New Zealand's Carlos Ulberg will take the place of the suspended Khalil Rountree Jr. and fight Jamahal Hill in a light heavyweight bout at UFC 303, the promotion announced on Thursday evening [ET].
Ulberg (10-1) is coming off a 10-second knockout victory over Alonzo Menifield in St Louis just a fortnight ago, the City Kickboxing fighter able to make the short turnaround after coming through that brief encounter virtually unscathed.
The 33-year-old had been eyeing up an opportunity at either UFC 305 in Perth, Western Australia, in mid-August, or potentially even in Paris later in the year, but he has instead opted to take on former light heavyweight champion Hill in what represents a huge step up for the Kiwi.
Ulberg has won his past six fights dating back to Feb. 2022.
Hill (10-2) is ESPN's No. 4 ranked light heavyweight. The American claimed the light heavyweight title with a unanimous decision win over Brazilian Glover Texeira at the beginning of 2023, but he did not fight for another 15 months until he was defeated by Alex Pereira in April of this year.
Rountree, meanwhile, tested positive to a banned anabolic steroid earlier this month. He self-reported the mistaken use of a dietary supplement that contained the anabolic steroid [DHEA] and was later handed a two-month ban by the Combat Sports Anti-Doping agency.
The Hill-Ulberg fight will be the co-main event at UFC 303 ahead of the much-anticipated welterweight showdown between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler.