There’s no timeline for a return for Carlos Ulberg just yet, but the newly crowned UFC light heavyweight champion has now undergone surgery for a torn ACL.
Ulberg (14-1) defeated Jiri Prochazka in the UFC 327 main event in Miami last weekend, essentially doing so on one leg after suffering a knee injury early in the fight. Prochazka appeared to have the win in the bag but was caught by a check left hook on the way in. That put Ulberg in an interesting spot: a new champ (winning the title vacated by Alex Pereira), but one who immediately knew he’d be on the shelf for a while.
Uncrowned first reported Ulberg’s ACL tear and surgery, and now “Black Jag” has confirmed as much, revealing he was already out of surgery.
He also appears to have recovered the championship belt he lost while celebrating his win over Prochazka. Initially, he told FOX Sports Australia that he had lost it while partying.
” I don’t know exactly where it is. Initially, after winning, the plan was to not have a drink. But you know how these things go, right? First, someone gives you a champagne to celebrate. Then one thing leads to another, and you’re doing shots,” Ulberg admitted (h/t Bloody Elbow). “So it’s ‘Okay, I’ll have another, and another, and another.”
“I didn’t want to be carrying the belt around, so I think it’s still there at the apartment somewhere,” he added. “One of the boys probably has it in bed with him.”
It appears it’s back as it’s once again featured on Ulberg’s social media profiles. As for a return timeframe, meanwhile, there’s none in sight as he recovers from ACL surgery.