UFC 327 fight card predictions: Expert picks for Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg

The vacant light heavyweight championship is on the line in Saturday’s UFC 327 main event when former champion Jiri Prochazka faces Carlos Ulberg.

Prochazka won the title from Glover Teixeira in 2022 but was forced to relinquish the belt after suffering an injury. Prochazka failed to regain the belt twice in losses to Alex Pereira, the only man to beat Prochazka in the UFC. Now that Pereira has vacated the belt to fight for the interim heavyweight championship at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, Prochazka has a clear path to the title.

Saturday represents Ulberg’s first chance at UFC gold. After suffering a knockout loss to Kennedy Nzechukwu in his UFC debut, it appeared that Ulberg might have a lower ceiling than the hype that was behind his entrance that night. Since that loss, Ulberg has racked up nine victories, six of them by stoppage, and now finds himself on the verge of becoming UFC champion.

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The co-main event features former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa moving up to light heavyweight where he will face Azamat Murzakanov, who has been on a tear since joining the promotion with a 6-0 record and five stoppage victories.

Jiri Prochazka remains focused on title fight as girlfriend prepares for home birth: ‘I believe in her’

Shakiel Mahjouri

With so much happening Saturday night, let’s take a closer look at the full fight card with the latest odds before we get to our staff’s predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities you can consider before heading to the sportsbooks.

UFC 327 fight card, odds

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook (Odds as of April 10)

• Jiri Prochazka -118 vs. Carlos Ulberg -102, vacant light heavyweight title
• Azamat Murzakanov -205 vs. Paulo Costa +170, light heavyweight
• Curtis Blaydes -122 vs. Josh Hokit +102, heavyweight
• Dominick Reyes -148 vs. Johnny Walker +124, light heavyweight
• Nate Landwehr -112 vs. Cub Swanson -108, featherweight
• Aaron Pico -285 vs. Patricio Pitbull +230, featherweight
• Kevin Holland -112 vs. Randy Brown -108, welterweight
• Mateusz Gamrot -205 vs. Esteban Ribovics +170, lightweight
• Tatiana Suarez -148 vs. Loopy Godinez +124, women’s strawweight
• Chris Padilla -162 vs. Marquel Mederos +136, lightweight
• Kelvin Gastelum -278 vs. Vicente Luque +225, middleweight
• Charles Radtke -180 vs. Francisco Prado +150, welterweight

UFC 327 Predictions and Picks

With such a massive main event on tap, the CBS Sports team has advanced predictions and picks for the main card of Brian Campbell, Brent Brookhouse, Shakiel Mahjouri, Michael Mormile and Brandon Wise.

Predictions Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg

Campbell: Let’s face it, Prochazka was designed for danger. Words like patience and game plans only understate what this exciting slugger brings to the table. And with nemesis Alex Pereira having moved up to heavyweight, the time has now come for Prochazka to regain his 205-pound title. As fast and powerful as Ulberg may be, Prochazka’s clumsiness should be enough to give him pause and freeze him. This is the only opening Prochazka needs to land the big shot and finish him off. As evidenced by his rally to finish Khalil Rountree Jr. in the final round last October after being sidelined for most of the fight, Prochazka’s ability to carry his cardio through chaos while dragging his foes into the deep end of the pool is unique in its own right and the only man to beat him in the Octagon is no longer in that division.

Brookhouse: Prochazka is a retro fighter in the sense that his style is raw and almost as strange as his personality. He’s the kind of guy who used to throw away MMA cards before everyone trained and fine-tuned their game until a generally consistent way of fighting dominated the fight cards, with small advantages in the techniques that decided most fights. For this reason, and for the excitement his fights produce, I never want to face Prochazka unless it’s against another type of throwback fighter – like Alex Pereira.

Mahjouri: Prochazka is never a sure bet, but that’s why we love him. He will probably be shaken and we will watch with bated breath. But Prochazka has the audacity to swallow Ulberg’s blows, move forward and drag the technical attacker into an inescapable hellstorm. Prochazka has only lost to Alex Pereira in the UFC – defeats that age better with each accolade “Poatan” achieves. Until someone other than Pereira shatters my dreams, I will ride with Prochazka.

Azamat Murzakanov vs. Paulo Costa Predictions

Campbell: This is the type of big-name opponent the undefeated Murzakanov needs to truly clinch the title picture. Expect Costa, who has lost four of his last six fights and is making his return to light heavyweight, to play his role as the perfect foil. Costa will be dangerous at times and his reputation as a tough chin should be enough to help him go the distance. But he would simply be overwhelmed in this confrontation if he decided to go blow for blow with the powerful Murzakanov. Costa has historically only lost to the best in his division and Murzakanov is starting to look like that mold.

Brookhouse: One of Costa’s best qualities is his tenacity. I don’t know if that stamina will hold up to the move up to light heavyweight against a guy who has torn apart established light heavyweights like Murzakanov did. While Costa is good at making a fight ugly and willing to make his opponent wallow in the mud with him, he’s not the guy accustomed to fighting at light heavyweight or the one with any real career momentum, having gone 2-4 since 2020.

Mahjouri: Costa is almost impossible to complete. This is a valuable asset against a known knockout artist like Murzakanov. Costa is coming off an impressive victory against Roman Kopylmov, where he fought with the composure of a veteran. I don’t have enough information to support Costa as a light heavyweight. Murzakanov’s decision win over Dustin Jacoby wasn’t pretty, but at least I know he can win a 15-minute fight.

Predictions Curtis Blaydes vs. Josh Hokit

Campbell: Is the colorful Hokit, an athletic heavyweight with power and a solid wrestling background, the type of newcomer the division sorely needs? Ultimately, this could very well be true. But it seems too much, too soon for the former NFL player who is in his seventh professional fight and third walk to the Octagon since his UFC debut last November. The fact that Blaydes, 35, has only lost to hitters with quick hands makes this an interesting matchup given Hokit’s aggressive style and confidence in his technique. But those same heavyweights were Francis Ngannou (twice), Derrick Lewis, Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall. Hokit has yet to go the distance as a pro and has seen six of his eight fights end in the first round. Expect Blaydes to test Hokit’s gas tank for a full 15 minutes and rely on his wrestling and experience to humiliate the hot-headed upstart.

Who wins Prochazka against Ulberg and how exactly does the fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks and analysis from the incomparable expert who has made more than $21,000 on his UFC picks since May 19, 2018, and find out.