Carlos Ulberg, the newly crowned UFC light heavyweight champion, has labelled Jiri Prochazka a “pretender,” strongly rejecting the notion that Prochazka showed him mercy during their recent title fight at UFC 327.
The championship bout saw Ulberg overcome a significant leg injury, initially suspecting an ACL tear, which hampered his mobility and made standing difficult. He admitted that his corner was prepared to stop the fight after the first round due to the severity of the injury.
Despite his condition, Ulberg managed to land a decisive check hook, sending Prochazka to the canvas. Ulberg then followed up with ground and pound to secure the victory and the championship.
Prochazka had suggested he held back from finishing Ulberg out of mercy. However, Ulberg disputes this, asserting that Prochazka’s hesitation stemmed from fear, not compassion. Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Ulberg stated, “That’s bullsh*t, total bullsh*t. That’s the fear that he had. That wasn’t any kind of mercy… There was no mercy in there. He was full of fear, hesitation, and that’s what got him clipped.” Ulberg believes Prochazka’s “mercy” narrative is an excuse and a strategy to secure a rematch, which Ulberg is adamant will not happen.
Regarding his injury, Ulberg confirmed that he is still awaiting definitive scans to determine the exact extent of the damage, potentially an ACL tear. He reported that his knee was swelling significantly and causing him considerable pain and difficulty even with basic movement.
“We don’t know for sure [if it’s a torn ACL],” Ulberg told Helwani. “I’ll get the scans done when I arrive in Vegas. The knee felt like it was going in and out of the socket… The pain was unbearable.”
