Ulberg Confirms Early 2027 Return After Knee Injury

UFC heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg plans to return early next year after the knee injury he sustained while winning the belt against Jiri Prochazka.

Ulberg, who fought through the damage at UFC 327 to claim the 205-pound strap, told reporters at a Shanghai news conference he is focused on full recovery before defending. "I'm ready to get myself healthy again so that I can come and defend my title early next year," he said, per MMA Junkie.

Ulberg's Rehab Timeline And Title Defense Plans

The champion said watching from the sidelines has been difficult. "It sucks to be on the sidelines watching the guys. I'm still in the gym watching the guys and also doing my rehab," Ulberg explained. He added that rushing back would only put the ACL at risk.

Ulberg emphasised the mental and physical gains from the layoff. "When I come back, I'm going to be stronger mentally and physically for sure," he said. The focus now is upgrading what he calls "the software" while fulfilling champion duties on the road.

Several contenders are waiting at heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight, with the division heating up during Ulberg's absence. He has previously suggested Magomed Ankalaev and Jiri Prochazka could earn the next shot, along with a potential wildcard challenger.

Ulberg's return is pencilled for the first quarter of 2027, with the exact date contingent on medical clearance.

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• BJPenn — UFC champion Carlos Ulberg provides an update on his return from injury