The UFC’s light heavyweight division has been thrown into uncertainty, and a grim recovery timeline for champion Carlos Ulberg has forced Dana White to address the looming question of an interim title. With the champion potentially sidelined for all of 2026 after an ACL tear he suffered at UFC 327, the 205 lbs division could do with an interim title to keep things moving.

“One of the good things about it, he was at Power Slap last night, and I was talking to him, and he’s going to stay in Vegas,” Dana White stated at the post-fight presser. “He has got surgery, he’s gonna start working at the PI. Apparently, where he lives in Australia (New Zealand), he’s in a remote part of the country. So, there isn’t a lot around him.

“But what we used to find before we built the Performance Institute, that we would get these guys surgery with great doctors, then they go back home and wouldn’t do anything. They didn’t do any physical therapy and recovery. So now with the PI, that place has saved more fights and helped more athletes prolong their careers. We’ll get him in there and see how fast he recovers, and we always figure it out.”

Amid Ulberg’s recovery, Paulo Costa has shown interest in fighting for the interim title. ‘Borrachinha’ revealed in an AG Fight interview that he has only one fight left in his contract, and believes he should utilize that by fighting for a title shot after defeating previously undefeated Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327.

Knowing that, a reporter asked Dana White whether he was interested in putting an interim title on the line soon. The UFC CEO dismissed any immediate possibility, expressing hope that Ulberg would recover in time.

“We have not,” Dana White added. “Yeah. I mean, Carlos is still getting set up there. But we will figure it out.”

Now, with contenders like Paulo Costa, Magomed Ankalaev, and others in the mix, the UFC could potentially book an interim matchup while Carlos Ulberg recovers from the grueling injury he sustained against Jiri Prochazka in Miami. Still, a former UFC veteran believes the promotion will not rush the process.

Anthony Smith provides insight on why the UFC won’t push an interim bout amid Carlos Ulberg’s recovery

As we’ve seen, several deserving contenders could fight for the title. But who is the most deserving of them all? That is exactly the question Anthony Smith believes is holding the UFC back from putting an interim 205 lbs title on the line. While the Kiwi powerhouse is expected to be out for a considerable amount of time, ‘Lionheart’ thinks the promotion will take its time to build clear contenders instead of rushing to crown an interim champion.

“My guess is going to be they don’t create an interim because there’s not really a clear picture of who you would put in it,” Smith told MMA Junkie. “I think they probably let those guys fight it out and figure out who the clear top-two guys are, then if he still needs more time, they’ll create an interim. I don’t think they’ll do it right away.

“I don’t think they’re in a rush with light heavyweight. I bet they let them fight it out a little bit and maybe run three or four fights and see what happens, and then if he still needs more time and it’s still another six months or seven months, then maybe we have to create one. But I don’t think they’re going to rush into creating an interim title.”

The former 205 lbs veteran makes a fair point. After marquee contenders like Khalil Rountree Jr., Jamahal Hill, and Jiri Prochazka suffered losses, the division is currently lacking clear, fresh contenders. However, with Robert Whittaker and Reinier de Ridder planning potential moves up to light heavyweight, new names could emerge and lead to fresh matchups. As a result, Carlos Ulberg may have a new wave of challengers waiting whenever he returns.

For now, the 205-pound division is in a holding pattern, waiting to see if a clear contender can emerge from the pack before the UFC is forced to create a title Ulberg himself can’t defend.

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