Carlos Ulberg captured the UFC light heavyweight championship by knocking out Jiří Procházka in the first round (3:45) at UFC 327. In other main card action, Paulo Costa TKO'd Azamat Murzakanov in round three, Josh Emmett defeated Curtis Blaydes by unanimous decision in a Fight of the Night performance, Dominick Reyes edged Johnny Walker by split decision, and Cub Swanson TKO'd Nate Landwehr in round one. The preliminary card saw Tatiana Suarez submit Lupita Godinez, Mateusz Gamrot submit Esteban Ribovics, Kevin Holland defeat Randy Brown unanimously, and Aaron Pico win unanimously over Patricio Freire. Performance bonuses went to Ulberg and Emmett, with the Emmett-Blaydes fight earning Fight of the Night honors.
Carlos Ulberg knocked out Jiří Procházka at the 3:45 mark of the first round at UFC 327 on April 11 to claim the UFC light heavyweight championship, delivering one of the most significant upsets in the division's recent history.
The main card also featured a string of notable performances across multiple divisions. Paulo Costa, the Brazilian middleweight ranked 13th in his division at 16-4-0, stopped Azamat Murzakanov in the third round via TKO. At 35 years old and standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, Costa continues to demonstrate the elite striking output — 6.26 significant strikes landed per minute at 58 percent accuracy — that has made him one of the division's most dangerous finishers. Josh Emmett defeated Curtis Blaydes by unanimous decision in a performance that earned both Fight of the Night honors and a Performance of the Night bonus. Dominick Reyes edged Johnny Walker by split decision, while Cub Swanson stopped Nate Landwehr in round one.
Reyes, the 36-year-old southpaw from the United States ranked eighth at light heavyweight, improved to 16-5-0. Fighting out of Teixeira MMA and Fitness, the six-foot-four, 193-centimeter fighter carries a 77-inch reach and lands 5.39 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy.
On the preliminary card, Tatiana Suarez submitted Lupita Godinez, Mateusz Gamrot submitted Esteban Ribovics, Kevin Holland defeated Randy Brown by unanimous decision, and Aaron Pico earned a unanimous decision over Patricio Freire. Ribovics, the 30-year-old Argentine known as El Gringo and fighting out of Kill Cliff FC, entered at 15-3-0 but could not withstand Gamrot's grappling.
Why it matters
- Ulberg's first-round finish of Procházka marks a title change at 205 pounds and reshapes the light heavyweight landscape.
- Costa's TKO win keeps him relevant in a crowded middleweight division despite his ranking outside the top ten.
- Reyes's split decision victory over Walker inches the veteran contender back toward relevance at light heavyweight.
- Emmett's Fight of the Night showing against Blaydes signals a credible cross-divisional statement performance.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
