\u201cBlack Jag\u201d claimed the belt and extended his winning run to ten fights with a stunning first-round knockout of Proch\u00e1zka<\/a>, but Ulberg was forced to overcome what appeared to be a debilitating knee injury in order to do so. <\/p>\n Ariel Helwani Confirms Carlos Ulberg ACL Tear & Surgery<\/p>\n After Ulberg shared an initial update stating he\u2019d find out the extent of the injury<\/a> to his knee once he was tested in Las Vegas, Ariel Helwani <\/a>reports that the 35-year-old has already undergone surgery to address an ACL tear. <\/p>\n New UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg did in fact tear his ACL en route to winning the belt last Saturday, per his manager Ash Belcastro. <\/p>\n \u201cHe snapped it,\u201d Belcastro tells me. <\/p>\n Ulberg had surgery yesterday. Belcastro says it \u201cwent really well,\u201d per his doctors. <\/p>\n He\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/nRXFKChSzN<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Confirmation that Ulberg sustained an injury as severe as an ACL tear during the early going of the Proch\u00e1zka matchup won\u2019t come as much surprise to anyone that watched the fight, but the more concerning part of Helwani\u2019s report is that the New Zealander apparently did more damage to the knee by continuing to fight on it. <\/p>\n Jiri Prochazka (red gloves) fights Carlos Ulberg (blue gloves) during UFC 327 at Kaseya Center. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images<\/p>\n When Will Carlos Ulberg Return To Defend His UFC Title?<\/p>\n The referee and cageside physician likely would have taken a close look at Ulberg\u2019s knee in between rounds if given the opportunity, but \u201cBlack Jag\u201d never gave them the chance to derail his title aspirations when he brought things to an end less than four minutes into the opening frame. <\/p>\n Carlos Ulberg (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Jiri Prochazka (red gloves) during UFC 327 at Kaseya Center. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images<\/p>\n The concern now is how long Ulberg will be sidelined, as the light heavyweight division is left in a tough spot with its newly-crowned champion out of action for the foreseeable future. Proch\u00e1zka himself saw his own light heavyweight title reign end prematurely due to injury, as he elected to vacate the title that he won from Glover Teixeira when he was told that he\u2019d be out for an extended period after hurting his shoulder. <\/p>\n Jiri Prochazka (red gloves) before the fight against Carlos Ulberg (blue gloves) during UFC 327 at Kaseya Center. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images<\/p>\n UFC 327 marked Proch\u00e1zka\u2019s third attempt to reclaim the light heavyweight belt, as he came up short in another fight for the vacant title against Alex Pereira before he was also knocked out by the Brazilian in their second meeting at UFC 303. \u201cPoatan\u201d was briefly unseated by Magomed Ankalaev<\/a> but knocked the Russian out in their immediate rematch and vacated the light heavyweight belt ahead of his interim heavyweight title bid <\/a>against Ciryl Gane this summer. <\/p>\n![\"Jiri](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kpe7fq38m8mnqvt822.jpg\" "\\"Jiri")
<\/p>\n![\"Carlos](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kpe7ctt2b2vdf835aa.jpg\" "\\"Carlos")
<\/p>\n![\"Jiri](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kpe7ev2e8r2zgq7m74.jpg\" "\\"Jiri")
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