Carlos Ulberg Wins UFC Light Heavyweight Belt with 1st-Round KO

Ulberg stops Jiri Prochazka despite knee injury as Trump attends UFC 327 in Miami

Apr. 12, 2026 at 5:13am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the UFC 327 light heavyweight title fight between Carlos Ulberg and Jiri Prochazka, with sharp planes of color and movement capturing the raw energy and unpredictability of the match.A cubist interpretation of the dramatic UFC 327 light heavyweight title fight, where Carlos Ulberg overcame a knee injury to dethrone champion Jiri Prochazka with a first-round knockout.Today in Miami

Fighting through an apparent knee injury, Carlos Ulberg stopped Jiri Prochazka at 3:45 of the opening round to win the UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 327 in Miami. The event was attended by former President Donald Trump, who also saw Azamat Murzakanov score a third-round TKO of Paulo Costa in the co-main event.

Why it matters

Ulberg's victory marks a changing of the guard in the UFC light heavyweight division, as he takes the title from former champion Jiri Prochazka. The event's high-profile attendance by former President Trump also added an extra layer of political intrigue and spectacle to the proceedings.

The details

Ulberg appeared to tweak his right knee early in the first round, but refused to let the injury derail his title shot. He landed a perfect left hook to Prochazka's chin to earn the knockout win. In the co-main event, Murzakanov dropped Costa with a right roundhouse kick in the third round to earn the TKO victory.

  • The event took place on Saturday, April 11, 2026 in Miami.
  • Ulberg's knockout win came at the 3:45 mark of the first round.
  • Murzakanov's TKO of Costa occurred at the 1:23 mark of the third round.

The players

Carlos Ulberg

The new UFC light heavyweight champion, who won the title with a first-round knockout of Jiri Prochazka despite suffering a knee injury early in the fight.

Jiri Prochazka

The former UFC light heavyweight champion, who lost his title to Carlos Ulberg via first-round knockout.

Azamat Murzakanov

The UFC fighter who scored a third-round TKO victory over Paulo Costa in the co-main event.

Paulo Costa

The UFC fighter who was stopped by Azamat Murzakanov in the third round of their co-main event bout.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, who attended UFC 327 and was seen interacting with fighters and officials cageside.

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What they’re saying

“I blew out my knee, but I never counted myself out. I knew all I needed was that one shot and I ended up getting it.”

— Carlos Ulberg, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion

“I felt sorry (for) him, and this is one of the biggest lessons in my life. That fight was won, I had it, it was in my hands. I saw his injury, and … I will be back. Life is about that, learn and be better.”

— Jiri Prochazka, Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion

What’s next

Former champion Alex Pereira will challenge for the interim heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House on June 14, which will be Donald Trump's 80th birthday.

The takeaway

Ulberg's gutsy performance to overcome a knee injury and capture the UFC light heavyweight title in front of former President Trump underscores the unpredictable and dramatic nature of MMA. The event also highlighted the continued political influence of Trump in the world of combat sports.