Prochazka Plans to 'Hunt' Ulberg for Vacant UFC Title

Former champion Jiri Prochazka believes he has the strategy to expose Carlos Ulberg's weaknesses in their upcoming fight.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka is set to face Carlos Ulberg for the vacant title at UFC 327 in Miami on April 11. Prochazka says he has been plotting his approach to Ulberg, who he believes doesn't handle pressure well and dislikes being 'hunted' in the octagon. With previous champion Alex Pereira vacating the belt, Prochazka is eager to reclaim the title he lost to Pereira in a previous trilogy.

Why it matters

The vacant light heavyweight title fight between Prochazka and Ulberg is a high-stakes matchup, with both fighters looking to cement their status as the top dog in the division. Prochazka's comments suggest he has identified key weaknesses in Ulberg's game that he plans to exploit, setting up an intriguing stylistic clash between the former champion and the surging contender.

The details

Prochazka (32-5-1 MMA, 6-2 UFC) was originally angling for a trilogy bout with Alex Pereira after rebounding with back-to-back knockout wins. However, with Pereira vacating the title, Prochazka will instead face Ulberg (13-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) for the vacant belt. Prochazka believes Ulberg doesn't handle pressure well and dislikes being the one 'hunted' in the octagon, so he plans to apply constant pressure and force Ulberg to fight on his terms.

  • The UFC 327 event will take place on April 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida.
  • Prochazka and Ulberg will compete for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title in the main event.

The players

Jiri Prochazka

A former UFC light heavyweight champion with a 32-5-1 MMA record, Prochazka is looking to regain the title he lost to Alex Pereira in a previous trilogy.

Carlos Ulberg

A rising light heavyweight contender with a 13-1 MMA record, Ulberg will challenge Prochazka for the vacant UFC title at UFC 327.

Alex Pereira

The former UFC light heavyweight champion, Pereira has vacated the title, paving the way for Prochazka and Ulberg to compete for the belt.

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What they’re saying

“I'm not surprised. I think it's a gentleman thing. When you go up, it's normal to release the title. I hoped (to meet Pereira again). Possible opponents for me, there was Ulberg or Pereira. I wanted just one of these two for a title fight because I think other fighters don't deserve it, and I made enough to take back what's mine.”

— Jiri Prochazka (The Ariel Helwani Show)

“I already chose the way I like to hunt Ulberg because he don't like the pressure. He don't like to be hunted. This is what I say to myself. I need to be that one who catches this guy. There is no other way to fight with him. He is fast, good kickboxer, he likes to jump a lot, to be light on the legs. He don't like to wrestle. He don't like to be on the ground. So, pressure, pressure. That's it.”

— Jiri Prochazka (The Ariel Helwani Show)

What’s next

The winner of the Prochazka-Ulberg fight at UFC 327 will become the new UFC light heavyweight champion.

The takeaway

This vacant title fight between the former champion Prochazka and rising contender Ulberg sets up an intriguing stylistic clash, with Prochazka confident he can expose Ulberg's weaknesses through constant pressure and aggression in the octagon.