MMA news: Alex Pereira vacates UFC light heavyweight belt, Jiri Prochazka vs Carlos Ulberg set
Alex Pereira has officially vacated his UFC light heavyweight title in order to move up a class and compete at heavyweight.
UFC boss Dana White confirmed the 38-year-old Brazilian’s decision on February 27.
Jiří Procházka and Carlos Ulberg will now fight for the vacant 205-pound belt at UFC 327 in Miami on April 11.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Samuel Faris-Clark takes a look at the situation.
Pereira teases heavyweight opponent
Pereira reclaimed the title with an 80-second knockout of Magomed Ankalaev in October, avenging the only loss he suffered at light heavyweight.
The former two-division GLORY kickboxing champion leaves light heavyweight with a record of 6-1.
He will now seek to become the UFC’s first three-weight world champion.
Indeed, Pereira would be the first fighter to even fight for the belt in three separate weight classes.
The Brazilian currently walks around at 242lbs, which is only five pounds lighter than top heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane’s last fighting weight.
An interim heavyweight title fight at the historic UFC White House card in June is a possibility.
Gane or Jon Jones are potential opponents, with champion Tom Aspinall still recovering from eye surgery.
Pereira teased that news for his next bout was imminent, saying: “My next fight is very close to being announced.
“It took a little while, but it’s very close to something being announced.”
MORE FROM SAMUEL FARIS-CLARK: MMA news: Tatsuro Taira gets title shot against Joshua Van over Manel Kape
Procházka, Ulberg eye belt
Procházka and Ulberg will headline the April 11 card at Kaseya Center in Miami, with White confirming the fight last Saturday.
The Czech star wants a second stint as champion after he first won the title by submitting Glover Teixeira at UFC 275 in 2022.
He has since lost twice to Pereira but bounced back strongly in 2025, stopping Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr, taking his UFC record to 6-2 with all wins inside the distance.
Ulberg arrives on a nine-fight winning streak after he lost his UFC debut in 2021.
He beat former champion Jan Błachowicz in London last year, then knocked out Dominick Reyes in the first round in Perth.
For the upcoming fight, Procházka is a slight betting favourite at 5/6 while Ulberg is available at 1/1.
The winner will replace Pereira as the new king at 205lbs.
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