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UFC light heavyweight fighter Carlos Ulberg is "on top of the world" with his next bout inside the octagon days away.
After an early arrival in Las Vegas over a week ago to adapt to the climate as much as possible, the "Black Jag" is rearing to go against Ukrainian opponent Ihor Potieria this Sunday.
Carrying huge momentum from his impressive opening match knockout against at UFC 281 in New York last year, Ulberg (8-1) is wanting to put on a show in his first-ever fight on the main card of a UFC event.
"For one, it was good to get put into the main card from the prelims. That's one positive.
"Moving on from that first debut fight, I learned a lot from it. I sat down and realised that it was more than a career for me, I needed to sit down and adjust myself to the sport. I'm finding myself really well in this game and understand that we're in the entertainment business just as much as the fight business."
Both men entered the UFC in similar fashion, having won their respective fights and UFC contracts through Dana White's Contender series. Ulberg will be hoping to extend his three-fight winning streak and break into the light heavyweight rankings, while Potieria (20-3) will be looking for his second UFC victory.
"I think [UFC] put me on this one with Ihor to put some justice to him," Ulberg says. "He's a good opponent, he's experienced and I think he is someone that we can go through to get into that breaking."
"This is pretty much the fan's fight, the people's fight, where a lot of people anticipate this fight to be one of the bigger fights on the card.
"I think we're here to make a statement."
Having taken a studied approach in his two years in the UFC, it's been a learning and earning game for Ulberg. But, like any fighter, is looking to the top of the light heavyweight division.
"I'm getting better and better, and as you get better you get harder opponents. So we're getting closer and closer to that top 15. When we do, I'm ready for it.
"I'm ready now but it's just a matter of going through the ranks first."
Ulberg vs Potieria is the second fight of UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Almeida's main card, where main card fights start from 7am, New Zealand time.
