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Carlos Ulberg is happy to keep proving people wrong.

Ahead of their  bout in Macau last month, Swiss finisher said he would show Ulberg that there were levels to mixed martial arts and that the surging New Zealander was not yet among the elite.

Going into the bout, Oezdemir, a former title challenger, was ranked at No 8 with Ulberg at No 10.

But it was Ulberg proving his place among the best light heavyweights in the world as he claimed a in a tense bout that showed just how much he has developed since signing with the UFC.

Now ranked at No 6, Ulberg will look to repeat the dose against Polish star Jan Blachowicz, ranked No 4,

“He’s a former champion, he’s got a lot of power in his hands, he’s a very awkward fighter. If you’re coming up against an awkward fighter, they’re usually the hardest fights; very hard to read. He’s an experienced fighter, been in there with the best fighters in the UFC, so it’s a step up from my last fight,” Ulberg told the Herald.

“The last fight with Volkan was very good for me where I went three rounds, where he had mentioned in the media that he would show me levels above where I’ve been, so I don’t mind that. People doubt me, all the fighters right now in the rankings where I’m kind of just sneaking up from behind and surprising them.

“I will continue to surprise the MMA world, the division, and continue to get bonuses and knockouts as time goes on.”

With the UFC returning Downunder in February, some fans had hoped Ulberg might be booked to get back to action a little closer to home, with UFC 312 set for Sydney on February 9. The card will be headlined by the middleweight title rematch between Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland, with the straw-weight title on the line in the co-main event between Weili Zhang and Tatiana Suarez.

Asked if that date was ever an option when it came to booking his next fight, Ulberg said it wasn’t discussed but would have been too tight a turnaround.

“It’s a little too close to the last fight I just had. I’ve only just got back. [I’m] really just getting my bearings back into pre-camp, so I think Europe is a good one for me. Jan is obviously further up in the rankings so you have to respect that. He’s a legend in the game so, in his territory is the one to go for,” Ulberg said.

“What it was was a quick conversation with the UFC where they had already booked out a few other guys who were ahead of me in the rankings and Jan was the only one there. He’s a game opponent and he’s ready. He’s just coming off a small layoff and wants to get right back in there, so we agreed to it and here we are.”

The bout is one of two high-stakes matchups booked in the light heavyweight division for early in the new year, with former champions Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka set to square off at UFC 311 in January.

The winners of each bout would set themselves up nicely to be in contention for a title challenge, while top-ranked contender Magomed Ankalaev is also a contender for Alex Pereira’s next opponent should the UFC look to have the Brazilian champion defend in the first half of the year.

Ulberg was well aware of what could come from a win over Blachowicz, but knew he faced a tough task when he stepped into the octagon in March.

“Everyone knows about the Polish power, so I guess it’s just my job to show what I’ve got in terms of super Samoan power; to bring that and showcase what I’ve got,” he said.

“My job is just to go in there and do what I’ve practiced and do what I’ve been training for over the past years. I’m expecting him to come in with full experience, he will definitely attempt to take me down and take things to the ground.

“He is an awkward fighter and very tricky, so I’m more just focused on playing him into my game.”

joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.