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Alex Pereira Shocks Dana White

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Robert LaMar | Last updated Feb 28, 2026 9:45 AM ET

The UFC light heavyweight division has a new championship bout and a new era incoming. On April 11 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg will clash in the UFC 327 main event for the vacant undisputed light heavyweight title, after Alex Pereira officially vacated the belt to pursue a move to heavyweight. Prochazka (32-5-1) has already experienced the highs and heartbreaks of championship gold.

Won the title in 2022 with a dramatic submission of Glover Teixeira
Vacated the belt due to injury
Lost twice to Pereira in subsequent title opportunities

Since then, the Czech striker has rebuilt momentum with consecutive third-round knockouts over:

Khalil Rountree Jr.
Jamahal Hill

Ranked No. 3 globally at 205 pounds, Prochazka now gets a clean slate no Pereira in the pi cture, no champion to dethrone just an opportunity to reclaim the throne.

Breaking: Alex Pereira will vacate his light heavyweight title, Dana White announced on Friday.

Jiri Prochazka will take on Carlos Ulberg in the main event at UFC 327 for the vacant title. pic.twitter.com/u2MaaE09Vw

— ESPN (@espn) February 28, 2026

Ulberg’s Meteoric Rise

Ulberg (13-1), ranked No. 4, represents the division’s surging new blood. After dropping his UFC debut in 2021, the New Zealand native has rattled off nine straight victories, culminating in a first-round knockout of Dominick Reyes.Reyes notably owns a win over former champion Jan Blachowicz, underscoring Ulberg’s legitimacy among elite competition.

Ulberg’s blend of athleticism, precision striking, and composure makes him a dangerous stylistic matchup for Prochazka’s chaotic, high-risk offense. The flyweight championship remains intact, as champion Joshua Van defends against Tatsuro Taira in the co-main event.

Additional UFC 327 Bouts

The rest of the card adds significant depth:

Beneil Dariush vs. Manuel Torres
Patricio Pitbull vs. Aaron Pico
Mateusz Gamrot vs. Esteban Ribovics
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Vicente Luque

What’s at Stake

With Pereira moving up, the 205-pound landscape resets.

Prochazka: Reclaim championship status and cement resilience after setbacks.
Ulberg: Complete one of the division’s most impressive turnaround runs with gold.

On April 11 in Miami, a former champion and a rising contender collide and the light heavyweight division turns the page.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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