New Zealand’s Carlos Ulberg has punched his way into a UFC light heavyweight title shot via brutal KO – and on an afternoon where Australian MMA also starred.

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.

Coming into the UFC Perth headliner on a run of eight straight wins, Ulberg dropped American Dom Reyes with a brutal left, right hand combination in only the first round.

The Black Jag then dived in to finish it with another shot on the ground.

“I’m coming,” Ulberg shouted afterwards.

Elsewhere, the Kiwi said he had already spoken to UFC exec Hunter Campbell about now jetting across to Las Vegas in coming days to be cageside for next Sunday’s UFC 320 headliner – when UFC champ Magomed Ankalaev takes on former division king Alex Pereira.

The crazy main event KO came on a Perth showcase that also saw seven Australians win their fights – among them Jimmy Crute, Jack Jenkins, and exciting Brisbane lightweight prospect Tom ‘Big Train’ Nolan.

In fact, the only Aussie who lost was Jake Matthews – and even then, in the most bizarre of circumstances, with the Melburnian appearing to be granted a first round submission against Neil Magny.

However, after initially appearing to call the fight off, and with Magny remonstrating that he wasn’t out at the bell, the referee then said it was continuing, with Matthews submitted in the third.

Ulberg, meanwhile, now seems impossible to deny as the next UFC title challenger, despite initial suggestions the spot could be stolen by either Jiri Procházka or Khalil Roundtree – who fight on next Sunday’s UFC 320 undercard.

Speaking with media after his huge KO win, Ulberg sensationally revealed that he had not only spoken backstage with UFC officials about flying to next Sunday’s Las Vegas title fight – but potentially come in as the back-up fighter.

“So I’m going to have an early one,” he laughed when asked about potential celebrations with his fellow City Kickboxing winners.

Ulberg initially made the reveal when asked if he could keep flying under the radar as had been suggested by Reyes, despite his win streak.

“I don’t think so, not with a win like this,” he said.

“And I was speaking with Hunter Campbell earlier, just after the fight, and I asked him to fly me to Las Vegas (for UFC 320).

“And he said ‘sweet’, so we’re all good.

“I also said that I’ll be the back up for that fight …”

Huh?

“I’m here to break records, man,” Ulberg grinned when pushed on his incredible push to fight in consecutive weekends, and for UFC gold.

“I don’t think anyone has fought and then the very next weekend fought for a title.

“So that’s what I envision can happen.

“I’ve put it in the air.

“I want to be there in Las Vegas, first.

“And if they can make me back up awesome. If anyone falls out I’ll get the job done.”

Asked about cutting weight again so quickly, Ulberg continued: “Too easy.

“I’m about 102kg right now.

“So making 93 would be easy.

“It’s not like a typical fight camp, either.

“This is for the title.

“This is breaking the rules. And I like breaking the rules.”

 

Asked why he would chase a high risk play like that when his knockout win had effectively guaranteed him to be next in line anyway, he continued: “Because I don’t think anyone has done that before.

“And I’m here to break those records.

“Break the rules, man.

“That’s what it’s about, just doing those things.

“That’s what puts eyes on you.”

And as for when the new title challenger intends to go?

“I dunno,” Ulberg shrugged. “I’m in Perth until Wednesday, then home, and from there to Las Vegas.

“And I think they might be organising a jet for me … (laughs) I’m putting that into the air, too.”

Ulberg was also asked about Reyes suggesting through the week he had been “winning quietly” and effectively boasted no signature wins.

“I think he was being honest,” Ulberg said.

“And I have been flying under the radar for a reason. That’s a strategy, to make sure I get to a point.

“When I’m fighting someone, I’m watching their every move.

“And I know Reyes was doing the same.

“His brothers were watching my socials, keeping an eye on us.

“(Laughs) I was ‘these guys, c’mon’.

“But they were doing what I do. And I respect that.

“But it all just sets me up for this next fight, and I can see it happening.”

Apart from being ranked at No.3 in his weight class, Auckland’s Ulberg also came into the Perth headliner on a strong tear, including the scalp of former champ Jan Blachowicz in March.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia in fight week, the City Kickboxing product credited his run towards a title – in which he has won big without saying much of anything – on the likes of mentors and mates Sonny Bill Williams and Mark Hunt.

The New Zealander added that his aim is to get to the gold in a way that can also prove an example to his two young sons, who obviously watch everything the old man does, and says, closely.

For Reyes, meanwhile, the KO ended what was shaping as one of the UFC’s greatest comeback stories.

