Ulberg's back! Photo / Getty Images
A few months out from the UFC returning to Sydney in September, the event’s first fight to be announced includes Aotearoa’s own light heavyweight knockout artist, Carlos Ulberg.
Ulberg (Tainui, Te Atiawa, Hāmoa) will take on Korea’s Da Woon Jung at UFC 293 aiming to extend his four-fight win-streak and three first-round finish record across the ditch.
His second fight for 2023 comes after finishing Ukraine’s Ihor Potieria last month in his first main card fight for a UFC event.
Da Woon Jung (15-4-1) has been in back-to-back losses in the last year. But before that, he defeated Ulberg’s debut opponent, Kennedy Nzechukwu, via knockout. Nzechukwu defeated Ulberg the same way.
More fights are yet to be announced for Sydney but UFC President Dana White has said the event will be main evented by middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. White said Adesanya’s opponent will be the winner of the fight by South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis and Aussie-Māori former champion Robert Whittaker, which takes place at UFC 290 on July 9.
That same UFC 290 card features Ngāti Maniapoto lightweight Dan Hooker taking on Jalin Turner in a match that will finally come to fruition after postponing the fight in February.
And after a controversial split decision loss a couple of weeks ago, flyweight contender Kai Kara-France (Waikato, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Atiawa) has expressed interest to get back to work as soon as possible in Sydney, potentially joining his City Kickboxing teammates.
