Just days after the official confirmation that Khalil Rountree Jr. would no longer be facing Jamahal Hill at UFC 303, the former light heavyweight champion has already received a new opponent.
Hill, who is making a quick turnaround after headlining UFC 300 with reigning champion Alex Pereira, is making his second appearance of 2024 after sitting out for nearly a year due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. His original fight with Rountree was scheduled to be the co-main event of the fight card headlined by Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler.
UFC 303: Jamahal Hill will face short-notice replacement Carlos Ulberg
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Following the announcement of Khalil Rountree Jr.’s suspension for a positive PED drug test, Jamahal Hill will face short-notice replacement Carlos Ulberg on the 2024 International Fight Week card.
Christopher Rieve of NZ Herald first reported the news which has since been confirmed by multiple sources. Ulberg is a native of New Zealand and trains with the City Kickboxing team in Auckland.
Like Hill, Ulberg will be making a quick turnaround to compete in the event, last knocking out Alonzo Menifield in 12 seconds at UFC St. Louis on May 11. The win propelled ‘The Black Jag’ to no. 11 in the promotional light heavyweight rankings.
Since debuting with the UFC in 2021, Ulberg has gone 6-1 in the promotion, including a six-fight win streak. The lone loss in his career came in his official Octagon debut against Kennedy Nzechukwu. Since the loss, five of his last six wins have been inside the distance including four first-round knockouts.
Hill, who lost the light heavyweight championship in 2023 without even attempting a title defense, returned from injury in a first-round knockout loss to Alex Pereira. Hill’s crowning moment at UFC 283 against Glover Teixeira remains the most recent win of his career.
Jamahal Hill’s initial fight with Khalil Rountree Jr.
Before the no. 8 ranked light heavyweight in the UFC tested positive for DHEA, Jamahal Hill was scheduled to return to the Octagon against the streaking knockout artist. Rountree self-reported the news with an Instagram post on May 19 announcing his removal from the event.
Three days later, Combat Sports Anti-Doping — the anti-doping program employed by the UFC — announced their decision to suspend Rountree for two months.
In Rountree’s announcement, the fighter claimed to have unknowingly ingested a tainted supplement that he “trusted.” The 34-year-old stated that the unnamed supplement service he used accidentally sent him a “blended supplement” containing the banned DHEA.
CSAD reported that Rountree brought the matter to them himself after discovering his mistake.
About the Author
Jaren Kawada is a freelance sports writer from Indianapolis, Indiana with a strong passion for MMA and sports betting. Kawada has also written for Sportskeeda MMA, FanSided MMA, and BetSided as a combat sports analyst.
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