Ulberg makes statement, drops Reyes in first-round

Carlos Ulberg delivered a cleanable connection to the UFC successful a stunning first-round knockout of seventh-ranked airy heavyweight Dominick Reyes astatine UFC Fight Night Perth.

Third-ranked Ulberg is present unbeaten successful his past 9 fights stretching backmost to February 2022. The City Kick Boxing combatant has cemented his presumption arsenic the adjacent antheral up successful the part up of adjacent week's UFC 320 rubric combat betwixt Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira.

Ulberg entered the combat arsenic favourite against Reyes, but the American was connected a three-fight triumph streak and seen arsenic a important trial for Ulberg. But from the doorbell Ulberg was successful control, coming guardant and preventing Reyes from landing.

A consecutive near seemed to stone Reyes momentarily arsenic Ulberg kept walking forward. With nether a infinitesimal successful the round, Ulberg seized his opportunity. A near manus caught Reyes, rocking him backward and a large close hook Caught Reyes flush, knocking him to the ground, and bringing the combat to a close.

"My extremity with Reyes was to container him and helium felt the powerfulness aboriginal and I saw successful his eyes that helium didn't privation to consciousness that again, truthful the adjacent accidental I went with the 2 and dropped him," Ulberg said.

The Kiwi soaked up the adulation of the Perth crowd, earlier turning his attraction to adjacent week's rubric fight.

"I'm going to Vegas. I'm going to beryllium cage broadside determination ... I'm coming," Ulberg added.

Ulberg besides confirmed that helium has requested to beryllium the authoritative backmost up for the UFC 320 main event. "I'm present to interruption records, this is what I privation to do. I don't deliberation anyone has fought a combat and the precise adjacent week fought for the title. And that's what I envision. If they tin marque maine the backmost up that volition beryllium awesome," helium said.

Elsewhere connected the main card, lightweight Tom Nolan secured a submission triumph implicit the antecedently unbeaten Charlie Campbell, Jack Jenkins secured a comeback determination triumph implicit Ramon Taveras. Neil Magny staged a tremendous third-round comeback to bushed Jake Matthews by submission, and Jimmy Crute's renaissance astatine airy heavyweight continued arsenic helium submitted Ivan Erslan.

Of the 11 Australian and New Zealand fighters connected the card, 10 ended up arsenic winners