It has now been five years since Reyes was robbed of the UFC light heavyweight crown against UFC superstar Jon Jones.

While it was ‘Bones’ who earned a decision win between the pair at UFC 247, almost everyone in the building that night – and most watching on TV screens around the world – had it for the challenger.

Yet that loss proved a sliding doors moment that would eventually see Reyes go spiralling down the type of black hole that is four straight losses, including three by KO.

However, Reyes then resurrected – around the time he also found God – and arrived in Perth on a run of three straight KOs and pushing for the most unlikely of UFC title resurrections.

But it wasn’t to be.

Elsewhere on the undercard, there were also big wins for Australian UFC debutants Brando Pericic and Cam Rowston, while Colby Thicknesse also earned his first Octagon victory.

Immediately after Pericic’s brutal first round KO of Elisha Ellison, paramedics were called into the Octagon to treat the unconscious American.

“God is good brother, what a f…ing life,” the Aussie said after dropping his rival and finishing him on the mat with brutal ground and pound.

“Let’s send these c…s home broken and bruised,.

“I’ve spent the last eight years sleeping in cars, in gyms.

“I took out a $100 grand loan to come fight for this company.

“Maybe if I win a bonus tonight I can pay half the c… off.”

Ellison was dropped less than two minutes into the first and appeared to not only go unconscious from brutal ground and pound, but then stayed out on the ground for several moments.

Initially, the American was treated by UFC medical staff and then paramedics. He eventually recovered and was able to walk from the arena.

Meanwhile, the win also proved Ulberg has the power to finish the division’s best.

 

 

Speaking with Submission Radio in fight week, Reyes suggested his rival, while on a long run of success, had hardly proved himself worthy of a UFC light heavyweight title shot.

“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”.

Now however, the Black Jag does.

‘DUNNO, BUT I F***ING LOVE IT’: CRUTE WINS VIA CRAZY SUB

He almost gave the sport away two years ago, but Australia’s Jimmy Crute is now back – and needed less than a round to win his UFC Perth co-main with a big submission win over Croatia’s Ivan Erslan.

Long considered one of the nation’s most exciting MMA prospects, Crute took his rival down early and soon submitted him via a crank submission that even the Melburnian himself couldn’t explain afterwards.

Asked to put a name to it, Crute shouted: “I dunno, but I f***ing love it”.

The born again Christian also said of the win that “I didn’t leave it in my hand, I left it with my Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ”.

Crute then immediately called for a shot on the rumoured UFC card slated for Sydney next February.

A product of Dana White’s Contender Series, The Brute won four of his first five fights in the Octagon, before then suffering three losses and draw, which had him considering retirement.

But the popular Aussie has now bounced back with consecutive submission wins.

 

 

‘I’VE JUST BEEN SO AFRAID’: AUSSIE’S TEARY REVEAL IN VICTORY

Australia’s Jack Jenkins has teared up after ending an incredible run of injury and bad luck to score a gutsy, an incredibly emotional, win against American Ramon Taveras.

One of the most entertaining Aussies on the UFC roster, the Melbourne featherweight admitted in his post-fight interview that he had been “so afraid” after coming within a millimetre of never speaking again after his loss at UFC 312 in Sydney

In the build to his Perth comeback, Jenkins revealed to Fox Sports Australia how terrifyingly close he had come to asphyxiating himself after fighting for seven minutes with a snapped thyroid cartilage, admitting: “I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t had an impact on me mentally”.

The 31-year-old also conceded to having no idea how he would respond in his comeback from an injury that also saw him come so close to several serious complications, including never being able to speak again.

Yet despite the head noise, Phar Jack produced an incredibly smart fight to effectively dominate all three rounds against Taveras, earning it on the scorecards 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

“I’ve just been so afraid for so long since the last injury,” he said afterwards.

“I just didn’t want to let myself quit.

“I’ve got the best team, best family, best fiancée who’ve helped me get through it.

“And to get through a hurdle like I have, it really sets me up now”.

 

After copping a groin shot early in the first round, Jenkins quickly went to work via his hands, feet, all of it – with one head kick, in particular, wobbling his rival as the Aussie then swarmed.

Taveras, meanwhile, hung tough, and threw some back.

Including in the second, another shot to the dusters, plus some big left hands, which Jenkins ate, and returned on, before then even tossing the Florida native as he attempted a takedown.

Eventually, the pair would finish the round trading, with Jenkins landing a takedown late.

