UFC light-heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg has stated that he hopes to finally be able to defend his title in early 2027.

The 35-year-old Ulberg has been out of action since suffering a torn ACL during his title-winning 1st round KO victory against Jiri Prochazka in April, but in his latest update he at least has some kind of timeline as to when he might be able to return.

“It sucks to be on the sidelines watching the guys,” Ulberg told reporters at a UFC Fight Night 286 presser in Shanghai, China. “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.”

Ulberg also noted that he’s lazer-focused on his rehab and is eager to ensure that he doesn’t risk further setbacks by trying to make a comeback to quickly.

“My pure focus is just to get myself healthy, get myself back into the octagon as soon as I can,” Ulberg said. “So I can, as the champion of the division, you want to make sure that you are healthy and in good time you are back to defend your title. I want to be back in there, and like I said, it sucks to be on the sidelines watching from the side, but I want to first and foremost be able to be healthy so that when I’m back, I don’t re-injure myself. That’s the one thing that will hurt.

“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.”