However, Ulberg then spent years honing his striking on the kickboxing circuit, during which time he won two of his homeland’s prestigious King of the Ring tournaments, with his next MMA bout not coming until 2018.
Which brings us back to Dana White’s Contender Series last November, only his fifth professional MMA fight, and the vicious knockout that has made him a 205er to watch.
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“That was an amazing experience,” recalls Ulberg. “It filled me with confidence having Brad [Riddell] and Israel in my corner. It wasn’t the best of camps leading up to it, but we made it work. It was the type of fight I expected – I knew he was going to come out like he did. But I’ve still got more work to do and things to learn.”
So what fuels this fighter, who could make a far less dangerous living walking the fashion runways?
“My dad was a boxer, so I think it’s in my blood. Growing up, I was a big fan of Muhammad Ali. He was a great inspiration. Now, I look around the gym at the people I’m training with and that’s where I get my inspiration.”
