Athletes
Carlos Ulberg On The Road To Recovery
Carlos Ulberg Discusses Title-Winning Knockout And Injury Rehab In Las Vegas
Just a couple of weeks after Carlos Ulberg claimed the light heavyweight championship, his victory is already entering a sort of mythologized space in mixed martial arts lore. That’s what happens when you blow out your knee, weather the chaotic storm that is Jiří Procházka, and score a first-round knockout right when it seemed like all the momentum was going the other way.
The finish was the most stunning in recent memory and perhaps the most unexpected title-winning stoppage since Leon Edwards head-kicked Kamaru Usman at UFC 278, but when the dust finally settled in Miami, the enduring question wasn’t how Ulberg would reign as the 205-pound king, but rather: How long will the injury sideline him?
WATCH: Carlos Ulberg Knocks Out Jiří Procházka, Wins LHW Title
On April 16, six days after the fight, Ulberg underwent surgery in Las Vegas to repair his knee and is in the early days of the rehabilitation process at the UFC Performance Institute. The recovery process is notoriously tedious and lengthy, but Ulberg is grateful for the PI as he takes the baby steps toward healing.
Carlos Ulberg Talks About His Injury Rehab In Las Vegas
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Carlos Ulberg Talks About His Injury Rehab In Las Vegas
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“The staff have been amazing,” Ulberg told UFC.com. “Just real positive about the progress and the rehab. So yeah, it's an ACL. We went into the surgery thinking that, ‘Hey, this could be saved between six to eight months or so longer for some,’ but with the progress that we've got at the moment, it's only been a week now, and we're moving pretty good. I think we've got a good formula going, and the body's healing really fast.”
“Black Jag” isn’t just blowing smoke or puffing his chest, either. Ulberg posted clips from one of his twice-a-day sessions, which showed the New Zealander gingerly going through some paces under the supervision of Dr. Heather Linden, UFC’s Vice President of Sports Medicine.
Although every small gain is a major win when recovering from a major injury, the mental battle can often wear on the athlete as their life shifts from daily training to what is, at times, monotonous work.
Of course, not every injured fighter can balance out that kind of disappointment with the glee of having just accomplished the ultimate goal. As you’d anticipate from the calm and confident Ulberg, he isn’t focused so much on the despair of months of rehab and is instead looking to attack the process.
WATCH: Ulberg's Post-Fight Interview
“I believe that I'm going to get there pretty quickly,” he said. “I've done the groundwork, mentally, years ago, so I know how to put myself in the right mind frame.”
In the meantime, Ulberg is still enjoying the perks of winning the title and living in Las Vegas. He attended WrestleMania and PowerSlap and got on stage with musician J Boog — not a bad weekend at all.
Ulberg also crossed paths with former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt at the PI, and the two talked about the latter’s passion for motorcycles. Ulberg said he wanted to get on a bike himself and “feel the wind,” but the staff quickly shut that idea down.
Overall, Ulberg is in good spirits. He feels proud to have shown his character in the win over Procházka, proving he is never out of a fight, no matter how compromised, and once he can get back to training, it’s all about putting himself out there and testing himself against the toughest the division can offer.
“I just want to fight the best, man,” he said. “I think that's the only way, just beating the best and staying on top, making sure that you've done your due diligence. I've got the title, and whoever wants it can come get it.”
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