Dominick Reyes says his comeback fight at UFC Perth is nothing short of a miracle after a terrifying battle with deep-vein thrombosis.
The American light heavyweight, who faces Carlos Ulberg in Saturday’s main event, revealed that during his illness in 2024, doctors warned him bluntly: “If you wake up today, then good on you. If you don’t, well, then it didn’t work out.”
Reyes described living “day to day” in fear for his life but also said the experience brought him closer to God. “I felt His energy. He’s 100% real. I have no question in my mind that this is only a small piece of eternity,” he told Submission Radio. “I’m just grateful to still be able to fight … My mission now in my life is to bring people to the light.”
Now healthy again, Reyes is eyeing a path back to title contention. If he defeats Ulberg, he wants a crack at champion Magomed Ankalaev — provided the Russian gets past Alex Pereira.
The matchup in Australia won’t be easy, with the crowd backing New Zealander Ulberg, but Reyes insists he has the tools to upset the home favourite. His blueprint, he says, is to stay disciplined, keep the fight at his range, and rely on his knockout power that once had Jon Jones on the ropes.
For Reyes, though, just stepping into the Octagon again already feels like the biggest victory of his career.
