Is Carlos Ulberg Samoan? UFC Star’s Nationality, Ethnicity, and Religion

Since earning a ticket to the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020, Carlos Ulberg has needed very little time to separate himself from most of the division. Now, riding high on a 9-fight win streak with a title fight against Jiri Prochazka set for April 11 at UFC 327, the spotlight is fixed on what he does inside the cage.

But here’s the interesting part: Ulberg’s identity isn’t built only on results. It’s also shaped by where he comes from, what he represents, and the values he carries into every fight. So, before that title bout, it’s worth asking, who is ‘Black Jag’ beyond the record and highlights? Let’s find out.

What is Carlos Ulberg’s ethnicity and nationality?

Carlos Ulberg was born on 17 November 1990 in the city of Auckland, New Zealand. This means that he is a New Zealand native by nationality. On the other hand, he’s quite a mix of many races when it comes to his ethnicity. Ulberg’s ethnic background is of Samoan and Māori descent, which is a common racial background found among people all over New Zealand. However, the light heavyweight star also carries a bit of German heritage.

The City Kickboxing export has always represented New Zealand whenever he’s fought as a professional MMA fighter. Other than that, the 34-year-old also tried his hand at reality shows, most notably the Kiwi version of The Bachelor. But that’s not all. The 35-year-old even works as a part-time model. That’s a lot of work for a UFC fighter, but it hasn’t affected the fighting side of things for Ulberg.

Apart from the fact that his parents had three different ethnic backgrounds, there isn’t much publicly available information on Carlos Ulberg’s parents. But what we do know is that his father used to be a Samoa-representing boxer who competed in the Commonwealth Games. Meanwhile, during his childhood, he navigated through some dangerous situations. Ulberg got passed along from one foster care home to another, and he even had to witness an environment of dr-g and alc-hol abuse, and even violence. But he’d stray away from that direction, which helped him become the person he is today.

After finally getting adopted by a foster family in South Auckland, Carlos Ulberg would go on to attend Hillary College, located in Otara, New Zealand. He slowly developed a passion for sports, and just like his biological father, would get into the combat sports world.

Before MMA, rugby was Carlos Ulberg’s passion. He dreamed of becoming a national rugby league player and even had plans to transition into the famous All Blacks team. But then, everything changed.

“My father was a boxer. I had to defend myself a lot as a child, but I didn’t really think I’d want to be a professional fighter until 2014.” Ulberg had shared in his UFC.com Q&A and that was the year he shifted his focus entirely.

What made him switch? According to Ulberg, fighting gave him something rugby could not.

“I found fighting gave me more of an adrenaline rush and accomplishment as an individual,” he explained. “The idea of being a gladiator for my people and country gave me insight to so much more.”

While rugby was a team sport, MMA allowed him to stand alone as a warrior for his heritage.

Is Carlos Ulberg Christian?

Well, like some of the other fighters who prefer to stay under the radar, Carlos Ulberg’s professional endeavors don’t quite help him to do that. Given that he’s a model and has even appeared on television shows, his fans are constantly looking to find more details about him. However, when it comes to Ulberg’s religion, he prefers to keep his lips sealed about it.

But if we had to pinpoint his religion, we could take a peek into the religious composition of his hometown, Auckland. While there have been reports that a majority of the population doesn’t really adhere to any religion, the city has a vast Christian population with a few followers of Hinduism and Islam.

As UFC 327 approaches, Carlos Ulberg steps into the biggest fight of his career against Jiri Prochazka. But beyond the outcome, his identity stays consistent with everything that has helped him get to the bright lights of the Octagon. 

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