Which was the story early in the third, with Jenkins controlling for large chunks on the ground before, with around 90 seconds remaining, almost landing a submission, getting turned, fighting off his back, getting up and finishing by landing a flurry of strikes on his rival.

HUGE REFEREE CONTROVERY

Australia’s Jake Matthews suffered an incredibly controversial submission loss against American Neil Magny – submitted in the third round of a fight he had initially been awarded the winner of in the first.

Officially, Matthews was submitted via D’Arce choke with less than two minutes remaining in the third round of his UFC Perth showdown.

Yet in bizarre scenes, it was the Melburnian who had finished the first with his arms raised in triumph, convinced the fight was over via submission.

Certainly it seemed the end had come after Matthews had Magny trapped tightly in a choke with only seconds remaining in the first round, with the American strangely throwing out an arm as if he had gone unconscious.

Immediately, the referee moved in and appeared to call it off with one second remining.

However, it was at this point where Magny, who wasn’t out, then started to remonstrate that he was fine – with Matthews already walking around the ring with his arms raised.

With the bell having sounded, there was then much confusion in both corners before the referee deemed the fight was continuing.

“I was holding on heard and heard the clacker,” Magny said afterwards, referring to the sound announcing there are 10 seconds of the round remaining.

“So I started counting down in my head; ten, nine, eight … I got to one and thought the buzzer should be going soon.”

The third round submission was a heartbreaking result for Matthews, who had been on a run of three straight wins.

 

 

‘SUCK ON THAT MOTHERF***ERS’

Aussie lightweight prospect Tom Nolan opened the UFC Perth main card in outstanding fashion, choking American Charlie Campbell unconscious in the first round – in the process claiming his first career submission.

“So anyone out there saying I’m not a black belt,” the hyped Brisbane fighter laughed afterwards, “suck on that motherf***ers”.

The win also means Aussie fighters are now 5-zip on the RAC Arena card.

While Nolan was dropped early – and with Queens-lan-dah chants still echoing around the venue – the hulking Brisbane prospect quickly recovered and started delivering shots of his own, before eventually then taking Campbell down beside the fence.

Once there, Nolan locked in a rear naked choke, with his rival eventually going out.

After finally coming to and getting back on his feet afterwards, Campbell was visibly furious with himself for the lack of defence to the choke, initially putting his head in his heads, then cursing several times before leaving the cage.

Elsewhere, Nolan revealed he is getting married at the end of the year, so will look to fight again, hopefully on a big international card, in the first third of 2026.

 

 

STIRLING CONTINUES STREAK

New Zealand’s Navajo Stirling continued his hyped undefeated tear after beating Brazilian Rodolfo Bellato via unanimous decision in Perth.

A 2024 Dana White Contender Series winner, Stirling took his winning streak as a professional to seven straight, winning on all three judges’ scorecards: 30-27, 30-27, 29-28.

Still, the Aucklander wasn’t completely impressed afterwards.

“I was trying for the finish but he was receiving the shots well,” he said inside the cage.

“I was missing some of my right hands, had to change it up a bit.

“I’m not fully happy with this one.

“I came to fight but scraped by.”

 

 

BATTLE GIRAFFE WINS, CELEBRATES WITH JOHN CENA MOVE

Sydney’s Cam Rowston vowed to follow in the footsteps of superstar UFC teammate Israel Adesanya after earning a highlight reel win in his Octagon debut here in Perth.

While it may have taken three Rowston three attempts, and plenty of years, to get himself a UFC debut, the Aussie middleweight needed less than three minutes to get his first win – finishing Andre Petroski in Round One.

Wonderfully dubbed the Battle Giraffe, the fighter who once dreamed of playing basketball for the Sydney Kings dropped Petroski with a big left, right combination and then finished him on the ground.

The Aussie who only recently earned his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series then immediately celebrated with John Cena’s signature ‘You Can’t See Me’ celebration.

“Hey middleweights there’s a new dog in the yard,” Rowston shouted afterwards.

Now training out of Auckland’s City Kickboxing Gym, the former Boomers wannabe then reminded the crowd that it was in this arena seven years ago that Adesanya also made his own hyped UFC debut.

He added that while The Last Stylebender could never be replicated, “this express train is going non stop to the top”.

 

MULLARKEY GETS IT DONE

Australian lightweight Jamie Mullarkey earned his way back in the winner’s column – and continued a great roll here at UFC Perth for local fighters – with a decision victory over Peru’s Rolando Bedoya.

