UFC champion loses belt just hours after winning title

Carlos Ulberg has admitted that he lost his UFC belt just hours after winning it on Saturday.

In the main event of UFC 327, Ulberg fought former champion Jiri Prochazka for the vacant light-heavyweight title, and few could have foreseen the way the bout panned out.

Ulberg, 35, sustained a knee issue early in round one, but he fought through that injury to knock out Prochazka in the same frame.

Prochazka later claimed with regret that he had shown “mercy”, but in an interview with Yahoo Sports, Ulberg dismissed that claim and suggested that the Czech will not get an instant rematch.

A relieved Carlos Ulberg after fighting through his injury to win (AP)

But Ulberg’s tone softened in an interview with Fox Sports Australia, when the New Zealander discussed what happened to his title belt on Saturday.

“I’ve lost the belt, bro,” Ulberg said. “I don’t know exactly where it is.

“Initially after winning, the plan was to not have a drink, but you know how these things go, right? First, someone gives you a champagne to celebrate. Then one thing leads to another and you’re doing shots, so it’s: ‘Okay, I’ll have another, and another, and another…’

“We’ve got a big group of boys over here in Miami and, when the fight was done, we all went out to the afterparty at a night club. Then after that, it was back to one of the boys’ apartments and we all hung out there.

“I didn’t want to be carrying the belt around, so I think it’s still there at the apartment somewhere. One of the boys probably has it in bed with him.”