Celebrities and AFL stars flocked to RAC Arena in Perth for the UFC Fight Night on Saturday night, with West Coast Eagles' Harley Reid arriving cageside just an hour after his team's loss to Richmond at Optus Stadium.
AFL Stars at the Event
Reid, accompanied by teammate Harry Schoenberg, arrived about half an hour before the main card commenced. The pair were part of the Eagles side that fell to the Tigers by 11 points in front of over 46,000 fans earlier that afternoon. They were joined by a trio of Fremantle Dockers players: Luke Jackson, fellow ruckman Sean Darcy, and Jaeger O'Meara. Darcy is currently sidelined with a calf injury, while O'Meara sported a black eye after undergoing surgery for facial injuries sustained during training last month.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion in Attendance
UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg was also cageside, just weeks after becoming the latest Australian to win gold in the promotion. Ulberg injured his knee in that fight and is now facing a stint on the sidelines.
Near Sell-Out Event
The event marked a near sell-out for the first-ever Saturday night prime time card held in Australia. Former welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena, a Perth native, headlined the main event against Brazilian contender Carlos Prates. Fellow Perth athletes Steve Erceg and Quillan Salkilld also competed on the card.
Security was tight at the Western entrance of RAC Arena, with fans attending the UFC Fight Night in high spirits. The atmosphere was electric as the crowd gathered to witness the historic event.
