Latest news with #CarlosUlberg
Forbes
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Announces First Six Fights For Perth Card Including Main Event
The UFC heads back to Perth, Australia, on Saturday, September 27, for a fight card headlined by an important light heavyweight affair. In that contest, the surging Carlos Ulberg faces the reinvigorated Dominick Reyes in a matchup that will have repercussions at the top of the UFC's 205-pound weight class. The UFC recently officially announced the first six bouts for the UFC Perth fight card. UFC Perth Fight Card: Official Matchups Carlos Ulberg vs. Dominick Reyes - Light heavyweight Michelle Montague vs. Luana Carolina - Women's bantamweight Loma Lookboonmee vs. Alexia Thainara - Strawweight Colby Thicknesse vs. Josias Musasa - Bantamweight Choi Doo-ho vs. Daniel Santos - Featherweight Navajo Stirling vs. Rodolfo Bellato - Light heavyweight UFC Perth Main Event: Carlos Ulberg Vs. Dominick Reyes Carlos Ulberg (12-1) made his UFC debut in March 2021 after winning a contract on a Dana White's Contender Series card. Ulberg's knockout win on the DWCS moved his record to 5-0. At the time Ulberg was known mostly as a member of the City Kickboxing team out of Auckland, New Zealand. Ulberg earned a 'Fight of the Night' bonus for his effort in his first official UFC contest, but he did not get a victory. Instead, Kennedy Nzechukwu knocked him out in the second round of that contest. Ulberg bounced back from his first career defeat to pick up a decision win over Fabio Cherant. He followed that with victories over Nicolae Negumereanu, Ihor Potieria, and Jung Da-un. In May 2024, Ulberg got his first name opponent, when he went up against Alonzo Menifield. He dispatched Menifield in 12 seconds. The UFC then booked Ulberg against former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Volkan Oezdemir. Ulberg bested him by decision over three rounds. In his most recent outing, Ulberg faced a former UFC 205-pound champion in Jan Blachowicz. Ulberg won that three-rounder via decision. Ulberg heads into UFC Perth as the No. 3 contender in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings. Dominick Reyes (15-4) joined the UFC in 2017. He had a 6-0 record at the time. Reyes made a statement in his promotional debut, knocking out Joachim Christensen in 29 seconds to claim a 'Performance of the Night' bonus. Reyes followed that victory with five straight wins, the last of which was a knockout of former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. The first-round finish earned Reyes his second 'Performance of the Night' bonus. More importantly, the victory set him up for a 2020 matchup with then-UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Reyes pushed Jones for five rounds at UFC 247, but his effort was not rewarded by the judges on that night in Houston, Texas, as Jones picked up a unanimous decision win. The fight was close. Close enough that UFC CEO Dana White said he has the fight scored three rounds for Reyes and one for Jones going into the last round. Reyes has struggled after that loss with consecutive knockout setbacks to Jan Blachowicz, Jiri Prochazka, and Ryan Spann. In June 2024, Reyes righted the ship with a first-round knockout win over Dustin Jacoby. Proving that win was not a fluke, Reyes knocked out former title challenger Anthony Smith at UFC 310. Reyes followed those two KO victories with a third straight stoppage by strikes, finishing Nikita Krylov at UFC 314. Reyes's current run has earned him the No. 8 ranking in the UFC light heavyweight division. UFC Perth Fight Card Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025 Noche Perth Fight Card Location: RAC Arena in Perth, Australia We will have more on the upcoming UFC Perth fight card as the UFC Fight Night event approaches, including previews, odds, and predictions.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
UFC Perth: Carlos Ulberg v Dominick Reyes booked as main event for UFC's return Downunder
Carlos Ulberg is no stranger to the spotlight. But when he steps into the octagon in the UFC's return Downunder, the Kiwi contender will do so under the brightest light of his career so far.
