Ulberg KO's Reyes in Perth to pursue a title shot

Carlos Ulberg knocked out Dominick Reyes in the first round to headline UFC Perth on Saturday night, delivering a decisive victory that advances the New Zealand fighter toward light heavyweight title contention. The finish came in the opening round at RAC Arena in Perth, where Ulberg landed a straight right that put Reyes down and ended the main event.

Ulberg, fighting out of City Kickboxing, controlled distance early and opened the exchange with a meaningful combination and a solid jab before finding the finishing strike. Reyes, who had rebuilt his standing in the division with three consecutive first-round knockouts after a multi-year slump, struggled to close distance and was unable to recover after the clean blow. The bout was scheduled in the early local afternoon to accommodate American viewers and played to a lively, though not sellout, crowd.

Reyes posted a brief reaction on social media shortly after the fight, writing, "Congratulations to Carlos, just wasn't my night. God is always good." The result ends Reyes' short resurgence and raises questions about the next steps for the former title challenger, who pushed Jon Jones to a controversial decision at UFC 247 in 2020...