Alex Pereira won't wait on Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane before his next fight: “I want to fight for the beltâ€
Zuffa LLC
UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg has provided an update on his return from a nasty knee injury.
While Carlos Ulberg may have defeated Jiri Prochazka to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion, he also sustained a nasty knee injury that has kept him out of action ever since, leaving the division in limbo.
RELATED: Carlos Ulberg suggests Magomed Ankalaev vs. Jiri Prochazka and a ‘wildcard' fight with potential title implications: “Whoever earns itâ€
Ulberg, who was somehow able to fight through the adversity of such a serious injury and still win the belt, has a handful of potential challengers waiting for him as things slowly start to heat up at 205 pounds.
In a recent interview, Ulberg updated fans on when they may see him once again make the walk to the cage.
Ulberg discusses his return from injury
“It sucks to be on the sidelines watching the guys,†Ulberg told reporters during a news conference in Shanghai, China, ahead of UFC Fight Night 286. “I'm still in the gym watching the guys and also doing my rehab. I'd much prefer to be in the gym, having a push and pull with the boys – but I'm a working man, and I'm doing everything to make sure that as the champion, I get myself back on the mats. I'm ready to get myself healthy again so that I can come and defend my title early next year.â€
“If I come back too early, or even now, right now, it's just guarding the ACL, guarding my knee, so that when I come back, everything is in good order. I know myself that when I come back, I'm going to be stronger mentally and physically for sure. So, the focus is me getting back in the octagon, healthy, better, and then also being the champion that I am, traveling, doing this stuff as a champion, showing why I'm a good champion for the people. So, doing that as a working man, but then as well as that is upgrading the software.â€
Quotes via MMA Junkie
Who should face Ulberg next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!
Dustin
Poirier will do whatever it takes to help his teammates.
Poirier recently recalled an incident in which he helped a teammate
make weight illegally. Poirier's friend was over the weight limit
for a fight in Mississippi, and the former
Ultimate Fighting Championship interim titleholder resorted to
manipulating the scale to help him.
Dustin Poirier details how he lifted an overweight teammate
during a Mississippi weigh-in
Fighters shed every bit of clothing and stand behind a towel when
they're close to the weight limit. Poirier stood behind the towel
with his teammate while everyone else was on the other side. “The
Diamond†claims he slightly lifted his friend so that he made
weight.
“One time one of my buddies was fighting in Mississippi,†Poirier
said on the “Deep Waters†podcast. “And they had the towel out, he
was naked, he was over [the weight limit]. I was behind the towel
with him. Everybody was in front. I grabbed a handful of hairy man
*ss cheeks and I lifted him up a little bit, got him on
weight.â€
Poirier (30-10) hung up his gloves after losing to Max
Holloway last year. He has since admitted that he misses
fighting and hasn't entirely ruled out a return.
Don’t say that @DustinPoirier doesn’t help
out his teammates 🤣 [ Deep Waters | LIVE NOW
https://t.co/xUDYk5Yr7K ] https://t.co/pSaLFqM3Hk
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount)
October 5, 2026
Dustin
Poirier will do whatever it takes to help his teammates.
Poirier recently recalled an incident in which he helped a teammate
make weight illegally. Poirier's friend was over the weight limit
for a fight in Mississippi, and the former
Ultimate Fighting Championship interim titleholder resorted to
manipulating the scale to help him.
Dustin Poirier details how he lifted an overweight teammate
during a Mississippi weigh-in
Fighters shed every bit of clothing and stand behind a towel when
they're close to the weight limit. Poirier stood behind the towel
with his teammate while everyone else was on the other side. “The
Diamond†claims he slightly lifted his friend so that he made
weight.
“One time one of my buddies was fighting in Mississippi,†Poirier
said on the “Deep Waters†podcast. “And they had the towel out, he
was naked, he was over [the weight limit]. I was behind the towel
with him. Everybody was in front. I grabbed a handful of hairy man
*ss cheeks and I lifted him up a little bit, got him on
weight.â€
Poirier (30-10) hung up his gloves after losing to Max
Holloway last year. He has since admitted that he misses
fighting and hasn't entirely ruled out a return.
Don’t say that @DustinPoirier doesn’t help
out his teammates 🤣 [ Deep Waters | LIVE NOW
https://t.co/xUDYk5Yr7K ] https://t.co/pSaLFqM3Hk
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount)
October 5, 2026
Zabit Magomedsharipov is heading to the wrestling mats.
Promotional officials confirmed to MMA Fighting that Magomedsharipov is set to face fellow UFC featherweight veteran Giga Chikadze at RAF Abu Dhabi. The event takes place Nov. 14 at Etihad Arena.
Magomedsharipov had his final MMA fight nearly seven years ago, defeating Calvin Kattar in the main event of UFC Moscow in November 2019. The 35-year-old went 6-0 during his UFC run, including a victory over Jeremy Stephens, along with a trio of stoppage wins.
Chikadze is a 13-fight UFC veteran who began his promotional run with seven straight wins before running into Kattar in the main event of UFC Vegas 46 in January 2022, losing a lopsided unanimous decision in his first UFC main event. Since then, “Ninja†picked up a win against Alex Caceres, but has since dropped his past four octagon appearances.
Additionally, Jordan Burroughs opponent for the event is set as he'll face Azamat Nurykau from their classic matchup during the 2019 world championships — which Burroughs won in dramatic fashion.
RAF Abu Dhabi is headlined by a cruiserweight crossover championship match between Colby Covington and Khamzat Chimaev.