ABC News
05-06-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Run It Straight turns brute force into entertainment, with fatal consequences
For Onehunga Mata'uiau, rugby has always been about skill, discipline, and controlled contact. That's why the former Manu Samoa player and seasoned coach sees the Run It Straight craze sweeping Pacific communities as a dangerous distortion of the game he loves. Backed by former and current rugby stars Manu Vatuvei, Chanel Harris-Tavita, George Burgess, Nemani Nadolo and UFC's Carlos Ulberg, and attracting hundreds of thousands of followers online, Run It Straight sees players charging at each other like rugby front rowers, to "dominate" their opponent. But as the online hype has grown, so too have the risks. The social media-driven craze made international headlines late last month when 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite died in New Zealand after suffering head injuries in an impromptu contest. Speaking just before that incident, veteran coach Mata'uiau had told ABC's Pacific Pulse he feared a tragedy was inevitable in a format where collision, not evasion, is the goal. "As coaches and game developers, we make sure there is technique and players are not reckless … we teach our kids how to tackle properly instead of taking the head off," he said. "[Run It Straight] revolves the game around rugby, but the principle of our game is not that. "We never trained to knock each other out like that, where you have to smash someone at a hundred miles per hour. In May, Run It safety spokesperson Billy Coffey revealed the sport has a concussion rate of around 20 per cent, noting that two concussions at a recent event were caused by players using "illegal" head-first techniques. As pulverising hits flood social media, the spectacle is also drawing criticism for glorifying "harmful forms of masculinity". Some Pacific Islanders who grew up in the 1990s trace Run It Straight back to their childhoods in the Australian and New Zealand diaspora. "We'd make our own fun after to'ona'i (Sunday lunch) by playing games like bull rush or Run It Straight," associate professor Lefaoali'i Dr Dion Enari said. Once a backyard pastime, it has transformed into a high-impact combat event drawing a legion of online fans, families, community vendors, and influencers. From the polished, star-studded RUNIT Championship League to the grassroots Run It Straight 24, participants face off one-on-one in a tight 20-by-4-metre arena, taking turns charging or tackling at full speed. Matches end in knockouts or are decided by dominance, with prize money reaching $NZ200,000 ($185,700) for the last man standing. Despite warnings from injury experts, the unregulated contest is booming online. But sporting codes are pushing back. New Zealand Rugby has warned of "significant risk of serious injury," with All Black and Moana Pasifika captain Ardie Savea saying sportspeople "should not be seen supporting something like this." New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said people needed to take more responsibility for their actions, while in Australia, Manly Sea Eagles fans have been told they face bans if caught taking part in the craze at games, after footage surfaced showing men hurtling downhill into awaiting tacklers. Dr Andrew Affleck, senior hospital scientist and brain bank manager at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, calls the craze a "hit-fest" designed to cause maximum damage. He said repeated clashes, both mild and severe, increase the risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia, motor neurone disease, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Queensland league great Wally Lewis lives with probable CTE, while the late NRL coach Paul Green, who died by suicide in 2022, was posthumously diagnosed with CTE, a condition that cannot be fully diagnosed in living patients. "They probably do not fully appreciate that each knock might be another step toward potential impairment," Dr Affleck said. "We know that people who develop CTE have often experienced not just concussions but repeated blows, including non-concussive events. Police described the incident that fatally injured Ryan Satterthwaite as "innocuous," underscoring Dr Affleck's warning about the lethal risk of smaller impacts. Ryan did not strike anything solid. According to police, it was the sheer force of the movement that led to his death. Dr Affleck wants to see a shift in attitudes towards the trend. "We only have one brain. It controls everything we do automatically, like breathing, movement, reflexes. Unlike other organs, we don't have a backup." As thousands rallied around grassroots contests, mental health worker and advocate Shenei Penaia became concerned when a family member signed up to compete in Melbourne trials. "My greatest worry is it reinforces a harmful form of masculinity. Young people are not just watching, they are learning that their bodies are disposable, pain is performative and safety comes second to going viral," she said. "We should be building environments that protect and uplift our young people, our young men, where strength are things like self-awareness, vulnerability, and the freedom to say no to being put at risk. On Wednesday, Run It Straight 24 CEO Christian 'Charizma' Lesa said the group will now enforce the use of mouthguards, headgear, and stricter tackling rules, with disqualification for any contact outside the chest-to-waist zone. "We're still learning, but we want to make this as safe as possible so no head highs, no grass cuts, and if you're dazed, that's it, you're done," Lesa told Triple J Hack. Lesa said paramedics and ambulances are on stand-by at events and he follows up with injured contestants. Responding to criticism after Ryan Satterthwaite's death, Lesa said Ryan's family were in his prayers "but I can't be the one to blame if people are doing it outside [our competitions]." The ABC put separate questions to the RUNIT Championship League and Run It Straight 24 regarding safety measures, insurance, and competition rules but did not receive a response.
