UFC 327 fight card finalized, thrilling championship doubleheader

UFC returns to Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla. with one of the most stacked events of the year, capped off by a pair of all-action title fights.

In the UFC 327 main event, a thrilling contest sees former UFC light heavyweight title holder and current No. 2 ranked contender Jiří Procházka square off with No. 3 ranked Carlos Ulberg for the vacant, undisputed UFC light heavyweight championship. In the co-main event, UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van makes his first title defense against No. 3 ranked contender Tatsuro Taira.

UFC 327: PROCHÁZKA vs ULBERG takes place Saturday, April 11th in Miami, Florida at Kaseya Center. The prelims will air at 2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. ET, followed by the main card airing at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET. All bouts will stream live on Paramount+. Additionally, beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, the final two prelims and first two bouts of the main card will air on CBS.

Procházka (32-5-1, fighting out of Brno, Czech Republic) returns to the Octagon with his sights set on reclaiming the light heavyweight crown. A fan favorite for his all-action fighting style, Procházka holds notable wins over some of the division’s best, including as Jamahal Hill, Dominick Reyes, and Khalil Rountree Jr. He now looks to add Ulberg to his impressive resume and raise UFC gold once again.

Ulberg (14-1, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) looks to secure the biggest win of his career and capture the UFC light heavyweight title. Since breaking into the UFC, the New Zealand native has earned his spot in the Top 5 on the strength of a nine-fight winning streak that includes impressive wins over Dominick Reyes, Alonzo Menifield, and former champion Jan Błachowicz. Ulberg now aims to etch his name into the history books with a dominant win over Procházka.

Van (16-2, fighting out of Houston, Texas) sets forth for his first title defense. Claiming the UFC flyweight title just two years into his Octagon career, Van rocketed through the 125-pound division by delivering statement victories over Brandon Royval, Bruno Silva and Cody Durden. He now looks to solidify his reign by defeating Taira in dominant fashion.

Taira (18-1, fighting out of Okinawa, Japan) heads down to the 305 seeking his first world title. At 26-years-old, the young prospect has amassed a near-perfect resume that includes finishes over former UFC champion Brandon Moreno, Hyun Sung Park and Alex Perez. Taira now sets his sights on Van as he looks to make history and become the first ever Japanese-born UFC champion of the modern era.

Additional UFC 327 bouts on the card include:

• No. 4 ranked UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes (19–5 1NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) defends his Top 5 status against Dana White Contender Series alumni Josh Hokit (8–0, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.)

• Former title challenger and current No. 10 ranked UFC light heavyweight contender Dominick Reyes (15–5, fighting out of Victorville, Calif.) faces off with the unpredictable No. 12 Johnny Walker (22–9, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Rio das Ostras, Brazil)

• No. 6 ranked UFC light heavyweight contender Azamat Murzakanov (16–0, fighting out of Fairfield, N.J. by way of Nalchik, Russia) puts his perfect record on the line as welcomes former title challenger Paulo Costa (15–4, fighting out of Contagem, MG, Brazil) to the 205-pound division

• No. 13 ranked featherweight contender Patricio Freire (37-8, fighting out of Mossoro, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) collides with Aaron Pico (13-5, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.)

• A thrilling featherweight matchup sees UFC Hall of Famer Cub Swanson (30–14, fighting out of Palm Springs, Calif.) return to the Octagon to take on Nate Landwehr (18–7, fighting out of Clarksville, Tenn.)

• No. 8 ranked lightweight contender Mateusz Gamrot (25-4 1NC, fighting out of Poznan, Poland) meets Esteban Ribovics (15-2, fighting out of Cordoba, Argentina) in a bout sure to deliver non-stop action

• All-action welterweights Kevin Holland (28–15, 1NC fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) and Randy Brown (20–7, fighting out of Queens, N.Y. by way of Spanish Town, Jamaica) lock horns

• High-stakes strawweight contest pits No. 2 ranked Tatiana Suarez (12–1, fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) against No. 6 Loopy Godinez (14–5, fighting out of Vancouver, B.C., Canada by way of Aguascalientes, Mexico)

• UFC Hall of Famer Kelvin Gastelum (21-10 1NC, fighting out of Yuma, Ariz.) welcomes veteran Vicente Luque (23–12–1, fighting out of Brasília, Brasil) to the middleweight division

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