Carlos Ulberg has shared his first recovery update after knee surgery following his UFC 327 title win over Jiri Prochazka.
Ulberg won the vacant UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 327 by knocking out Jiri Prochazka, but the win came with a torn ACL that immediately raised questions about his first title defense. The New Zealand champion is rehabbing at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, and he says the early work has gone well.
“Working with the [UFC Performance Institute], the staff here have been amazing,” Ulberg said in a latest interview. “Just real positive about the progress in rehab.”
Watch Ulberg’s update below:
"We've got a good formula going, and the body is healing really fast."
Light Heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg discusses the early days of his recovery from knee surgery and how the rehab process at the UFC PI is going so far.
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Ulberg says his body is healing fast after surgery
Ulberg said the initial expectation was a six-to-eight-month recovery window, with a longer layoff still possible for some athletes. One week into rehab, he says the signs are better than feared.
“We went into the surgery thinking this could be between six to eight months or so, longer for some,” Ulberg said. “But, you know, with the progress that we’ve got at the moment, it’s only been a week now and we’re moving pretty good. I think we’ve got a good, formula going, and the body is healing really fast. The doctors are happy, the [PI] staff are happy. It is really nice to be able to work closely with the PI and get the treatment that I need to.”
Ulberg also credited the fast surgery and immediate rehab plan for helping him avoid a slower start.
“In all, I think we are just impressed that the surgery went well. We have done it quickly and promptly and then got on to the rehab as soon as we could. I think it all comes down to the staff being on me about it. We’re doing two a day and yeah, I think we’ll be alright.”
The timing matters because Ulberg had just taken control of the 205-pound division. Per his listed record, he is 14-1 in MMA with nine knockouts, and he also owns a 19-2 kickboxing record. He fights out of Auckland, New Zealand, trains with City Kickboxing, and is listed as the current UFC light heavyweight champion.
Prochazka was a major title win. The Czech fighter is a former UFC light heavyweight champion, the first Czech fighter to win a UFC championship, and a former Rizin light heavyweight champion. His loss to Ulberg at UFC 327 has already produced its own fallout, but Ulberg’s knee is now the bigger issue for the division.
The UFC has not announced an interim title or any change to Ulberg’s championship status. Surgery is done, rehab is underway, and Ulberg says the first week at the Performance Institute has moved in the right direction.