RNZ News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Run It Straight organisers promise more events, despite criticism
Despite public outcry, it appears the RUNIT Championship League will return. After completing the second of its trials at Trusts Arena in West Auckland on Wednesday night, organisers posted on social media: "Thank you Auckland, we will be back." An announcement was made confirming a third 'Run It Straight' event, pitting the winners from Monday and Wednesday's trials head-to-head for a prize of $250,000. A date and venue was yet to be confirmed, though they said the final would be held indoors. Wednesday night's trial took place on a 20m by 4m strip of astroturf, with competitors hovering around the 130kg mark. Two men retired due to knocks to the head, one slumping to the ground and appearing to have a seizure . Both hits were met by a thunderous ovation from the crowd. Among them was Kiwi league legend Manu Vatuvei, who said RUNIT reminded him of his Warriors training days. "We used to run at each other and try to smash each other, just to get the feel of the contact - that's what drew me into this. I'm just happy it's here in New Zealand. I know a lot of people hate it, and a lot of people love it. I'm one of those people who love it." Vatuvei said he was tempted to give it a crack himself. "I do, honestly - but my mind is telling me one thing, my body is telling me another." UFC light heavyweight Carlos Ulberg was also there, and along with Vatuvei threw T-shirts into the crowd. "We used to do this at school - it was how we got our confidence or respect," Ulberg said. Current Warrior Chanel Harris-Tavita has also appeared in promotional material for RUNIT, though the Warriors said it had nothing to do with them and the club did not want to comment. Hundreds of children were also there. "It's mean. The big hits, all the hype it brings, the crowd, everything, the atmosphere," a high schooler said. Another young woman wanted to see females included. "I know some hearty wahine - they need to do a women's one, because I'm gonna run it straight!" Two other Run It Straight events were cancelled after organisers did not secure permits - though they blamed it on the council on social media. In a statement on Thursday, Auckland Council said it had not declined or cancelled any events, stating it believed it was "unlikely" the events would have been okayed if the organisers had applied. "Run It Straight organisers have not applied for any event permits or made any requests to book council owned or managed sites," general manager parks and community facilities Taryn Crewe said. "It is therefore incorrect to suggest that the council is not allowing these events to proceed. However if the organisers were to follow the correct process, we believe it is highly unlikely the event would have met the council's guidelines for approval. "In addition to health and safety considerations, Auckland's sports fields are in high demand at this time of year, with priority given to agreements with regional sports organisations." One of the events had been down for Williams Park, Māngere, but the chair of the local community board told Local Democracy Reporting it was opposed . Tauanu'u Nick Bakulich, chair of the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board, said the board was against the event on public health and safety grounds - especially around brain and health-related injuries. The Run It Straight concept has its strong critics. Chief executive of the Headway charity, Stacey Mowbray, told RNZ it was undoubtedly causing brain injury. She said the format and promotion of the events appeared to exploit financially vulnerable people by offering large cash prizes. In Australia, sports neuroscientist Dr Alan Pearce told participants needed to understand they may be shortening their lives every time they take part. "I was pretty gobsmacked, speechless actually when I saw this competition idea starting, because for me as someone who has seen hundreds of footballers and rugby league players who are now struggling with brain injury and long-term impairment, it is really troubling." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
