Carlos Ulberg knows how high the stakes are at UFC 303.
[autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag] knows how high the stakes are at UFC 303.
With Khalil Rountree forced out of his June 29 co-main event vs. [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag](12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas due to a failed drug test, Ulberg (9-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) accepted to step in on short notice.
The City Kickboxing standout is on a six-fight winning streak, but will be facing a big leap up in competition when he takes on former UFC light heavyweight champion Hill.
“We’re going up against Hill. I think he’s No. 3 at the moment, so that’s some really good news that puts us in a really good spot – and I’m not going to pass that opportunity,” Ulberg said in an interview with ENGAGE.
Hill’s fight with Rountree originally was slated as the co-headliner. While the bout order isn’t finalized yet, Ulberg is just excited to compete on the same card as the returning Conor McGregor, who headlines UFC 303 against Michael Chandler.
“McGregor is obviously the biggest star to rise out of the UFC, and even sporting alone,” Ulberg said. “Everybody that you talk to, they all know McGregor – even if they’re not MMA fans. I spoke to someone today, and they didn’t know about MMA, but they knew who McGregor was – which was amazing.
“He is definitely a big star, and to fight under that undercard would be amazing. If we can get the co-main event, then that’d be even more spectacular. He goes in with confidence, and that’s something that I like to lead into my fights. When I jump in that cage, it’s just me, my opponent and the preparation that I’ve had prior.”
[lawrence-related id=2743505,2743353,2740052]
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.
Jamahal Hill is favored to bounce back against the streaking Carlos Ulberg in the UFC 303 co-main event, but by the thinnest of margins.
A key light heavyweight showdown between [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] and [autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag] will serve as the co-main event of UFC’s 12th annual International Fight Week extravaganza at UFC 303 this summer.
Jamahal Hill vs. Carlos Ulberg preview
After making a quick return from his Achilles injury and failing to recapture the 205-pound title with a first-round knockout loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 300 in April, Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) makes a fast return in hopes of regaining momentum. He was originally scheduled to face Khalil Rountree at the event, but Rountree was forced out after failing a drug test due to the accidental ingestion of a banned substance, leading to a two-month suspension.
That afforded a big opportunity to Ulberg (9-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who is coming off a 12-second knockout victory over Alonzo Menifield at UFC on ESPN 56 in May to extend his current winning streak to five fights. Hill, No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie light heavyweight rankings, represents a significant step up in competition for No. 15-ranked Ulberg.
Jamahal Hill vs. Carlos Ulberg odds
DraftKings released the odds for the bout, with Hill opening up as a slight -120 favorite over Ulberg, who’s a +100 underdog.
How to watch Jamahal Hill vs. Carlos Ulberg at UFC 303
Carlos Ulberg will get a massive opportunity at UFC 303.
[autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag] will get a massive opportunity at UFC 303.
[autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] announced that he has withdrawn from his June 29 co-main event vs. [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas due to a failed drug test. Stepping in to face the former UFC light heavyweight champion will be City Kickboxing’s Ulberg.
Two people with knowledge of the booking recently confirmed the matchup to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. The news was reported Thursday by the New Zealand Herald.
Rountree’s girlfriend, Mia Kang, revealed that the suspension will be for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a hormone that is banned in and out of competition. The UFC has yet to officially announce Rountree’s withdrawal or Hill’s new opponent.
Since dropping his UFC debut, Ulberg (9-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) has been on a role having won six straight. He’s coming off a 12-second, Performance of the Night knockout of Alonzo Menifield at UFC on ESPN 56 earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) will look to rebound from his title loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 300 in April. After over a year away from competition due to a ruptured achilles tendon, Hill attempted to reclaim the light heavyweight title he vacated, but was knocked out in Round 1 by Pereira.
With the change, the UFC 303 lineup now includes:
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler
Jamahal Hill vs. Carlos Ulberg
Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson
Andre Fili vs. Cub Swanson
Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Joe Pyfer
Gillian Robertson vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez
Carlos Hernandez vs. Rei Tsuruya
Yanis Ghemmouri vs. Payton Talbott
Andrei Arlovski vs. Martin Buday
Vinicius Oliveira vs. Ricky Simon
Charles Jourdain vs. Jean Silva
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.
