The crossover between MMA and professional wrestling took an unexpected turn at WrestleMania 42, and not everyone was impressed. What was supposed to be a dramatic moment with CM Punk swiftly devolved into controversy after he interacted with newly crowned UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg.

Ulberg, who was sitting in the front row supporting Roman Reigns, was wearing a traditional Ula Fala necklace when Punk suddenly walked out of the ring, approached him, and snatched it mid-match.

The moment was meant to add to the chaos of Punk and Reigns’ main event clash but instead left fans confused as veteran announcer Michael Cole referred to Ulberg as one of the fans, a line that sparked outrage online.

“Punk just took a… that’s a Ula Fala that one of the fans is wearing,” Cole said.

So, as expected, fans were quick to point out the disconnect, especially considering both UFC and WWE fall under TKO Group Holdings after their merger.

Fans questioned how a champion from a sister promotion could be misidentified on such a massive stage. A fan wrote, “‘One of our fans is wearing,’ Cole with a friendly fire lmao.” Another fan added, “The broadcast didn’t even know who Carlos was.”

The comment surely stood out like a sore thumb as fans couldn’t stop talking about it online. Comments such as “‘One of the fans” is crazy,” “Did he really say ‘One of our fans’?”, and “‘ONE OF THE FANS’ Is this the end of UFC?” kept flooding on X.

Several others turned their attention back to Punk, mocking his own MMA history and pointing out the irony of him taking something from a current UFC titleholder. One fan wrote, “Remember, CM Punk was one of the worst things UFC ever did.” Another added, “Lol. He was such a failure in the UFC🤣”

A few more joined in with comments like, “Punk’s Lucky Ulberg Didn’t Wanna Fight Him,” and “He’s lucky Carlos Ulberg only has one leg rn.” Well, the moment did manage to achieve what the WWE wanted, as it got the fans talking, even if not all the comments were positive towards the spot.

It is also worth noting that Carlos Ulberg did end up getting his revenge, or at least Roman Reigns did it for him as ‘The Tribal Chief’ got the pin in the end to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. But what about the fate of the champion’s own light heavyweight title? Will there be an interim title bout?

Dana White provides interim title update after Carlos Ulberg injury

That WrestleMania moment may have ended with Roman Reigns standing tall, but back in the UFC world, attention has quickly shifted to what happens next for Carlos Ulberg and his newly won title. With the champion sidelined following surgery, questions around the future of the light heavyweight division are already starting to build.

UFC CEO Dana White has addressed the situation at the UFC Winnipeg presser, stating that while no immediate decisions have been made, the promotion is closely monitoring Carlos Ulberg’s recovery.

“We’ll get him in there and see how fast he starts to recover,” the head honcho said. “We always figure it out.”

Dana White was subsequently asked if the UFC has decided on booking an interim light heavyweight title bout.

“We have not,” White replied. “I mean, Carlos is still getting set up here. But we’ll figure it out.”

Right now, the UFC looks to be focusing on getting the champion back on track.

It’s a cautious approach, but it keeps the division in limbo. With recovery timelines for ACL injuries often stretching close to a year, the demand to keep the division moving will only increase. For now, the belt stays with Carlos Ulberg; however, if the wait continues, the UFC may be forced to make a decision.