Carlos Ulberg is riding high after knocking out a former multi time UFC light heavyweight title challenger and feels confident that the 205 pound kingpin Alex Pereira will be next. Ulberg finished Dominick Reyes at UFC Perth and the title challenger queue in that division runs deep with other standouts like Jiri Prochazka close to that opportunity. During an interview with MMA Junkie, Ulberg touched upon his desire to not just fight for the title but with a keenness on it being versus 'Poatan'.
Pereira has been putting out messaging lately indicating that he has interest in moving up to heavyweight for a mega fight against Jon Jones at the UFC White House card in June 2026. With the current UFC culture of champions having to vacate their belts if they choose to pursue opportunities at higher weights, this would more than likely lead to Pereira relinquishing the 205 pound strap to seek a fight with 'Bones' at heavyweight next Summer.
Touching on what he wants next and addressing some of the moving parts of this present landscape in his weight division, Ulberg said,
You know what? I'd love to fight Alex. I think that's the big fight. That’s the money fight. That's an entertaining fight. That's what the fans would love to see and watch."
"I’d hope that he’d stick around the light heavyweight division so I could fight Pereira. That would be amazing. That'd be the fight that I've always wanted—to fight Alex."
"And you beat someone like Alex, that just means you're at that top, that top level. So, um... this is putting all the other guys out of the picture, but I want Alex.
Carlos Ulberg thinks he has a greater case for an Alex Pereira fight than Jiri Prochazka
Carlos Ulberg expressly mentioned Alex Pereira as being the money fight in his division and he seems to be holding out some hope that Pereira may want to defend his light heavyweight title at least once during this new reign before seeking heavyweight aspirations thereafter. This was mentioned in the same MMA Junkie interview above with Ulberg making his case for a Pereira fight and throwing cold water on Jiri Prochazka's campaign.
Carlos Ulberg's logic is that Jiri Prochazka is already 0-2 versus Pereira and that it is Ulberg's time for a championship opportunity. The next few months will surely be quite an intriguing time for the UFC's light heavyweight division and fans will be certainly locked in to see how all of this plays out.