It looks like the UFC’s International Fight Week will need to be retooled after one of the fighters said he failed a drug test.
It looks like the co-main event for the UFC’s International Fight Week will need to be retooled after one of the fighters said he failed a drug test.
[autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) on Saturday posted on social media that he is out of the UFC 303 light heavyweight co-feature against former champion [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC). His girlfriend, muay Thai fighter/TV host/model Mia Kang, posted on social media details of what she said will be a suspension for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a hormone that is banned in and out of competition.
UFC officials have not made a formal announcement that Rountree is out of the event, which takes place June 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The card is headlined by Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler and has been projected to be the new all-time gate leader in UFC history.
Kang said Rountree took a custom supplement that contained the banned substance, and that the damage to his reputation already has “caused us a pain we have never felt before.”
Rountree has a five-fight winning streak, including four finishes. In his most recent fight, he had a third-round TKO of Anthony Smith in December.
Hill was knocked out by Alex Pereira when looked to regain the light heavyweight title in the UFC 300 main event in April. The loss snapped a five-fight winning streak.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.
MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 56 main event between Derrick Lewis and Rodrigo Nascimento.
MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in depth to break down the biggest fights in the UFC. Today, he takes a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 56 main event between former heavyweight title challenger [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] and rising contender [autotag]Rodrigo Nascimento[/autotag].
Derrick Lewis UFC on ESPN 56 preview
Jul 29, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Derrick Lewis (red gloves) reacts to defeating Marcos Rogerio De Lima (blue gloves) during UFC 291 at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Supplemental info:
+ Legacy FC heavyweight title
+ Regional MMA accolades
+ 22 KO victories
+ 1 submission win
+ 9 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Dangerous overhands and uppercuts
+ Underrated kicks and knees
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Strikes well off the breaks
+ Shows improved wrestling
+ Deceptive scrambling/getup ability
+ Devastating ground striker
Supplemental info:
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt
+ Grappling tournament experience
+ 2 KO victories
+ 6 submission wins
+ 6 first-round finishes
+ Shows improved overall striking
^ Variates looks and levels
+ Accurate jabs and uppercuts
+ Deceptively quick kicks
+ Serviceable wrestling ability
^ Defensively and offensively
+ Solid transitional grappler
+ Diverse submission acumen
Derrick Lewis vs. Rodrigo Nascimento point of interest: Heavyweight hands
Feb 12, 2022; Houston, Texas, UNITED STATES; Derrick Lewis (red gloves) fights Tai Tuivasa (blue gloves) during UFC 271 at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The main event in St. Louis features a heavyweight showdown between Lewis and Nascimento.
Stepping onto the scene as an unabashed brawler, Lewis has shown some signs of improvement underneath the scary destructions that often take place in his fights. An athletic mover for his size, Lewis can throw accurate knees and head kicks with little signs of struggle.
Never noticed this before, but Derrick Lewis gives a nice, candid reaction to Bruce Buffer – who mixes up Lewis’ win-loss record during the intro for his UFC debut. #UFC230pic.twitter.com/eBHMj2rLR8
A downright scary distance closer when he chooses to be, Lewis can force his opponents into the fence whether or not he lands on them, almost in a juggernaut-like fashion. With a frame that is hard to control in close, the 39-year-old slugger does his best work when striking off the breaks, maintaining a dangerous potency in small spaces that go deep into the fight.
Lewis also has an appetite for the counter, showing that he’s not beyond setting traps and playing possum in order to draw his opponents into his uncanny power. That said, Lewis will still need to respect what is coming his way this Saturday.
Enter Nascimento.
A natural heavyweight by many metrics, Nascimento moves deceptively well for a man of his size.
Working diligently on his boxing since signing with the UFC, Nascimento does a decent job with his fundamental striking form. Whether Nascimento is utilizing economical punching mechanics or keeping his weight over his feet, the 31-year-old Brazilian will work his way into space off his lead hand, all while keeping his patent right uppercut at the ready.
When feeling in stride, Nascimento will punctuate his combinations with kicks, showing a sneaky switch-kick off his lead side.
