New bout confirmed as co-main to Conor McGregor’s UFC 303 return

UFC 303, the late June card to be headlined by Conor McGregor’s return to the cage opposite Michael Chandler, has undergone some changes.

It was confirmed in recent days that Khalil Rountree has been hit with a two-month suspension for the ingestion of a banned substance; a move which forced his removal from the co-main event of the June 29 card in Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena at which he was slated to fight former light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill.

As such, UFC matchmakers have moved swiftly to fill the gap near the top of the card and have arranged for the surging 205-pound contender Carlos Ulberg to step in against Hill, who was defeated in the UFC 300 main event by Alex Pereira.

33-year-old New Zealander Ulberg should provide a stern test for Hill. He has compiled a 19-2 record in professional kickboxing and a 10-1 record in mixed martial arts, with seven knockouts during the run. Since losing his formal UFC debut in just his fifth career bout at UFC 259 in March 2021, he has reeled off six straight wins in the UFC’s 205-pound fold, with five finishes during that spell.

He was last in action on May 11 where he defeated Alonzo Menifield by knockout just 12 seconds into the first round.

It remains to be seen if, or how many, additional bouts will be added to the card which is set to serve as the culmination of the UFC’s annual International Fight Week festivities in Las Vegas.

McGregor’s Irish compatriot Ian Machado Garry had campaigned for a spot on the card against Colby Covington but it appears as though that is dead in the water, for now at least. Machado Garry has more recently indicated that discussions have taken place regarding a possible clash with Michael ‘Venom’ Page though it remains unclear at this point if that bout will go ahead.

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