The light heavyweight title goes on the line at UFC 320 next week but first on Sunday, Perth plays host to a main event that could determine the No.1 contender for the next shot at the crown.
UFC 320: Ankalaev vs Pereira 2 | SUN 5 OCT 1PM AEST | Former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira will attempt to reclaim the throne against current champion Magomed Ankalaev. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
No.3 ranked contender Carlos Ulberg takes on former title challenger and No.7 ranked Dominick Reyes in the headline fight on a main card that features resurgent Australian Jimmy Crute along with Jack Jenkins, Jake Matthew and Tom Nolan.
LIVE BLOG
Follow the latest updates from UFC Perth below! Can’t see the blog? Click here!
FULL PREVIEW:
Ulberg has rattled off eight consecutive wins to catapult himself towards the top of the rankings, with his latest win coming against former champion Jan Blachowicz in March.
Reyes, meanwhile, last got a shot for the vacant heavyweight title against Blachowicz in 2020, going down on that occasion in a second-round stoppage defeat to follow a unanimous decision loss to Jon Jones in his fight for the light heavyweight crown earlier in the year.
The American dropped another two fights after that loss to Blachowicz but has since rattled off three wins, all coming by knockout, to surge back into contention.
While Ulberg has the better recent record, Reyes said earlier in the week that his Kiwi rival hadn’t necessarily made enough of a statement to warrant the next shot at the title.
“He’s not well known, doesn’t have a big presence and isn’t really talked about because he’s only fought two ranked guys his whole career,” Reyes said.
“So people aren’t going to be like ‘yeah, get Carlos’. He’s quietly winning, right? Even quietly winning in terms of, they’re quiet wins. He’s not finishing guys.
“He’s finishing the lower guys, but he’s not finishing the higher ranked guys. He finished Alonzo (Menifield). But it was like ‘what are you doing Alonzo? Why did you do that?’.”
Reyes did go on to describe Ulberg as a “very dangerous” fighter, but once again doubled down by pointing out he “doesn’t have any signature wins”.
MORE UFC PERTH NEWS
WEIGH-INS: Drama as Aussie favourite forced out of Perth card
PRESS CONFERENCE: SBW’s secret influence on Kiwi UFC beast chasing gold
REYES VS JONES: Why UFC stars haven’t spoken in five years
MORE UFC PERTH NEWS
‘BATTLE GIRAFFE’: How a coward punch sparked UFC’s greatest nickname
‘LUCKY YOU CAN FIGHT’: Australia’s toughest tradie following path of Pacquiao, Volk
“He has wins where he’s squeaked by … and that’s not how you get known, loved and respected in the UFC,” Reyes said.
“It’s just not how it works. This is the entertainment industry. And if you’re not going out there and entertaining the people, if you’re not putting your soul out there for them, taking risks, then they’re not going to respect you.
“I’ve learned that the hard way because I either go out on my shield, or I put people down. That’s my fighting style. It’s very exciting and people like to see me fight.
“I’ve fought a lot of guys too. So that’s why I think he’s relatively unknown. This is his first main event. It’s hard to be known if it’s your first main event after an eight-fight win streak.”
But Ulberg has his sights set on defeating Reyes and leaving the UFC with no choice but to put him up next for the winner of next week’s rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Perreira.
Jiri Procházka and Khalil Roundtree also fight on the UFC 320 undercard in a potential title eliminator so there isn’t a guarantee Ulberg is up next. But even if he isn’t, the Kiwi is more than happy to keep flying under the radar.
“I’ve done that purposely,” Ulberg said.
“And it’s because that is the way to do it.”
Discussion about this post