Eugene Bareman has firmly shut down speculation surrounding a supposed rift between City Kickboxing stars Carlos Ulberg and Israel Adesanya, insisting the teammates are “getting on fine” despite rumours swirling through social media. The CKB boss addressed the whispers head-on after Ulberg’s stunning title triumph at UFC 327.
Bareman Dismisses Ulberg Adesanya Rift Claims
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Bareman revealed that both fighters trained together throughout Ulberg’s camp for his light heavyweight title shot against Jiří Procházka. The coach acknowledged that gym tensions are part and parcel of elite-level training, but stressed that any issues between the pair have been resolved.
“No, there is no issue. The boys trained together leading up to this camp,” Bareman explained. “Man, look, in any gym, there’s always going to be times when you’re bumping heads with people. We are not playing chess or checkers here, things happen as a physical and emotional sport.”
Furthermore, the seasoned coach admitted something might have occurred between Adesanya and Ulberg but emphasised that both professionals continued their work at the Auckland facility without disruption. The speculation intensified when Adesanya didn’t post his usual reaction video to Ulberg’s championship victory on his FreestyleBender YouTube channel.
Ulberg’s Championship Journey Through Adversity
Meanwhile, Bareman shed light on the challenges Ulberg faced en route to his UFC 327 triumph. The new champion battled through both a staph infection and knee concerns during his preparation, yet still delivered a devastating left hook to flatten Procházka and claim City Kickboxing’s second UFC title.
“He did have staph,” Bareman revealed. “He had a staph infection earlier in the camp, which basically put that leg out of contention for a week or two.” Despite these setbacks, Ulberg’s performance was nothing short of spectacular, cementing his place among the elite.
Additionally, Bareman downplayed concerns about Ulberg’s knee injury sustained during the fight, suggesting it might be “just a scratch” based on the champion’s post-fight celebrations in Miami. The coach expects Ulberg to return to action as soon as medically cleared, setting up what promises to be an exciting reign at 205 pounds.