Carlos Ulberg celebrates after beating Da Woon Jung. Photo: Photosport
UFC Perth: Ulberg v Reyes
Preliminary card starts 12pm Sunday 28 September
RAC Arena, Perth
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
The UFC is returning to Australia, as Kiwi Carlos Ulberg headlines Perth's first-ever Fight Night on Sunday.
The event marks the promotion's fourth visit to the Western Australian city and first since UFC 305 in August 2024.
Ulberg - the third-ranked light-heavyweight - takes on former title challenger Dominick Reyes, a fight that has previously been booked and cancelled twice.
A win for Ulberg should mean a title shot, but a finish would almost guarantee it.
Elsewhere, fellow Kiwi and City Kickboxing teammate Navajo Sterling looks to continue his unbeaten start to his UFC career.
Michelle Montague will make history as the first Kiwi woman to fight in the UFC, while New Zealand-born Justin Tafa looks to get back to winning ways.
Two Australians fighting out of City Kickboxing gym will also make their UFC debuts.
Here's everything you need to know about UFC Fight Night: Ulberg v Reyes.
Who's fighting?
As mentioned, Ulberg is setting out to stake his claim for UFC gold, with huge title implications in play on Sunday.
Ulberg is riding an eight-fight win steak, with his latest victory, albeit unspectacular, over former light-heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz.
A win, but more importantly, a finish could force UFC boss Dana White's hand and earn him a title shot.
Carlos Ulberg (L) fighting Volkan Oezdemir. Photo: photosport
Standing in his way is a resurgent Reyes, who once fought for the belt in a razor-close decision loss to arguably the greatest ever to do it, Jon Jones.
That defeat proceeded three spectacular knockout losses, with retirement looking more likely than another title shot, but Reyes found form after a lengthy break away from the Octagon and is now on a three-fight finish steak.
Whoever gets their hand raised on Sunday will make a serious case to be next in line for the light-heavyweight title - which current champion Magomed Ankalaev defends against Alex Pereira just a week later.
On the same card, highly ranked and former challengers Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree will stake their claim.
With both - including Reyes - having previously fought for the belt, Ulberg has the novelty of being a fresh face on his side, as he looks to become just the second New Zealander to win UFC gold.
Headlining the preliminary card is perhaps City Kickboxing's next great hope as the unbeaten Stirling looks to stay perfect in the UFC.
The rangy 7-0 light-heavyweight takes on Brazilian Rodolfo Bellato, who has also yet to taste defeat in the UFC.
After a majority draw and a very controversial no contest in his last outing, Stirling will be confident he can end the Brazilian's unbeaten start in the Octagon.
While Stirling has been largely untroubled in his first two UFC bouts, he has gone to the judges' scorecards on both occasions and will be desperate to register a finish over Bellato.
'The Wild One' to make history
History will be made for the New Zealand combat sports scene, when Montague makes the walk and becomes the first Kiwi woman to fight for the world's biggest mixed martial arts organisation.
The former Commonwealth Games wrestler boasts an impressive 6-0 record, with six submission finishes - all by rear naked choke.
'The Wild One' fights out of the prestigious American Top Team, which is headlined by fellow bantamweight and UFC champion Kayla Harrison.
Michelle Montague. Photo: Cooper Neill/Getty Images
She takes on UFC veteran Luana Carolina, who has been with the organisation since 2019, and is on a three-fight win streak.
City Kickboxing duo debut
Also fighting on the prelims are Australians Cam Rowston and Brando Pericic, who are both based at City Kickboxing in Auckland.
The respective middleweight and heavyweight will both make their UFC debuts against Americans Andre Petroski and Elisha Ellison.
Auckland-born Justin Tafa will hope to end a two-fight losing streak, as he takes on Scotland's Louie Sutherland to kick off the main card.
Tafa's last win came in Sydney in 2023 against Austen Lane, but two defeats and another couple cancelled bouts later, finds himself in must-win territory.
Younger brother Junior Tafa was scheduled to fight Ibo Aslan, but was forced out with an injury.
Where and what time?
UFC Fight Night Perth will take place in the city centre at RAC Arena.
The preliminary card is scheduled to start at 12pm (NZT), with the main card to begin at 3pm.
Ulberg and Reyes are expected to make their walks around 5pm.
Who else is on the card?
Main card:
- Light-heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg v Dominick Reyes
- Featherweight: Jack Jenkins v Ramon Taveras
- Light-heavyweight: Jimmy Crute v Ivan Erslan
- Welterweight: Jake Matthews v Neil Magny
- Lightweight: Tom Nolan v Charlie Campbell
- Heavyweight: Justin Tafa v Louie Sutherland
- Light-heavyweight: Navajo Stirling v Rodolfo Bellato
- Women's strawweight: Loma Lookboonmee v Alexia Thainara
- Welterweight: Jonathan Micallef v Oban Elliott
- Middleweight: Cameron Rowston v Andre Petroski
- Bantamweight: Colby Thicknesse v Josias Musasa
- Lightweight: Jamie Mullarkey v Rolando Bedoya
- Women's bantamweight: Michelle Montague v Luana Carolina
- Heavyweight: Brando Pericic v Elisha Ellison
Preliminary card:
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