Coach Ray Longo doesn’t have a lot of sympathy for Jiri Prochazka after the fighter’s latest knockout loss at UFC 327.
Prochazka was poised to become a two-time light heavyweight champion this past Saturday, but he failed to capitalize on opponent Carlos Ulberg suffering a leg injury and was eventually knocked out in shocking fashion by a visibly compromised Ulberg. Afterwards, Prochazka said he regretted hesitating and showing “mercy” to Ulberg rather than go in for the finish.
If that’s the case,
Longo wants to know what is going through Prochazka’s head in a moment like that to make such a costly mistake.
“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 on the Anik & Florian Podcast. “This is what happens. That poor guy was confused. I mean, like, ‘Mercy. Mercy.’ Dude, you blew the f*cking fight. You blew it! You blew it! You know, the guy wants to come back now say—You f*cking blew it! Holy shit, you’ve got to be kidding me.
“First off, his first trainer needs to go back and watch the Karate Kid 1. You’ve got to be kidding me. You’ve got to be f*cking kidding me.”
Longo is referring to the classic final fight of 1984 film The Karate Kid, in which villainous coach John Kreese orders his pupils to intentionally injure the main character, Daniel LaRusso. Though Prochazka continued to target Ulberg’s lead leg with kicks—with the other injured leg occasionally buckling—Longo doesn’t think his tactics were effective if he was searching for a knockout.
“I feel bad for Ulberg, I really do,” Longo said. “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 and that somehow led to whatever happened, which who the hell knows what was going on. 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.
“The other guy, I don’t know. He needs to talk to somebody, because that was ridiculous what I saw. Absolutely ridiculous. I know he’s a good guy and again, 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. 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, you can’t be unhappy and happy and whatever it is.”
For Longo, the most important thing he thinks Prochazka forgot is that when you’re in the octagon, you’ve got to protect yourself at all times. And the best way to do that is to take out the other guy before they get a chance to do the same to you.
“Hats off to Ulberg,” Longo said. “I don’t want to overshadow, just what I was looking at was so crazy, that’s where my brain goes. When that door closes, anything can happen and that’s it, period. The door opens, everybody should be shaking hands, hugging each other, kissing each other, whatever you want to do.
“But when that door closes, f*cking shit is on. I don’t care what the f*ck happens. That’s my personal opinion.”
TOP STORIES
Report. Was Prochazka’s loss an all-time gaffe or does Ulberg deserve all the credit for UFC 327 main event win.
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All-timer. Curtis Blaydes doesn’t sound like he has any regrets about slugfest with Josh Hokit.
Halo. Jon Jones believes he’s “a pretty good person.”
Future. Paulo Costa discusses what’s next after knocking off undefeated light heavyweight Azamat Murzakanov.
Flashback. Hokit once wrestled Bo Nickal and it did not go well for him.
VIDEO STEW
On to the Next One in the aftermath of UFC 327.
UFC 327 post-fight show.
UFC 327 post-fight scrums.
UFC 327 reactions from the pros.
FLAVOR IN YOUR EAR
The Fight Library. Blaine Henry breaks down Carlos Ulberg’s shocking knockout of Jiri Prochazka.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Love.
Wait… can we make this fight happen?
Clarification.
Cope.
Oh my.
Never get between a man and his meal.
Do your taxes!
FEED ME MORE
Sometimes fighting is funny.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’m just so happy for Jim Miller. Nothing but love and positivity for anyone out there who is or knows someone battling cancer. You got this.
EXIT POLL
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