Carlos Sao Murry Ulberg Bio
Carlos Sao Murry Ulberg, widely known by his ring nickname “Black Jag,” is a New Zealand professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. Born on 17 November 1990 in Auckland, New Zealand, he currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Trained out of City Kickboxing in Auckland, Ulberg combines a deep kickboxing base with steadily evolving grappling skills, a blend that has carried him from regional fight cards in New Zealand to the top of one of the UFC’s most historic divisions.
Early Life and Background
Carlos Sao Murry Ulberg was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, to a family of Samoan, Māori, and German heritage. His father was a boxer who represented Samoa at the Commonwealth Games, an athletic pedigree that helped shape Ulberg’s early interest in combat sports. Following family difficulties, Ulberg was raised by a foster family in South Auckland from the age of four, an upbringing that he has often credited with building his resilience and discipline.
He attended Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate, where he first began playing rugby league. The sport became a serious pursuit, and Ulberg eventually competed at the semi-professional level, representing the Counties-Manukau region. Outside of athletics, he also appeared as a contestant on the 2018 reality television show Game of Bros and was twice offered the opportunity to star in New Zealand’s version of The Bachelor. In addition to his fighting career, Ulberg works part-time as a model.
Path to Mixed Martial Arts
Ulberg’s transition into combat sports began with kickboxing, where he built a strong striking foundation that would later define his style. Over the course of his kickboxing career, he compiled a record of 19 wins and 2 losses, with 12 of those victories coming by knockout, a testament to his power and technical development. He also made a brief foray into professional boxing in August 2015, defeating Daniel Meehan by unanimous decision in his sole professional boxing appearance.
Ulberg made his professional mixed martial arts debut in 2011 under the King of the Door promotion, scoring a second-round knockout over Kaota Puna. He continued to develop on the regional New Zealand circuit, refining his kickboxing-heavy approach while adding submission defense and ground skills. His performances earned him a coveted slot on Dana White’s Contender Series 34 on 4 November 2020, where a first-round knockout of Bruno Oliveira secured him a UFC contract and launched the next phase of his career.
Carlos Sao Murry Ulberg Career
Early Career (2011–2020)
During his pre-UFC years, Carlos Sao Murry Ulberg fought primarily in his home country of New Zealand, building a reputation as a dangerous striker with a finishing instinct. His professional MMA debut in 2011 ended inside two rounds, and he continued to stack victories across regional promotions, balancing his kickboxing pedigree with growing mixed martial arts experience.
These formative years allowed Ulberg to test his skills against a variety of styles and to develop the conditioning and grappling base required for higher-level competition. By the time he received the call to Dana White’s Contender Series in late 2020, he had assembled a record worthy of UFC attention, and his emphatic first-round finish of Bruno Oliveira confirmed that he was ready for the sport’s biggest stage.
UFC Breakthrough (2021–2023)
Ulberg made his UFC debut on 6 March 2021 at UFC 259 against Kennedy Nzechukwu, an intense striking battle that earned both men the Fight of the Night award, even though Ulberg ultimately lost by second-round knockout. He rebounded quickly, defeating Fabio Cherant by unanimous decision at UFC 271 in February 2022, and followed that with a first-round TKO of Tafon Nchukwi at UFC on ESPN: Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot in June 2022.
His ascent continued at UFC 281 in November 2022, where he knocked out Nicolae Negumereanu in the first round, and at UFC on ABC 4 in May 2023, when a first-round technical knockout of Ihor Potieria earned him the Performance of the Night award. Ulberg capped the run with a third-round rear-naked choke submission of Da Un Jung at UFC 293 in September 2023, firmly establishing himself as a fast-rising contender in the Light Heavyweight division.
UFC Title Contention Era (2024–Present)
The 2024 campaign began with a reshuffled schedule, as a planned bout with Dominick Reyes was postponed after Ulberg suffered an injury in late 2023. The matchup was later rebooked, but Reyes withdrew and was replaced by Alonzo Menifield, whom Ulberg knocked out just 12 seconds into the first round at UFC on ESPN 56 in May 2024, earning another Performance of the Night bonus. A scheduled bout with Jamahal Hill at UFC 303 fell through after Ulberg withdrew due to injury.
