When the fight began, sportsbooks were split on who held the edge between Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg. Prochazka, however, carried slight momentum in the court of public opinion. Once the action got underway, any uncertainty quickly disappeared—especially with the light heavyweight title vacant following Alex Pereira’s departure.
Ulberg delivered a composed performance to earn a first-round KO victory, claiming his very first title in the promotion or otherwise. Now that the belt is lost, the question on everyone’s mind is simple: who’s next for the ‘BJP’? And the answer may be more straightforward than it seems.
Jiri Prochazka has to go back to the drawing board
Jiri Prochazka has several compelling options for his next move. A rematch with Khalil Rountree Jr. stands out as a potential choice. The two first met at UFC 320 in October 2025, where Prochazka secured the win, but a recent loss to Carlos Ulberg gives him a strong case to run it back with Rountree in a high-stakes rematch.
Another viable opponent is Azamat Murzakanov, who is coming off a loss to Paulo Costa in the UFC 327 main event. Despite that setback, Murzakanov has proven himself a dangerous presence in the division, making this matchup an appealing opportunity for both fighters to rebound.
There’s also the possibility of a trilogy bout with Alex Pereira. If Pereira loses to Ciryl Gane and returns to light heavyweight, a clash with Prochazka could quickly re-enter title contention.
In the meantime, Ulberg’s next opponent has become crystal clear.
Chael Sonnen claims Magomed Ankalaev should have received a title shot
Chael Sonnen has taken issue with the UFC’s decision-making around the vacant light heavyweight title fight, arguing that Ankalaev was unfairly overlooked.
“This fight very clearly belongs to Ankalaev,” Sonnen said.
He pointed out that Ankalaev is “not only 1-1 against Pereira” but also “the only one of the bunch to beat Pereira,” making his omission even more puzzling.
Sonnen didn’t stop there, criticizing the overall matchup quality.
“Ulberg vs Jiri doesn’t draw flies,” he claimed. “What is he doing here?”
He also argued that fighters like Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr. would have made more compelling options.
“The storyline on this fight is so poor,” Sonnen concluded, insisting, “we have two wrong guys!”
From the looks of things, Magomed Ankalaev is clearly the most deserving for the next title shot, but will he get it? And who do you think ‘BJP’ will fight next?