Despite being badly cut under his left eye in the third, Mullarkey produced one of his signature gritty performances to win on all three judges’ scorecards 29-28.

It was a strong return for the Central Coast fighter who had lost two straight, but now trains extensively at the Windang gym of Alexander Volkanovski – and had the UFC featherweight champ in his corner.

 

 

VOLK TRAINING PARTNER WINS BIG

Australia’s Colby Thicknesse earned his first UFC win in the gutsiest of ways, taking a narrow decision win against tough Congolese fighter Josias Musasa.

A longtime training partner of UFC featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski, Thicknesse almost finished things in the first, was left bleeding heavily from his nose in the second and started the third by dropping his rival … albeit with a brutal kick to the dusters.

For several minutes, Musasa stayed down as big screen replays left many in the crowd audibly groaning.

Regardless, and in a third round where the scores were locked, the young Windang bantamweight eventually earned a big takedown with 90 seconds remaining, then went to the finish landing strongly from mount.

That was enough to see Thicknesse eventually take the win on all three scorecards 29-28.

The breakthrough Octagon triumph comes seven months after Thicknesse lost his UFC debut against Aleks Topuria, the older brother of UFC superstar Ilia Topuria.

Once again too, with Volkanovski in his corner.

Undeniably, the first round of this one belonged to Thicknesse, who earned a big takedown in the first and almost twice finished his rival – first with ground and pound and then a rear naked choke attempt that went for around 20 seconds before the bell sounded.

Yet in the second, the Windang fighter had it far harder against a rival who left him bleeding heavily from the nose and, for periods, caught up against the fence, while early in the third he dropped his rival … but with that heavy kick to the dusters.

Eventually though, it was that final takedown which proved the difference for the promising Aussie.

 

 

BLOODY KIWI CREATES HISTORY

A bloody Michelle Montague created UFC history twice within 15 minutes – becoming the first New Zealand female to fight inside an Octagon, and then first to win in one.

Despite being cut on the forehead early in the first round, and bleeding through much of the fight, the undefeated Kiwi kept her streak alive with a highly entertaining decision win against Luna Carolina.

While Carolina undeniably had her share of moments, and submission attempts, through all three rounds it was Montague who eventually took a lopsided result on the cards: 29-26, 30-25, 30-26.

In a huge first round, the Kiwi took her rival down, suffered a nasty head cut, almost finished with ground and pound, fought out of shock submission attempt and then, finally, controlled on the mat again.

Then in the second, more of the same.

With Montague, still bleeding, again taking her rival down twice, albeit this time in one of the exchanges receiving an illegal kick to the head from her grounded opponent – who was deducted a point.

Again too, the Kiwi almost submitted her rival while also being forced to again fight off an attempt from Carolina, while in the third she again earned two more powerhouse takedowns and almost finished things on the ground – including with a rear naked choke attempt late.

 

 

AUSSIE SCORES BRUTAL KO ON DEBUT

Paramedics were called into the Octagon after Aussie heavyweight Brando Pericic earned an outstanding — and brutal — first round KO against American Elisha Ellison.

It was his third straight first round KO.

“God is good brother, what a f…ing life,” the Aussie said after dropping his rival and finishing him on the mat with brutal ground and pound. “Let’s send these c…s home broken and bruised,.

“I’ve spent the last eight years sleeping in cars, in gyms.

“I took out a $100 grand loan to come fight for this company.

“Maybe if I win a bonus tonight I can pay half the c… off.”

Ellison was dropped less than two minutes into the first and appeared to not only go unconscious from brutal ground and pound, but then stayed out on the ground for several moments.

Initially, the American was treated by UFC medical staff and then paramedics. He eventually recovered and was able to walk from the arena.

Originally from South Australia, Pericic now trains in New Zealand at the famed City Kickboxing gym.

 

 

BRAZILIAN WINS, AND DANCES

She walked out to Land Down Under, and Brazil’s Alexia Thainara won the first fight of the morning here at UFC Perth – earning a strong women’s strawweight decision against Loma Lookboonmee.

While Thailand’s Lookboonmee was cheered loudly right throughout all 15 minutes by what were almost certainly family in the crowd, it was Thainara who continually took her rival down and largely controlled all three rounds, winning 30-27 on all scorecards.

Still, Lookboonmee had plenty of exciting moments on the feet, with the second round finishing with both fighters swinging wildly, and Thainara then waving her arms to rev up the crowd.

It was a similar story after the finish, when the Brazilian produced a victory celebration dance.