Ulberg KOs Prochazka to win UFC light heavyweight title

Carlos Ulberg knocked out Jiri Prochazka in dramatic fashion to capture the vacant light heavyweight title in the UFC 327 main event.

The finish came at the 3:45 mark of the first round Saturday night at Kaseya Center in Miami.

Ulberg suffered a knee injury early in the fight but rallied to pull off an improbable win. He caught Prochazka with a picture-perfect left hook and put him to sleep with vicious follow-up shots on the ground.

Ulberg said in his postfight interview that he "blew out" his knee during the fight.

"I never, ever counted myself out," Ulberg said. "I knew that all I needed was that one shot, and I ended up getting it. I knew that Jiri was hesitant to come forward. And as soon as I landed my left hand, he's going (out). I gotta sort this knee out, but we're the champion."

The UFC booked the fight between Ulberg and Prochazka after Alex Pereira decided to vacate the 205-pound title and move up to heavyweight, where he'll face Ciryl Gane for the interim belt at the UFC White House event on June 14. Prochazka and Ulberg were ranked No. 2 and No. 3 coming in, respectively.

Prochazka said he felt like he threw away the fight after noticing Ulberg was compromised.

"I felt mercy in that fight," Prochazka said in his postfight interview. "I felt so sorry with him. Man. This is one of the biggest lessons in my life. I still can't understand - that fight was won. I won that fight. I had it. It was in my hands. I just let him - because I saw his injury. F--k."

Ulberg extended his winning streak to 10 and lifted his professional record to 14-1. The 35-year-old New Zealander hasn't fallen short since his UFC debut in March 2021.

Prochazka, a former light heavyweight champion, suffered his first loss since a head-kick knockout against Pereira in June 2024. He had won two in a row entering Saturday's event.

"I will be back," Prochazka said. "Life is about that: learn, and be better."