MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 11: (L-R) Carlos Ulberg of New Zealand punches Jiri Prochazka of the Czech Republic in the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 327 event at Kaseya Center on April 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
Visit catcrossgame.com for more information.
Zuffa LLCHIGHLIGHTS
- The new champion won the title in one of the most dramatic finishes in UFC history.
- A heavyweight war led to a real-time booking for the biggest card of the year.
- A former middleweight made a statement in his divisional debut.
Some fans are down on the UFC, but over the past month we've seen some really strong cards. The latest was UFC 327 from the Kaseya Center in Miami. In the main event, Carlos Ulberg did the unthinkable.
He didn't just knock Jiri Prochazka out to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion. He did it minutes after seemingly blowing out his knee in the first round. It was like something out of a movie. And quite honestly, that was the second time I used that reference describing something from UFC 327.
Ulberg landed a perfect left hook on the former champion’s jaw. It dropped him and Ulberg finished the deal to win the title Alex Pereira vacated as he moves up to heavyweight to challenge for the vacant title. It was crazy. Take a look at the injury and the finish.
Prochazka was distraught after the fight. He said he had mercy on Ulberg after he saw his injury and that is what led to the loss.
The performance was worthy of a bonus. Ulberg will get a bonus for winning by finish, but the grit required should be worthy of a performance bonus as well and the UFC awarded him with the additional $100K. Here is a breakdown of the bonus winners and all of the results from the card.
Who Won the Bonuses?
$100,000 Performance of the Night:Josh Hokit and Carlos Ulberg
$100,000 Fight of the Night:Curtis Blaydes vs. Josh Hokit
$25,000 Finish Bonuses: Paulo Costa, Cub Swanson, Mateusz Gamrot, Tatiana Suarez, Vicente Luque
Post-Fight Bonus History: Curtis Blaydes (5), Carlos Ulberg (5), Josh Hokit (4)
The Hokit vs. Lewis fight at the UFC White House card was booked in real time during the Hokit-Blaydes war.
What Happened in the Main Event?
The knee injury makes it legendary. Ulberg's left knee buckled in the first round and it looked like the fight might be stopped. He survived the round, found his range and landed a perfect left hook that sent Prochazka crashing to the canvas.
Ulberg (15-1) is the new UFC light heavyweight champion. He joins a lineage that includes Pereira, Prochazka, Glover Teixeira and Jon Jones.
What Were the Other Key Results?
In the co-main event, Paulo Costa put on one of the best performances of his career. In his light heavyweight debut, Costa knocked out previously undefeated Azamat Murzakanov. Costa should immediately be ranked in the Top 5 at 205 pounds.
Hokit (9-0) won 29-28 on all three scorecards over Blaydes in a fight many called the greatest heavyweight fight of all time. Cub Swanson KO'd Nate Landwehr in the first round at 42 years old.
Full Results
Main Card (Paramount+)
- Carlos Ulberg def. Jiri Prochazka via KO (punches), R2 — Vacant LHW Title
- Azamat Murzakanov vs. Paulo Costa — Costa def. via KO, R3, 1:23
- Josh Hokit def. Curtis Blaydes via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Dominick Reyes def. Johnny Walker via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Cub Swanson def. Nate Landwehr via KO (punch), R1, 4:06
Prelims (Paramount+)
- Aaron Pico def. Patricio Pitbull via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Randy Brown def. Kevin Holland via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Mateusz Gamrot def. Esteban Ribovics via submission (arm triangle), R2, 4:19
- Tatiana Suarez def. Loopy Godinez via submission (RNC), R2, 2:29
Early Prelims (Paramount+)
- Chris Padilla vs. MarQuel Mederos — Majority Draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28)
- Kelvin Gastelum def. Vicente Luque via submission (anaconda choke), R1, 4:08
- Francisco Prado def. Charles Radtke via UD (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
What's Next After UFC 327?
Ulberg is the new champion, but depending on the severity of his injury, he could be on the shelf for a while. We'll see what happens with the title if that's the case.
Costa's knockout of Murzakanov makes him an immediate contender at 205. The UFC White House card on June 14 is the next marquee event on the calendar.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com