Carlos Ulberg's UFC 327 victory earned the 20th title for Australia and New Zealand combined, giving the region the best championship rate per capita globally. The analysis counts 20 titles despite UFC officially listing 19, because the Whittaker-Romero rematch should have remained a title fight for Whittaker who made weight even though Romero missed. Australia/New Zealand now has one UFC title per 1.6 million people, surpassing North America's one per 2.3 million and all other regions. The piece also highlights the region's boxing success with current and former world champions including Jay Opetaia, Joseph Parker, George Kambosos, and Tim Tszyu. Australia and New Zealand's Olympic achievements were cited as well, with Australia finishing fourth in the Paris 2024 medal count with 18 golds, while New Zealand ranked 11th as the smallest population in the top 20. The author attributes these successes to superior sporting culture and science, citing UFC PI director Roman Fomin's assessment that Australian sports science may be the world's best.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
