Ray Longo, coach of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, has made strong comments about mental health in MMA while criticizing Jiri Prochazka's post-fight mercy explanation. Longo suggested that Prochazka's excuse about showing pity was nonsense and that he simply made a serious mistake. Carlos Ulberg also weighed in, stating that Prochazka was held back by fear rather than mercy and accused him of performing for the public. Ulberg believes Prochazka's claim was an attempt to secure a rematch that won't happen, predicting Ankalaev will defeat him. Additionally, Ulberg noted that Prochazka didn't approach him after their fight and suggested everything Prochazka does is aimed at generating public reaction.
Veterans from two corners of the sport have weighed in sharply on Jiri Prochazka's post-fight explanation following his recent light heavyweight loss, with coach Ray Longo and contender Carlos Ulberg both dismissing the Czech fighter's claim that he held back out of mercy.
Longo, who coaches bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and former champion Aljamain Sterling at the Serra-Longo Fight Team, called Prochazka's mercy narrative nonsense, arguing instead that the fighter simply made a serious competitive mistake and dressed it up with a convenient excuse.
Prochazka, ranked second in the light heavyweight division at 33 years old, carries a 32-6-1 record and is one of the more aggressive strikers in the division, landing 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. His style has always leaned on calculated risk, which makes the post-fight framing all the more pointed for his critics.
Ulberg, ranked third at light heavyweight and fighting out of City Kickboxing in New Zealand, was equally blunt. The 35-year-old, who holds a 15-1 record and lands an even heavier 6.54 significant strikes per minute at the same 55 percent accuracy, accused Prochazka of being driven by fear rather than compassion. Ulberg also noted that Prochazka did not approach him following their own fight and suggested that most of what Prochazka does is calculated to generate public attention. He went further, predicting that Ankalaev will defeat Prochazka if the two meet again and calling the mercy claim a transparent attempt to secure a rematch.
Why it matters
- Prochazka sits at number two in the light heavyweight rankings, meaning this narrative battle directly affects title contention credibility
- Ulberg, ranked one spot below at number three, has personal history with Prochazka and a direct stake in how the division's hierarchy is perceived
- The dispute signals a hardening of opinions around Prochazka's mental approach at the elite level, a factor that could influence matchmaking conversations going forward
