UFC 327 predictions: Will Jiri Prochazka reclaim gold or does Carlos Ulberg start his reign?

UFC returns to the Sunshine State this Saturday for UFC 327, visiting Miami for the fourth consecutive year. Despite losing one of its two originally scheduled title fights, the main event still promises fireworks. Jiří Procházka is back and challenging for the vacant light heavyweight crown after Alex Pereira relinquished his title to pursue heavyweight gold on the White House lawn.

The shift atop the division has opened the door for the surging Kiwi, Carlos Ulberg, to get his first crack at a UFC title . Both men have been finishing machines more often than not, making this matchup a volatile one. By weekend's end, we'll have either a two-time UFC champion or a new entrant in the storied lineage of the 205-pound title.

Light heavyweight remains the focus in the co-main event as well, after flyweight champion Joshua Van suffered a minor injury that delayed his clash with Tatsuro Taira . Taking the bout's place, Azamat Murzakanov aims to extend his undefeated streak to 17 straight with a win over one-time middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa. UFC 327 is nowhere near being on par with UFC 300 in 2024, regardless of any propagandistic claims to the contrary.

Saying it's the best since then is more reasonable, but still a sad indicator of the times. There's name value galore throughout this weekend's card, but stakes are simply far more absent than in days past for some of UFC's current veteran crop. 👑 UFC 327’s lineup Crown grade: B-.