Carlos Ulberg snatched a most remarkable title victory at UFC 327, defeating Jiri Prochazka in the first round. Although he might not be out of the woods yet, as one Doctor explains, a long recovery process is due after an arduous fight.
‘Black Jag’ defied all odds, overcoming a serious knee injury in the first round to knock out Prochazka with his signature left hook and a flurry of desperate punches. It couldn’t have been a bigger moment for the Auckland native, with Donald Trump in attendance in front of a packed crowd in Miami, Florida.
Carlos Ulberg was fighting the clock as well as Prochazka at UFC 327
Post-fight, Ulberg expressed his view on the injury. He said he never doubted he could land one shot to win. He landed a left hook to Prochazka’s chin and delivered a couple of ground strikes. Prochazka also blamed himself for not capitalizing on this.
“I blew out my knee, but I never counted myself out,” Ulberg said in his post-fight interview. “I knew all I needed was that one shot and I ended up getting it. So I knew that Jiri was hesitant to come forward. And as soon as I landed my left hand he’s going. It’s about getting those moments. It’s about getting those moments.”
Doctor confirms concerns over Ulberg’s right knee
Carlos Ulberg claimed he was about 75 seconds away from stopping the fight. Even commentators were talking about the possibility of the fight being stopped. If the round had continued much longer or gone to the break, it would have been a different picture. Sports medicine doctor Brian Sutterer also gave it a strong backing.
Sutterer reviewed the footage where Ulberg’s right knee buckled awkwardly. The sports medicine doctor admits Ulberg wouldn’t have been able to advance to the first round, even with support from his coaching staff or doctor.
He described this injury as “pathognomonic” for an ACL tear. Sutterer believes Ulberg’s injury requires a surgery and 9-12 months break. He expects him to be out until 2027.
“If this fight goes beyond the 1st round, Ulberg’s knee quickly starts to fill with blood (hemarthrosis) making it likely impossible to continue fighting,” Sutterer said via X. “He had the rest of that first round to get the job done before the knee failed him, and he did just that.
“[…] I will be surprised if we see him fight in 9 to 12 months,” Sutterer continued on YouTube.
Ulberg (15-1-0) is currently the light heavyweight champion, but a blown-out knee may rule him out for the rest of the year. It’s not a good scenario for UFC. Dana White and the UFC now have a tough decision on tap.
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