Ulberg steps in to fight Hill at UFC 303

Carlos Ulberg is replacing Khalil Rountree Jr. and will take on former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill at UFC 303 on June 29, the promotion announced Thursday.

The new matchup will serve as the co-main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Ulberg steps into the short-notice opportunity fresh off a 12-second knockout win over Alonzo Menifield at UFC St. Louis on May 11. The Auckland, New Zealand, native has won six straight fights since losing in his 2021 UFC debut.

Ulberg is ranked No. 11 in the 205-pound division but will have a chance to break into the top five with a win over Hill, who's coming off a first-round knockout loss to current champion Alex Pereira in the UFC 300 main event in April. Hill was competing for the first time since beating Glover Teixeira to win the vacant light heavyweight title in January 2023. "Sweet Dreams" relinquished the belt that summer after rupturing his Achilles, paving the way for Pereira to become champion.

Hill, now ranked No. 3 in the weight class, was riding a four-fight winning streak before the loss to Pereira.

Rountree was forced out of his matchup against Hill last weekend due to unintentionally taking a banned substance in a supplement. Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD), the UFC's in-house anti-doping program, handed Rountree a two-month suspension Wednesday retroactive to May 4.

In the UFC 303 main event, former two-division champion Conor McGregor ends a near three-year layoff in a highly anticipated welterweight bout against Michael Chandler.