"Very big jump in competition" - Fans react as Carlos Ulberg replaces Khalil Rountree to fight Jamahal Hill at UFC 303

Carlos Ulberg is all set to step up to take on Jamahal Hill at UFC 303.

Khalil Rountree was initially supposed to fight Hill on June 29 but Rountree received a suspension of two months after taking a banned substance which scrapped this clash at 205 pounds. Hill is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and looks to rebound from a first-round KO loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 300 in a bid to become a two-time champion in the weight class.

Chris Reive, of the New Zealand Herald, was first to report this news with @BigMarcel24 subsequently sharing the details on X relating to this light heavyweight matchup.

Multiple X users responded to Marcel's tweet and had a lot to say about this newly booked matchup for the International Fight Week pay-per-view co-main event.

@Westkanjalo said:

"Very big jump in competition for Ulberg, but hey he asked for it"

@Jondahnamo stated:

"Ulberg getting a rocket strapped to his back"

@fau1in quipped:

"Great fight for Ulberg to test his level"

[Images Courtesy: @BigMarcel 24 tweet thread on X]

Check the Marcel Dorff fight announcement for one of next month's PPV's below:

---

Carlos Ulberg and his road to UFC 303

33-year-old Carlos Ulberg punched his ticket to the UFC after garnering a first-round knockout win over Bruno Oliveira in November 2020 on the Contender Series circuit. Despite losing his official octagon debut at UFC 259, Ulberg has not tasted defeat in the UFC cage since.

The native of New Zealand has put together a six-fight winning streak that he rides into this Summer showdown. 'Black Jag' has put together five finishes among those six wins with four of the stoppages transpiring in the opening round.

Ulberg had his quickest UFC finish yet in his last outing at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Nascimento on May 11. He put away Alonzo Menifield 12 seconds into their contest with the quick turnaround to an end-of-June contest making sense in that context.

Ulberg has also earned UFC victories over the likes of Fabio Cherant, Tafon Nchukwi, Nicolae Negumereanu, Ihor Potieria, and Da Un Jung.

In his second fight of the calendar year following his UFC St. Louis victory over Menifield, Ulberg has a chance to shoot up from the number 11 spot in the UFC rankings. This of course if he can get his ideal outcome and defeat the number three contender in the division in Jamahal Hill at UFC 303.