Ray Longo, trainer of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, made critical comments about Jiri Prochazka following his recent defeat. Longo suggested the sport needs to address mental health issues, referencing Prochazka's unconventional training methods including standing on his head and drinking his own urine. He dismissed Prochazka's post-fight claim about showing mercy, stating bluntly that Prochazka simply lost badly. The comments were published on April 14, 2026. Longo characterized Prochazka's mercy explanation as "complete nonsense" and attributed the loss to fear rather than compassion.
