Carlos Ulberg Open to Serve as Backup for Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree

Carlos Ulberg is hoping for a quick turnaround after his knockout victory over Alonzo Menifield last weekend.

Ulberg (10-1) took just 12 seconds to starch Menifield (15-4) with a brutal volley at UFC St. Louis on May 11, snapping the American’s five-fight undefeated streak while earning himself a performance bonus. The previously unranked standout also landed himself the 14th spot on Sherdog’s Official Rankings at light heavyweight with the victory.

Coming out of the fight relatively unscathed, Ulberg is eyeing a quick return to action, perhaps as soon as next month.

Former light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill (12-2) will take on streaking contender Khalil Rountree (13-5) at UFC 303 on June 29, on a card that will also feature Conor McGregor's Octagon return against Michael Chandler. Looking for a leap up the rankings, Ulberg is ready to serve as a replacement for Hill vs. Rountree if either man cannot compete on fight night. If not, he is gunning for a contender with a number next to their name.

“I think someone definitely in the top 10 for sure, could be top five, who knows. But it is the light heavyweight division and the UFC know what they are doing. I trust that anything can happen from now until the end of the year. You do have Jamahal [Hill] and [Khalil] Rountree, is it June? In Vegas. So, who knows what’s gonna happen there? If maybe they need the fill, someone pulls from that, who knows. But we’ll see where I’m at, what I need to do, we’ll speak to the doctors and see if I’ll be fit for this fight, for any fights coming up soon,” Ulberg said on “The MMA Hour.”

Since his lone career loss against Kennedy Nzechukwu in his promotional debut, Ulberg has emerged as a threat at 205 pounds. The 33-year-old has finished five of his six UFC wins, four of them in the first round. Meanwhile, Hill comes off a first-round knockout loss in a failed title bid against Alex Pereira at UFC 300. As for Rountree, “The War Horse” is riding a five-fight winning streak with a technical knockout win over Anthony Smith in his most recent outing in December.