Nevertheless, Nascimento will need to be careful about crowding his work into the clinch – an area where Lewis can stage comebacks.
Derrick Lewis vs. Rodrigo Nascimento breakdown: Potential grappling threats
Jul 29, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Derrick Lewis (red gloves) fights Marcos Rogerio De Lima (blue gloves) during UFC 291 at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Considering the high potential for chaos on the feet, no one should be shocked if this party hits the floor.
Despite Lewis showing a surprising ability to hit inside trips in recent fights, I suspect that Nascimento will be the more eager man in the takedown department given his on-paper edge.
A Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt who has experience in grappling competitions, Nascimento has shown a serviceable wrestling ability since working stateside with American Top Team in South Florida.
Whether Nascimento is working from the clinch or looking to change his level for a double-leg along the cage, the 12-year pro displays some sneaky savvy when looking to shift his intensity level and look for a takedown. That said, taking down someone like Lewis is easier said than done.
Traditionally dealing with fighters who are trying to grapple him, Lewis wields deceptively effective counter-grappling tactics. Whether he’s hoisting his opponent up with a whizzer or shucking someone off with an underhook, Lewis has been hard to take down along the fence, as single legs or outside trips in open space seem to be what gets him grounded most.
Even when successfully taken down, Lewis still offers a lot of sneaky static in regard to stymying submission attempts and strikes.
Like a sand shark lying in wait, Lewis plays a conservative game when put on his back, keeping his arms in tight for safety while waiting for the right moment to explode (usually timing his opposition when they’re in transition). Once allowed the smallest of space for momentum, Lewis will force his way to his base, turtling to a tripod position to stand.
As someone who is a fan of this style of get-up, I can tell you that it can be a nightmare to encounter when executed properly. For example, Lewis – while keeping his base firmly beneath him – will maintain an angle on his back that resembles a steep ski slope.
Although this tripod position invites back-takes to the naked eye, the downward slope Lewis keeps serves as a trap, making eager back takers ultimately slide forward and lose position (all while allowing the Texas native to stand back up). And if Lewis is able to end up on top via swimming for underhooks and shucking, then we could see a drastic shift in this matchup’s momentum given the hellfire of ground-and-pound he provides.
Derrick Lewis vs. Rodrigo Nascimento odds
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the American, listing Lewis -172 and Nascimento +138 via FanDuel. Lewis has been an underdog in his last four fights, from near-even money all the way up to +370 in his last bout against Almeida. Meanwhile, Nascimento has been a favorite in each of his six UFC bouts thus far, except one – a fight he won against Tanner Boser in 2022.
Derrick Lewis vs. Rodrigo Nascimento prediction, pick
Outside of a literal select few (Daniel Cormier, Serghei Spivac and Jailton Almeida), fighters who try to grapple Lewis generally end up with their consciousness stripped from their body. And when it comes to fighters who have successfully stood with Lewis, undeniable knockout power and athleticism appear to be crucial parts of the equation that I’m not sure Nascimento has.
Whether we’re talking one-shot stopping power or explosive finishes to takedown shots, Nascimento does not appear to be a standout in those key categories despite generally having the right idea in fights.
Don’t get me wrong: there are plenty of ways for a heavyweight fight to get to the ground, and Nascimento demonstrated in his first fight with Don’Tale Mayes that he is one of the handful of big men who can competently take a back in transition.
But if the Brazilian fails and ends up on the bottom, then I believe that this fight will turn in the blink of an eye given the susceptibility to ground strikes that Nascimento has shown in the past.
Although Nascimento’s propensity to eat left-sided strikes won’t be as prominent against a right-hand happy fighter like Lewis, I see punches off the break sparking off a finish for the Texan that’s likely finalized on the floor.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see either a feeling-out period or grapple-fest from Nascimento early, so I’ll officially pick Lewis to score a second-round knockout.
Prediction: Lewis inside the distance
Derrick Lewis vs. Rodrigo Nascimento start time, where to watch
Lewis and Nascimento are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. PT). The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 56.
Jamahal Hill is eager to run things back with UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] is eager to run things back with UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag].
Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) was knocked out by Pereira in Round 1 of their UFC 300 headliner. After an inadvertent low blow by Hill, Pereira waved off referee Herb Dean, who let them continue fighting. Hill was knocked out in the first exchange, and was thrown off a little by the restart.
Whether or not Pereira (10-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is still champion, Hill’s goal is to rematch “Poatan.”
“Honestly, for me, now it’s not even about the gold strap, it’s about getting back to that fight,” Hill told The Schmo. “I want to fight with Alex again, just because of the narrative surrounding it and everything. I know what I was feeling in there, and I know what type of timing it’s really on whenever we step in there again, so I just want to get to that fight.”
Hill already has his next fight booked. The former champion says he signed to fight Khalil Rountree (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) at UFC 303 on June 29 just three days after losing to Pereira.
As for Pereira, the champion expressed interest in a potential move to heavyweight, but has top light heavyweight contenders Jiri Prochazka and Magomed Ankalaev calling him out. Hill isn’t interested in who’s next for Pereira, just as long as he’s in the conversation to fight him again soon.
“I don’t care. All I know is that Jamahal ‘Sweet Dreams’ Hill is in his future – for sure,” Hill said. “Again, I don’t give a sh*t if we’ve got to do it at 205 or heavyweight: he’s got to see me again. That’s the only fight that I care about.”
Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) clipped Pereira along the cup with a kick, prompting referee Herb Dean to step in to pause the fight. Pereira calmly put his and out, as to tell Dean that he was good to continue, and did not want a break. Dean stepped away, and the fight continued. The knockout sequence began with the very next punch from Pereira.
The former champ believes he was landing well and finding openings on Pereira until that moment in the fight occurred.
“I’ve seen some of the controversy and people speaking on the stoppage and things like that with Herb after I kicked Alex in the hip, and it appeared to be a low blow,” Hill said in a video on his YouTube channel. “I’m just going to say, just protect yourself at all times.
“My feelings on it, honestly, just really don’t matter just for the simple fact a lot of people didn’t like how I sold the fight. They didn’t like the build up to the fight. They don’t like me personally. It’s irrelevant, just take it as a lesson learned and just grow from it from there. Just understand that it’s ‘protect yourself at all times,’ and pay attention and stay focused at all times. Even through anything. Even through commands and through gamesmanship at that.”
Part of the moment’s criticism was the notion that Hill may not have been ready to continue fighting after Pereira waved Dean off. However, Hill threw the first punch that was countered by Pereira, ultimately leading to the finishing after a few follow-up punches on the canvas.
Despite the knockout loss, Hill has been booked for a quick turnaround to compete at International Fight Week’s UFC 303 against Khalil Rountree on June 29. The matchup is a big opportunity for Rountree, who is on a five-fight winning streak with four stoppages.
Much like before the fight against Pereira, where many had questions about Hill’s return from a ruptured Achilles, he will now enter another fight with questions looming, but this time about returning so quickly after a vicious knockout by the hands of one of the hardest hitters in the game.
Hill claims he took no damage from the fight against Pereira and will be ready to go against Rountree.
“I took no damage,” Hill said. “Most of the fall was me falling down. I remember everything. I remember looking up, seeing his legs. I remember him coming in, trying to block, trying to reach for the underhook. He was able to land some shots and kind of throw my equilibrium off on the other side, but I was coherent the whole time throughout, for the most part.
“So, I take this on. We moving forward. I’m a go, I’m going to put it on this next guy, Khalil Rountree. He has to feel it. He’s going to have to feel everything that the frustrations and whatever I feel from what happened last week. I’m right back at it. I want Alex. I want that fight again.”
Six days after UFC 300, Jamahal Hill is back on the books.
Six days after UFC 300, [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] has his next fight on the books.
Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) will face [autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) on June 29 at UFC 303, the promotion announced Friday. The event takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and is headlined by Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler.
A former UFC light heavyweight champion, Hill, during his April 13 bout vs. Alex Pereira, looked to regain championship status he vacated. However, the current champion Pereira ended the attempt with a first-round knockout. The loss snapped a five-fight winning streak for Hill.
