Carlos Ulberg, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion, does not appear in the latest update to the promotion's pound-for-pound rankings. This is not without precedent — Dominic Cruz was removed from the P4P list in 2013 due to inactivity, Jan Blachowicz was kept out of the rankings for nearly three months after winning the vacant title at UFC 253, and Aljamain Sterling lost his P4P spot during an extended absence for neck surgery despite having already held the bantamweight title.
Carlos Ulberg has claimed the UFC light heavyweight title, yet the New Zealand fighter finds himself absent from the promotion's pound-for-pound rankings in the latest update published on June 17, 2026.
Ulberg, nicknamed "Black Jag" and training out of City Kickboxing, carries a 15-1 record and holds the divisional rank of third at 205 pounds despite being the reigning champion. The 35-year-old stands six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach and has been one of the most prolific strikers in the division, landing 6.54 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate — figures that rank among the best in the light heavyweight class.
The omission follows a pattern the UFC has applied before. Jan Blachowicz, the 43-year-old Polish veteran who holds a 29-11-2 record and currently sits fifth in the light heavyweight rankings, was similarly kept off the pound-for-pound list for nearly three months after winning the vacant title at UFC 253. Aljamain Sterling, the 36-year-old American now competing at featherweight with a 26-5 record, also lost his pound-for-pound placement during an extended absence for neck surgery despite already being bantamweight champion at the time. Dominic Cruz faced the same situation in 2013 because of inactivity.
Why it matters
- Ulberg is the reigning light heavyweight champion but has not been rewarded with a pound-for-pound ranking, raising questions about the UFC's criteria for inclusion.
- The precedent set by Blachowicz and Sterling suggests the omission may be tied to activity level rather than title status alone.
- How quickly Ulberg returns to action could determine when — or whether — he earns a spot on the list.
