Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes returns in the UFC Perth headliner against a fellow KO artist.
UFC lightweight contender Dan Hooker was briefly linked to a potential main event booking for the UFC’s return to Perth, Australia on September 27th. But amid Hooker’s tense recent dealings with the promotion, the UFC has opted to go in another direction, featuring a jam-packed main event.
The UFC hasn’t hosted an event in Perth since UFC 305 last year, featuring a middleweight title headliner between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya. The UFC’s return to Perth will be well worth the wait for fight fans, as they announced a star-studded main event on Tuesday.
Dominick Reyes set to face feared KO artist in UFC Perth main event
Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes overcame a brutal losing skid to win three-straight fights since June 2024. Reyes, who nearly handed Jon Jones a rare defeat at UFC 247, was knocked out three consecutive times and appears on the cusp of potentially retiring.
Reyes most recently knocked out Nikita Krylov at UFC 314 in April. After his recent resurgence, Reyes will be rewarded with a main event slot at UFC Perth.
The UFC announced on Tuesday that UFC Perth will be headlined by Reyes vs. Carlos Ulberg on September 27th. It’s a matchup between two of the division’s most dangerous strikers with a potential title shot on the line.
Ulberg returns to the Octagon for the first time since defeating former champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC London in March. He’s won eight consecutive fights since falling short in his UFC debut, including recent wins over Volkan Oezdemir and Alonzo Menifield.
Reyes and Ulberg have earned a combined 17 knockout victories during their careers. Their matchup will take place at a busy time for the light heavyweight division, particularly at UFC 320 the weekend after UFC Perth.
Dominick Reyes vs. Carlos Ulberg adds to busy Fall for light heavyweights
One week after UFC Perth, UFC 320 takes place in Las Vegas, featuring a light heavyweight title headliner between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira. The fight is a rematch of their UFC 313 fight, in which Ankalaev walked away with a decision victory.
Ankalaev’s first title defense takes place against Pereira, despite recent speculation that the rematch was doomed to come to fruition. Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr. will fight with a potential title shot on the line on the UFC 320 main card.
Despite Prochazka revealing a title shot was guaranteed with a win over Rountree, the Reyes vs. Ulberg winner has the opportunity to skip the line with a shocking performance at UFC Perth.
