Carlos Ulberg expresses confidence in his return after injury at UFC 327: 'My body is recovering quickly'

Ulberg celebrates his UFC victory. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube/UFC

The victory against Jiri Prochazka in the main event of UFC 327 marked the peak of Carlos Ulberg 's career , crowning him the new light heavyweight champion (up to 93 kg). However, the New Zealander left the octagon with a serious concern for the future of his career. The victory was achieved with dramatic twists, as he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the first few minutes of the fight. Because of this, he began the rehabilitation process almost immediately. Despite the situation, in an interview with the Ultimate last Sunday (26), he hinted that the hiatus will not last long.

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According to the fighter, the initial expectation before undergoing the surgical procedure was a long period of recovery. However, the recovery process has been surprisingly good, making it possible to dream of a much sooner return.

“I am very optimistic about the progress and rehabilitation. It’s an ACL injury. We went into surgery thinking that recovery could take six to eight months, maybe even longer for some, but with the progress we’re making so far, it’s only been a week and we’re already recovering very well. I think we’ve found a good formula. The body is healing very quickly. The doctors are satisfied. The team is satisfied. It’s very good to be able to work closely with the doctor and receive the treatment I need,” he stated.

🚨 Carlos Ulberg says recovery from his ACL surgery could take 6-8 months

“With the progress we've got at the moment, we're moving pretty good… the body is healing really fast.”

(via @ufc ) pic.twitter.com/ad1qfLon67

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 26, 2026

Carlos Ulberg's injury is not uncommon in MMA.

An extremely common injury in high-performance sports, an ACL tear significantly affects the stability and mobility of the knee. Although it varies from individual to individual, recovery time usually lasts between nine months and a year. In MMA, one of the athletes who recovered in record time was Tony Ferguson , who took only six months to return to the octagon against Anthony Pettis at UFC 229.

Carlos Ulberg is the new UFC light heavyweight champion. Photo: Reproduction/X

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