Ulberg returned at UFC Fight Night 248 in November 2024, outpointing Volkan Oezdemir by unanimous decision, and in March 2025 he added a close unanimous decision victory over former champion Jan Błachowicz at UFC Fight Night 255, a fight that 8 of 12 media outlets scored in his favor. On 28 September 2025, he headlined UFC Fight Night 260 and knocked out former title challenger Dominick Reyes in the first round, collecting yet another Performance of the Night award.
Style and Strengths
Carlos Sao Murry Ulberg fights out of a kickboxing-first stance, using his 6 ft 4 in frame, 77-inch reach, and crisp striking combinations to dictate range against most opponents. His comfort at distance, sharp counters, and improved grappling, including a rear-naked choke finish of Da Un Jung, make him a well-rounded Light Heavyweight threat under the tutelage of the City Kickboxing coaching staff.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Ulberg’s career include earning a UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020, claiming multiple Performance of the Night bonuses, and capturing the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship with a first-round knockout of former titleholder Jiří Procházka in the main event of UFC 327 on 11 April 2026 in Miami, Florida, despite tearing his ACL during the bout.
Carlos Sao Murry Ulberg Career Wins
Carlos Sao Murry Ulberg has compiled a professional mixed martial arts record built on a mix of knockouts, submissions, and decisions, alongside a decorated kickboxing career and a single professional boxing victory. His UFC run features a string of first-round finishes, multiple post-fight bonuses, and a championship-defining knockout against a former titleholder.
UFC Highlights
Within the UFC, Ulberg has recorded notable wins over Fabio Cherant, Tafon Nchukwi, Nicolae Negumereanu, Ihor Potieria, Da Un Jung, Alonzo Menifield, Volkan Oezdemir, Jan Błachowicz, Dominick Reyes, and Jiří Procházka. Several of these victories, including the 12-second demolition of Menifield, the first-round finish of Reyes, and the first-round championship knockout of Procházka, have come with Performance of the Night awards attached.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Ulberg captured a first-round knockout in his 2011 professional debut under King of the Door and built his record across New Zealand regional shows. In kickboxing, he amassed 19 wins with 12 knockouts, and in his lone professional boxing outing in August 2015, he earned a unanimous decision over Daniel Meehan.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| UFC Light Heavyweight | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Kickboxing | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Professional Boxing | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Carlos Sao Murry Ulberg Family
Family Background and Fighting Lineage
Carlos Sao Murry Ulberg comes from a multicultural family of Samoan, Māori, and German descent, a heritage that has shaped his identity as a New Zealand-born fighter. His father represented Samoa as a boxer at the Commonwealth Games, giving the younger Ulberg a direct athletic lineage into combat sports. After being raised by a foster family in South Auckland from the age of four, Ulberg has frequently spoken about the support that helped him pursue an athletic career.
Personal Life
Outside of competition, Ulberg works part-time as a model and remains based in Auckland, New Zealand, where he trains out of City Kickboxing. Following his April 2026 championship victory, he was reported to have torn his ACL, leaving the length of his recovery and return to competition undetermined at the time of writing.
2025 Season Performance
Carlos Sao Murry Ulberg’s 2025 campaign reinforced his status as one of the UFC’s top Light Heavyweight contenders. He opened the year with a hard-fought unanimous decision win over former champion Jan Błachowicz at UFC Fight Night 255 in March, a closely contested bout that the majority of media outlets scored in his favor. That result added another marquee name to his resume and set the stage for a high-profile main event later in the year.
In September 2025, Ulberg stepped into the main event slot at UFC Fight Night 260 against former title challenger Dominick Reyes. He delivered a statement performance, finishing Reyes by knockout in the first round to claim another Performance of the Night bonus and lock in his place at the top of the division. The victory positioned him for a championship opportunity that would come just months later.
Working again with the City Kickboxing coaching staff, Ulberg rounded out 2025 with momentum firmly on his side, capped by the recognition that came with headlining a UFC card and dispatching a former title challenger in decisive fashion. His blend of striking precision, growing grappling game, and poise under the brightest lights suggested that his ascent through the 205-pound ranks was far from over.
