Ray Longo, trainer of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, criticized Jiri Prochazka's post-fight explanation about showing mercy. Longo questioned the mental state of fighters who engage in unusual practices, then called Prochazka's mercy claim nonsense, saying he simply made a serious mistake. Carlos Ulberg disputed Prochazka's mercy narrative, stating that fear was the real factor and accusing him of playing to the audience for a rematch opportunity. Ulberg also noted that Prochazka did not approach him after their fight and suggested all of Prochazka's actions are designed for public reaction. Ulberg expressed frustration that Prochazka broke from his usual respectful approach to opponents. Additionally, the post mentions rising tensions at City Kickboxing gym between top fighters like Israel Adesanya and Ulberg, who have not been seen together recently and do not publicly support each other's fights.
Ray Longo, the trainer known for his work with Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, has publicly dismissed Jiri Prochazka's post-fight claim that he showed mercy to Carlos Ulberg, calling the explanation nonsense and saying the Czech fighter simply made a serious mistake.
Prochazka, ranked second in the light heavyweight division at 33 years old, carries a professional record of 32-6-1 and trains out of Jetsaam Gym Brno in the Czech Republic. Standing six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach, he is one of the division's most aggressive strikers, averaging 5.69 significant strikes landed per minute at 55 percent accuracy. Longo questioned the mindset of fighters who engage in unconventional training practices before dismissing the mercy narrative outright.
Ulberg, nicknamed "Black Jag," pushed back just as sharply. The New Zealand-based City Kickboxing product holds a 15-1-0 record and sits third in the light heavyweight rankings at 35 years old. Standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, Ulberg leads the division's contenders in striking output at 6.54 significant strikes per minute, also at 55 percent accuracy. He argued that fear, not mercy, drove Prochazka's decision-making and accused him of crafting the mercy story to generate public sympathy and position himself for a rematch. Ulberg added that Prochazka did not come to find him after the fight, which he took as a sign of disrespect and a break from the opponent-first code Prochazka had previously projected.
Why it matters
- Prochazka at rank two and Ulberg at rank three means the winner of any rematch conversation carries direct title implications in a stacked light heavyweight division.
- The war of words signals that a second fight carries genuine personal friction, not just promotional framing.
- Separately, rising tension between Ulberg and fellow City Kickboxing member Israel Adesanya, the eighth-ranked middleweight at 36, adds internal pressure to one of MMA's most prominent gyms.
