Carlos Ulberg Stops Dominick Reyes in First Round at UFC Fight Night Perth
New Zealand’s Carlos Ulberg continued his incredible rise in the UFC light heavyweight division with a dominant first-round stoppage victory over former title challenger Dominick Reyes on Saturday night at UFC Fight Night in Perth, Australia.
Ulberg, who now boasts a 13-1 professional record, needed just 4 minutes and 27 seconds of the opening round to dismantle Reyes in front of a roaring Australian crowd. The win marked Ulberg’s ninth straight UFC victory, cementing his position as one of the most dangerous contenders in the division.
Following his flawless performance, the 33-year-old kept his post-fight message short and powerful. With his eyes firmly set on gold, Ulberg confirmed he will be in Las Vegas next weekend to watch the UFC 320 light heavyweight title fight rematch between Russia’s Magomed Ankalaev (21-1, 1 NC) and Brazil’s Alex Pereira (12-3).
“I’m coming for the belt,” Ulberg declared, sending a clear warning to the division’s elite.
Ulberg’s Power Too Much for Reyes
From the opening bell, Ulberg imposed his will on Reyes, cutting off the cage and controlling the pace of the fight. His pressure immediately neutralised Reyes’s punching rhythm, forcing the American onto the back foot.
Midway through the round, Ulberg landed a crisp straight left that visibly shook Reyes. Recognising the opening, the Kiwi pressed forward with precision and patience. With less than a minute left in the round, Ulberg unleashed a devastating right hook that dropped Reyes to the canvas, leaving the referee with no choice but to wave off the contest.
Reyes, who entered the fight on a three-bout winning streak, fell to 15-4 overall. The loss was his first knockout defeat since November 2022, when he suffered a KO at the hands of Ryan Spann.
Speaking after his victory, Ulberg revealed the calculated approach behind his explosive finish:
“My goal with Reyes was to box him, and he felt the power early. I saw in his eyes that he didn’t want to feel that again, so the next opportunity I went with the two and dropped him,” Ulberg explained.
The result further underlines Ulberg’s lethal striking power and fight IQ—qualities that have quickly made him a top contender in one of the UFC’s most competitive divisions.
Jimmy Crute Secures First-Round Submission
In the co-main event, Australia’s own Jimmy Crute gave the home fans plenty to cheer about with a first-round submission win over Croatia’s Ivan Erslan.
Crute (14-4-2) needed just over three minutes to secure a rear-naked choke, forcing Erslan to tap at the 3:19 mark. The victory was Crute’s second in a row and his sixth career submission.
Meanwhile, Erslan remains winless in the UFC after three attempts. His last victory came back in February 2024, and the Croatian now faces questions about his future with the promotion.
Jack Jenkins Outworks Ramon Taveras
Another Aussie standout, featherweight Jack Jenkins, delivered a gritty performance against American Ramon Taveras. Using his relentless pace and sharp volume striking, Jenkins controlled the action and earned a unanimous decision victory with scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28.
The win pushes Jenkins’s record to 14-4, with five victories in his last seven outings. Taveras, however, drops to 10-4 and is now winless in more than 20 months, losing three of his last five fights.
Neil Magny Submits Jake Matthews
Veteran welterweight Neil Magny added another impressive win to his long UFC career, overcoming adversity to defeat Australian favourite Jake Matthews by submission in the third round.
Matthews started strong, putting Magny under pressure with heavy strikes and aggressive grappling in the early stages. However, Magny’s experience and composure shone through as the fight progressed. In the third round, Magny capitalised on a scramble, locking in a D’arce choke at 3:08 to seal the victory.
The result improves Magny’s record to 31-14 and gives him back-to-back wins, bringing his UFC total to an astonishing 24 victories—the most in welterweight history. Matthews, meanwhile, falls to 22-8 after a setback in front of his home crowd.
Ulberg’s Title Ambition Clear
Carlos Ulberg’s sensational knockout of Dominick Reyes has thrown him firmly into the light heavyweight title conversation. With his winning streak extended to nine and his confidence sky-high, the New Zealander’s next move could very well be a title eliminator or even a shot at the belt itself.
All eyes will be on Las Vegas next weekend, where Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira meet in a high-stakes rematch for the 205-pound championship. Ulberg has already made it clear—whoever leaves with the belt will have him waiting.
As the UFC continues to expand its global presence, fighters like Ulberg, Crute, and Jenkins are proving that Australia and New Zealand remain hotbeds of elite MMA talent.