Dana White at a UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC
In April, in Miami (USA), Paulo borrachinha He showed what he's made of in the light heavyweight division (up to 93 kg). The Brazilian surprised everyone by knocking out the feared... Azamat Murzakanov In the third round, and excited to end his opponent's undefeated streak, he began his campaign to challenge for the belt. However, Dana White has already thwarted the athlete's plans, largely due to the champion's current condition. Carlos Ulberg.
In the post-UFC Winnipeg press conference, held last Saturday (18), the executive made it clear that, at the moment, there are no negotiations to define the next fight for the light heavyweight belt, much less that the New Zealander will be removed and lose the title. It is worth noting that, in the main fight of UFC 327, Ulberg suffered a knee injury against Jiri ProchazkaHe had difficulty staying on his feet, but he didn't give up and knocked him out in the first round.
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Due to the severity of the injury, many predicted that 'Black Jag' would be out of the octagon for a long time to recover, and thus the UFC would have to create a new interim belt, possibly involving Borrachinha and... Magomed AnkalayevThe Brazilian himself fuels this idea. It's true that the bad boy is on a roll, but Dana indicates that his focus is on Ulberg, who recently underwent knee surgery, and assures that the league will take care of him. Therefore, the executive suggests that the athlete's return to action could happen sooner than expected.
“We don’t have (plans for Borrachinha to fight for the belt). One of the good things is that Ulberg was at Power Slap, we talked and he’ll stay in Las Vegas. So, he had the surgery and will start working at the Performance Institute. Apparently, he lives in a remote region of Australia and there wasn’t much nearby. What we used to see before we built the PI was guys who went back home and didn’t do anything else, no physical therapy or recovery,” said the executive.
“Now, with the PI, we can get these guys operated on by great doctors. This place has saved more fights and helped more athletes extend their careers. We're going to put him there and see how quickly he starts to recover. We always find a way. Ulberg is still settling in here, but we'll figure it out,” he concluded.
Fighters Borrachinha and Ulberg in MMA
Paulo borrachinha, 34 years old, is one of the most popular Brazilian fighters in the UFC. The athlete began his MMA career in 2012, debuted for the organization in 2017, and competed for the middleweight title (up to 83,9 kg) in 2020. Currently, the Minas Gerais native is ranked 15th in the division and number seven in the light heavyweight rankings. In sports, the 'bad boy' built a record of 16 wins and four losses. His main triumphs were against Azamat Murzakanov, John hendricks, Luke Rockhold e Yoel romero.
Carlos UlbergThe 35-year-old is experiencing a magical phase in his career. The New Zealander began his MMA journey in 2011, debuted in the UFC in 2021, and became the light heavyweight champion in 2026. In the sport, the athlete has built a record of 14 wins, ten by stoppage (nine by knockout and one by submission), and one loss. His main triumphs were over... Dominick reyes, Jan Blachowicz, Jiri Prochazka e Volkan oezdemir.
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