The light heavyweight division officially belongs to Carlos Ulberg, but the “City Kickboxing” star had to endure a horror movie scenario to get there. In the main event of UFC 327, Ulberg appeared to suffer a catastrophic knee injury in the opening minutes, with his leg buckling so violently that even Jiri Prochazka seemed to pause in disbelief.
However, in a display of pure Kiwi grit, Ulberg planted his weight, waited for Prochazka to close the distance, and uncorked a massive check left hook that sent the former champion to the canvas. The knockout at 3:45 of the first round didn’t just win Ulberg the vacant title; it extended a winning streak that dates back over five years.
The Next Challenge: Magomed Ankalaev
While Ulberg is currently traveling to Las Vegas for scans on what doctors fear is a torn ACL, the matchmaking machine is already looking toward his first defense. The rumored opponent is the perennial boogeyman of the division, Magomed Ankalaev.
Despite Ulberg’s incredible momentum, the oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag aren’t buying into the underdog magic a second time. They’ve opened the line with Ankalaev as a significant favorite, expecting the Russian’s wrestling and technical striking to be the foil to Ulberg’s power.
Early Fight Odds:
- Magomed Ankalaev: -250
- Carlos Ulberg: +210
You can track the movement of these lines and the champion’s recovery status here.
