Ray Longo has delivered a verdict on Jiri Prochazka's performance at UFC 327, and he has no patience for the explanation the former champion offered afterward.
Speaking on the Anik and Florian Podcast, the veteran coach tore into Prochazka's decision to ease off Carlos Ulberg after the New Zealander suffered a leg injury during their light heavyweight title fight in Miami. Prochazka was knocked out despite his opponent being visibly compromised, and afterward admitted he had shown mercy rather than pressing his advantage. Longo was not sympathetic.
"I think we first have to discuss mental illness in MMA because something is — You know, it's all funny when the guy's praying up on Mount Olympus and standing on his head drinking his own piss, but this is what happens," Longo said. "This is what happens. That poor guy was confused. I mean, like, 'Mercy. Mercy.' Dude, you blew the f***ing fight."
Longo referenced the 1984 film The Karate Kid to illustrate his frustration with whoever first shaped Prochazka's competitive philosophy. "First off, his first trainer needs to go back and watch the Karate Kid 1. You've got to be f***ing kidding me."
Despite crediting Prochazka for continuing to target Ulberg's lead leg with kicks, Longo argued the approach was not effective if a finish was the goal, and that Prochazka failed to capitalize even when Ulberg's other leg buckled.
He reserved praise for Ulberg, who fought through the injury to claim the championship rather than taking the easier path of coasting through the round.
"I feel bad for Carlos because it was a Hollywood movie-type script and he's got to now think that this guy gave him a break because he had mercy on him," Longo said. "But with that being said, hat's off to Ulberg, he did what he had to do. He could have stopped. He could have quit. He could have hobbled around, but he was going to fight to the very end and he deserves what he got."
Longo also pushed back on Prochazka's attempt to frame the mercy as something to be both proud of and upset about simultaneously.
"If you gave the guy mercy, then be happy. You did what you wanted to do. You let him off the hook. Don't be mad about it," Longo said. "That should be a badge of honor for you, you didn't want to hurt a guy that was injured. So leave it like that, but you can't have it both ways."
He closed with a straightforward reminder about the nature of competition. "When that door closes, anything can happen and that's it, period. When that door closes, s*** is on. I don't care what the f*** happens."
