Ray Longo, trainer of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, suggested that mental health issues in MMA need to be addressed, specifically referencing Jiri Prochazka's unusual behavior and his 'mercy' excuse after losing. Longo called out Prochazka's eccentric practices like praying to Olympus, standing on his head, and drinking his own urine, stating the Czech fighter 'screwed up badly' and was lost after the fight. Carlos Ulberg also criticized Prochazka harshly, claiming the mercy excuse was complete nonsense and that Prochazka was actually motivated by fear. Ulberg accused Prochazka of playing to the crowd and creating excuses to get a rematch, adding that Prochazka didn't even approach him after their fight. Ulberg predicted Ankalaev will destroy Prochazka and suggested everything Prochazka does is calculated for public reaction rather than genuine.
Ray Longo, trainer of UFC bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili and former champion Aljamain Sterling, has publicly questioned the mental state of light heavyweight contender Jiri Prochazka, sparking a broader conversation about mental health in mixed martial arts.
Longo singled out Prochazka's well-documented eccentric habits — including praying to Olympus, standing on his head, and reportedly drinking his own urine — and said the Czech fighter "screwed up badly" following his most recent loss. Longo suggested mental health resources need greater attention within the sport, framing Prochazka's post-fight explanation that he showed his opponent "mercy" as a sign that the 33-year-old was lost in the moment.
Prochazka, ranked second in the UFC light heavyweight division, carries a 32-6-1 record and is one of the more physically imposing fighters in the weight class at six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach. He lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, making him one of the division's most active offensive threats.
Carlos Ulberg, ranked third at light heavyweight and Prochazka's most recent opponent, was far less diplomatic in his assessment. The New Zealand-born City Kickboxing product, who holds a 15-1 record at 35 years old, dismissed the mercy narrative outright and accused Prochazka of being motivated by fear rather than compassion. Ulberg claimed Prochazka played to the crowd, manufactured excuses to secure a rematch, and never approached him after their fight. At six-foot-four with a reach of 77 inches, Ulberg himself lands 6.54 significant strikes per minute — a higher volume than Prochazka — and matched him at 55 percent striking accuracy.
Ulberg went further, predicting that Magomed Ankalaev will dismantle Prochazka and asserting that everything the Czech fighter does is engineered for public reaction rather than rooted in authenticity.
Why it matters
- Prochazka sits second in the light heavyweight rankings, meaning any narrative around his mental state or motivations directly affects the division's title picture
- Ulberg's accusations that Prochazka is angling for a rematch through manufactured excuses adds tension to the top of a division already crowded with contenders
- The public back-and-forth between Longo and Ulberg on one side and Prochazka's camp on the other raises the stakes around Prochazka's next appearance against Ankalaev
