Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: “Chuck and Tito,” which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
The UFC’s undisputed light heavyweight championship will be on the line in April, as Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg will meet for the vacant title at UFC 327.
UFC CEO Dana White announced the 205-pound title fight on Friday. The announcement means that former champion Alex Pereira, who has previously stated an interest in moving up to heavyweight, has vacated the belt.
White did not comment on Pereira’s title reign coming to an end. Pereira’s team did not immediately respond to ESPN’s requests for comment.
The new light heavyweight title matchup will headline UFC 327 on April 11 inside Kaseya Center in Miami.
Prochazka (32-5-1) is a former light heavyweight champion but was forced to vacate the title in 2022 due to injury. He challenged Pereira for the belt twice, in 2023 and 2024, losing both times via second-round knockout. Since his second loss to Pereira, Prochazka has recorded back-to-back finishes against Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr.
Ulberg (13-1), who lives and trains out of New Zealand, has been steadily working his way up the light heavyweight ranks since he signed with the UFC in 2020. After losing his UFC debut in 2021, he has won nine in a row. He is coming off a first-round knockout of Dominick Reyes in September.