Rountree rides a five-fight winning streak into the showdown with Hill. Four of the five fights were finishes, including a third-round TKO of Anthony Smith in his most recent outing in December.
Daniel Cormier believes Alex Pereira’s knockout at UFC 300 might’ve been assisted by Herb Dean’s actions – or lack thereof.
[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] believes [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] was thrown off before getting knocked out by [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] at UFC 300.
Pereira took out Hill in Round 1 of their light heavyweight title fight this past Saturday. The fight-ending sequence happened right after Hill landed a low blow on Pereira, who waved referee Herb Dean away to continue fighting. Just seconds later, Pereira dropped Hill with his signature left hook and finished him.
Cormier suggests that Dean should have separated Pereira (10-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) after the inadvertent low blow instead of letting them continue in the exact same position. Cormier believes the momentary pause without a full stop distracted Hill.
“I saw some things a little differently after watching it with him (Hill),” Cormier said on his “Funky and the Champ” show with Ben Askren. “He spoke about foot placement as a southpaw fighting a conventional fighter, the range, and everything else. … I run it by my cousins and my nephews, and my nephew had the same idea. They thought that Herb Dean made a mistake. While we are all lost in the idea of Herb goes to step in, Alex puts his hand out, Herb steps back. When you have an illegal strike, they are saying that they should have been separated and then they come back together as a fresh restart.
“It didn’t happen. Very short time later, Alex landed the shot that put Jamahal down and knocked him out, seconds after what should have been a restart.”
Cormier continued, “I’m not taking a side in this deal. I’m just asking what you make of that. Generally, when an illegal strike happens, they separate the athletes, they come back together, and then the fight restarts. In that moment, it felt like Alex had said, ‘I’ve got my timing, I’ve got my foot placement.’ He went and landed, but they feel like they were much closer than they should have been.”
PFL analyst and former referee John McCarthy weighed in on X, saying Dean handled the situation perfectly.
It is inherently bad for the sport and unbelievably embarrassing to hear people who supposedly know the sport of MMA smear the actions of @HerbDeanMMA as if he was responsible for the knockout of @JamahalH@ufc 300. Let’s make this as clear as possible for everyone. Herb was…
“It is inherently bad for the sport and unbelievably embarrassing to hear people who supposedly know the sport of MMA smear the actions of @HerbDeanMMA as if he was responsible for the knockout of @JamahalH @ufc 300. Let’s make this as clear as possible for everyone. Herb was perfect in the actions he took in allowing @AlexPereiraUFC to call off the timeout for the kick to the groin he took and then keep the action of the fight in motion. The fighter who is fouled by a strike to the groin is in control of how much time they need to take to sufficiently recover from the foul. They have up to 5 minutes of time if they need it. Many times fighters do not want a stop in the action because they feel they have gained momentum in the fight and do not want to give any time to their opponent. Everything Herb Dean did was exactly what we would train any official to do under the same circumstances. Luckily we had an official in the cage who understands the rules and the mechanics needed to successfully manage a world title fight instead of the talking heads that guess at what is right or wrong.”
Ben Askren calls out Jamahal Hill for being overconfident against Alex Pereira at UFC 300.
[autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] was overconfident against UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag].
Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) was knocked out in the first round of his title fight against Pereira (10-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 300 headliner.
Hill predicted a quick knockout of Pereira, but Askren thinks Hill’s antics – like when he caught the imaginary arrow Pereira shot in his walkout – caused him to have misguided confidence.
“My general feeling on that fight, I thought Jamahal Hill was a little too confident saying he was going to stand with him,” Askren said on his “Funky and the Champ” show with Daniel Cormier. “When he hits people, they fall down, and that’s what Jamahal Hill should have been a little more worried about. I feel like he was too confident. I feel like he disregarded how hard Pereira hits.
“I feel, honestly – hopefully your buddy (Hill) doesn’t get too mad at you for this. My feeling? Ego. Ego gets involved with fighters. He thought everyone is saying, ‘Hey, Jamahal, Pereira is the better standup fighter. He’s going to put you down.’ And he said, ‘No, No, it’s not going to happen.’ We talked about when he caught the arrow and broke it. …That’s ego speaking. I did think that maybe put him in harm’s way.”
