Sterling, has publicly criticized Jiri Prochazka's post-fight explanations while addressing the broader topic of mental health in MMA.
Longo acknowledged that Prochazka's unconventional training habits — which reportedly include standing on his head and drinking his own urine — make for compelling viewing. But when it came to the Czech fighter's claim that he showed mercy rather than finishing an opponent, Longo was direct: Prochazka simply made a serious mistake and dressed it up in palatable language.
Prochazka, 33, carries a 32-6-1 record and is ranked second in the light heavyweight division. Standing six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach, he is one of the most dynamic strikers in the weight class, averaging 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy.
Carlos Ulberg, ranked one spot below Prochazka at number three, had sharper words. The 35-year-old New Zealander out of City Kickboxing — who goes by the nickname Black Jag and holds a 15-1-0 record — rejected the mercy narrative outright, arguing it was fear that caused Prochazka to hesitate, not compassion. Ulberg, who stands six-foot-four and lands 6.54 significant strikes per minute, also claimed Prochazka never approached him following their fight, suggesting the Czech fighter's public gestures are calculated for crowd reaction rather than genuine sportsmanship.
Ulberg went further, accusing Prochazka of manufacturing an excuse to lobby for a rematch. He dismissed that possibility, predicting that Magomed Ankalaev would dominate Prochazka if they were to meet again.
Why it matters
- Prochazka sits at number two in the light heavyweight rankings, making any rematch conversation carry genuine divisional weight
- Ulberg at number three has direct skin in the game — a Prochazka rematch with the title picture would affect his own path forward
- The public back-and-forth adds friction to an already crowded light heavyweight landscape and signals Ulberg has little interest in softening his position
