Jason Burgos
UFC Perth was headlined by a major match at 205 pounds as fast-rising New Zealander Carlos Ulberg fought close to him against one-time title challenger Dominick Reyes. “Black Jag” needed less than a round to score a nasty knockout on the American, and potentially locked up a title opportunity early next year.
Following his win over a fellow top 10 talent, let’s take a look at where Ulberg lands in our updated UFC light heavyweight rankings.
10. Dominick Reyes (15-5)
At the end of 2022, Dominick Reyes seemed like he was headed to a release after four straight losses, three by knockout. However, he got another chance from the UFC and has made good on it. Following a nightmare slump, the former title challenger won three straight, including a big knockout win over Nikita Krylov at UFC 314.
It understandably earned him a big UFC Perth main event spot against fast-rising contender Carlos Ulberg. However, the New Zealander was way too much for the American and finished him in just under a round. “The Devastator” remains a legit top 10 light heavyweight, but he will never fight for UFC gold again.
Related: UFC Deaths – Taking a look into the ugly and violent side of cage fighting
9. Aleksandar Rakic (14-5)
Aleksandar Rakic is a talented 205-pound fighter who is worthy of a spot in our rankings. However, he lands near the back of our top 10 after suffering three straight losses to three of the best light heavyweights on the planet. His most recent came at UFC 308 against Magomed Ankalaev. While he was very competitive in those losses, it has shown he is a very good but not elite competitor in the weight class.
8. Azamat Murzakanvo (15-0)
Russian Azamat Murzakanov has quietly climbed up the 205-pound division in the UFC over the last few years. The heavy-hitter missed a year of activity due to failed bookings but finally returned to action at UFC 316. In June, he extended his unbeaten record to 15-0 with a first-round knockout over Brendson Ribeiro. It was the 11th knockout win of his career.
7. Jamahal Hill (12-4)
Following a serious injury that forced him to vacate the title, Jamahal Hill was given a chance to regain his belt at UFC 300 versus Alex Pereira. However, he ended up being a victim in the rampage that the Brazilian went on after joining the promotion.
To kick off 2025, he had an opportunity to jump into the No. 1 contender spot in a big fight against fellow former champion Jiri Prochazka. However, the American was unable to come up with an answer to the power and unorthodox style of Prochazka’s. He again had difficulty in a UFC Baku main event against Khalil Rountree and suffered a third straight loss.
6. Jan Blachowicz (29-10-1)
Even at an advanced age, Jan Blachowicz remains a high-level talent in the light heavyweight division. Unfortunately, he has dealt with a lot of tough luck over the last few years. He earned a draw against current champ Magomed Ankalaev. Then lost a controversial decision to former titlist Alex Pereira. Then he was on the wrong end of another close decision with Carlos Ulberg in March. The Polish fighter is still very good, but Father Time is having a real effect.
5. Khalil Rountree (14-6)
It wasn’t long ago that Khalil Rountree had lost three of four, and his career seemed to be sputtering into mediocrity. However, following his defeat in January of 2021, he won five straight, with four of those wins coming by knockout.
It earned him a title opportunity in 2024, but he was soundly defeated by then-champ Alex Pereira. He made his return in June against Jamahal Hill. While it wasn’t an impressive performance, he showed he was the better fighter and moved up in our latest UFC light heavyweight rankings.
4. Jiri Prochazka (31-5-1)
While Jiri Prochazka may not be the current champion, he is still viewed by many as one of the best fighters in the division. A serious shoulder injury derailed what could have been a memorable title run in 2023. After months of recovering, the Czech star returned at UFC 295 in an attempt to regain his belt. However, he fell to Alex Pereira and then again to the Brazilian at UFC 303.
However, he got a big bounce-back win at UFC 311 when he scored a third-round KO over former champ Jamahal Hill. While he may not get a title shot any time soon, the victory gets him headed in the right direction, back toward the top.
3. Carlos Ulberg (13-1)
Carlos Ulberg stumbled in his 2021 UFC debut but has caught fire ever since then. He won eight straight inside the Octagon, including finishes in all but two of those victories. His most impressive victory until recently came in March when he went toe-to-toe with and beat former division king Jan Blachowicz.
The win earned him a main event opportunity close to home at UFC Perth in September. On that night, he pushed his win streak to nine straight with a dominant first-round KO of Dominick Reyes. It may have locked up a title shot early in 2026.
Related: UFC Perth – 4 Bold Fight Ideas for Ulberg After KO Win, Including Adesanya
2. Alex Pereira (12-3)
Alex Pereira’s UFC story is legendary. After nine fights, he became a two-division champion and scored destructive wins over some of the best fighters of this era, at middleweight and light heavyweight. The 37-year-old has been a revelation for the company and connected with the MMA fanbase with an approach to fighting similar to cage-fighting icon Fedor Emelianenko.
However, no fight is invincible, and his fans found that out again at UFC 313 when he was on the wrong end of a razor-thin decision. Dropping his title to Magomed Ankalaev. It was his first loss at 205 pounds.
Related: Alex Pereira next fight – When will “Poatan” be back in action?
1. Magomed Ankalaev (21-1-1)
Magomed Anakalaev has been outstanding during his run in the promotion. He has just one surprise loss in 16 appearances and has scored wins over several of the division’s best, including Volkan Oezdemir, Anthony Smith, and Aleksandar Rakic. However, he proved he is the best in the world by scoring a hard-fought win against former division king Alex Pereira at UFC 313.
