Carlos Ulberg has been making waves in the light-heavyweight division since his UFC debut in March 2021.
Before entering the world of mixed martial arts’ premier promotion, “The Black Jag” supported himself by working as a male stripper.
Like many aspiring fighters, Ulberg faced financial challenges early in his career.
However, unlike many of his peers, the New Zealander leveraged his appearance through modeling and participation in ladies’ nights.
The 34-year-old, currently ranked sixth at 205lbs, shared, “I used to do ladies’ nights in Australia.”
“I traveled around Australia and New Zealand doing ladies’ nights and stripping.”
Ulberg’s “Magic Mike” performances caught the attention of a local announcer, who gave him the nickname “Ladies Night.”
He added, “Then a guy, one of the local announcers back home, heard about that and gave me that name.”
Ulberg, who declined offers to appear on The Bachelor New Zealand twice, enjoyed the lifestyle of a male stripper.
But he left that behind when he discovered his passion for fighting.
“I was a rugby player and needed some extra money,” he explained about his stripping past. “And I realized this was more than just extra money.”
“I was traveling, they put me on billboards and everything. It was similar to the Thunder From Down Under show here in Las Vegas.”
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“So I was doing that, partying, getting paid, I was loving it — I was young.”
“Until I discovered I was good at fighting. So I gave it up pretty quickly.”
The decision to trade stripping for fighting has proven successful for Ulberg, who earned his place in the UFC with four consecutive victories, including one on Dana White’s Contenders Series.
He experienced a setback in his octagon debut in March 2021, losing to Kennedy Nzechukwu in the second round via TKO.
However, he has since bounced back with SEVEN-STRAIGHT wins, four of them by knockout.
Ulberg’s impressive streak has led to the most significant fight of his career against Jan Blachowicz in the co-main event at UFC London on Saturday night.
A dominant victory against the former 205lbs champion could put him in contention for a UFC title shot later this year.
Elton Marrow