UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg does not appear in the promotion's latest pound-for-pound rankings, continuing a pattern that has affected other titleholders in the past. Historical precedents include Jan Blachowicz, who was excluded from the P4P list for roughly two and a half months after winning the vacant title at UFC 253, and Aljamain Sterling, who was later dropped due to inactivity ahead of his first title defense. Dominic Cruz was also removed following injury-related inactivity.
Carlos Ulberg, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion, is absent from the promotion's latest pound-for-pound rankings despite holding the title, a development that mirrors a pattern seen with other champions throughout UFC history.
Ulberg, 35, carries a 15-1 record and represents New Zealand out of the City Kickboxing camp. Standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, the orthodox striker has been one of the most efficient finishers in the division, averaging an impressive 6.54 significant strikes landed per minute at 55 percent accuracy. He holds a divisional ranking of third in the light heavyweight class.
The omission echoes a situation that Jan Blachowicz experienced after capturing the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 253. The Polish veteran, now 43 with a 29-11-2 record, was left off the pound-for-pound list for roughly two and a half months following that victory. Blachowicz currently sits fifth in the light heavyweight rankings and averages 3.44 significant strikes per minute across his career.
Aljamain Sterling faced a different version of the same issue. The 36-year-old American, known as "Funk Master" and now competing at featherweight where he is ranked fourth, was dropped from the pound-for-pound rankings due to inactivity before making his first bantamweight title defense. Sterling averages 2.45 takedowns per 15 minutes and 4.45 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the more well-rounded fighters the sport has seen. Dominic Cruz similarly lost his pound-for-pound standing during a prolonged injury absence.
Why it matters
- Ulberg's exclusion raises questions about the UFC's criteria for pound-for-pound placement of newly crowned champions
- Historical precedent suggests the omission may be temporary rather than a reflection of how the promotion views his title reign
- The pattern points to a broader inconsistency in how the UFC handles pound-for-pound rankings for titleholders who are early in their championship tenure or facing inactivity
