Alex Pereira Vacates Light Heavyweight Title as Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg Headline UFC 327
alex pereira has formally vacated the UFC light heavyweight title and Jiri Prochazka will meet Carlos Ulberg for the vacant belt at UFC 327. The shift matters because it clears the way for a new champion and follows Pereira’s stated intention to move to the heavyweight division.
Alex Pereira’s decision and heavyweight move
The organization accepted Alex Pereira’s request to pursue the heavyweight division, prompting the formal vacancy of the light heavyweight title. Pereira previously captured the light heavyweight championship by defeating Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295, lost the belt to Magomed Ankalaev in May 2025, then regained it with a first-round win over Ankalaev at UFC 320. If he completes the switch to heavyweight, he would attempt to become the promotion’s first three-division champion.
Jiri Prochazka set to fight at UFC 327
Jiri Prochazka will challenge for the vacant title at UFC 327 after Pereira vacated the belt. Prochazka was the light heavyweight champion before being forced to vacate the title because of an injury in 2022. He enters the title picture with a 32-5-1 record and has won consecutive fights against Khalil Rountree Jr. and Jamahal Hill.
Carlos Ulberg’s streak and credentials
Carlos Ulberg will face Prochazka for the championship holding a 14-1-0 record. Ulberg has won nine consecutive fights since suffering a defeat during his UFC debut in 2021, making his ascent to a title shot the product of a prolonged win streak.
Dana White on Pereira and upcoming announcements
UFC president and CEO Dana White has signaled organizational support for Pereira’s plans and said on Feb. 21 in comments to Kyle Dimond of Bloody Elbow, "He's one of those guys that always steps up and does whatever we need him to. " White also revealed he will announce the fights for the upcoming White House event this week, indicating additional matchups are imminent alongside the UFC 327 main event announcement.
Sequence of events and immediate implications
The sequence is clear: Pereira requested a move to heavyweight, the title was vacated, and Prochazka vs. Ulberg was booked for UFC 327 to fill the vacancy. The immediate effect is a title fight between a former champion who relinquished the belt due to injury in 2022 and a hot challenger on a nine-fight win streak. What makes this notable is the overlap of timing—the vacancy opens a rapid path to a new champion while Pereira pursues a historic cross-division bid.
The match-up pairs Prochazka’s 32-5-1 résumé and recent victories over Khalil Rountree Jr. and Jamahal Hill against Ulberg’s 14-1-0 ledger and nine consecutive wins since 2021. Those concrete records and the documented timeline of Pereira’s title changes—UFC 295, the May 2025 loss to Magomed Ankalaev, and the UFC 320 first-round reclamation—frame the stakes heading into UFC 327.
All parties now await scheduling details and the broader fight card announcements that Dana White said will be made this week for the White House event. For fighters and matchmakers alike, Pereira’s move creates both an opportunity for a new light heavyweight champion and a potential historic attempt in the heavyweight ranks.
