With 19 days till fight night in Perth, UFC lightweight Jamie Mullarkey is deep in a camp built around one idea — turn raw strength into fight-ending speed. He’s slated to face Peru’s Rolando Bedoya at RAC Arena on Sat 27 September 2025, part of the UFC’s return to Western Australia under the Ulberg vs Reyes banner.
Jamie, in context
Mullarkey is a Central Coast product who’s forged his UFC career at lightweight. He’s logged a 17-8 record at the top level, known for pressure boxing, willing exchanges and underrated wrestling defence. He’s shared mats with Alexander Volkanovski at Freestyle MMA and has blended that work with Central Coast MMA foundations — a mix that’s shaped his approach to camp and fight IQ.
Recent form has been brutal and honest — a first-round KO loss to Nasrat Haqparast in Dec 2023, followed by a debut-stealing finish from Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 301 in Rio. That run can rattle confidence or sharpen focus. In our work, we’ve chosen the second path.
The opponent picture
Rolando Bedoya has competed primarily at welterweight in the UFC, with reports indicating a move to lightweight for Perth. Stylistically he’s a long striker with patient reads, but the speed of the 155 lb division is a different gear — and we’re preparing for exactly that.
Our camp design — what we’re actually doing
1) Strength block to speed block
Early camp loads build force. Late camp converts it to velocity. The final fortnight is biased to bar speed, jumps, throws and short sprint exposures. Volume comes down, intent stays high. The target feeling is snappy, not sore. This aligns with best practice for peaking fast-twitch outputs inside 2 weeks.
2) True mixed demand days
Jamie often lifts before a hard skills session — not to sabotage the second session, but to create specific fatigue tolerance and decision-making under stress. It’s never random. Exercise selection and micro-dosing avoid junk fatigue while building robustness for the “shark tank”.
3) Two S&C touches in camp
Two quality sessions per week is the sweet spot for Jamie when sparring loads climb. Out of camp he occasionally adds a third to chase a specific adaptation — usually max-strength in limited patterns.
4) Integrated physio loop
Weekly hands-on work lands Thursday to offload tightness before heavier Fri-Sat exposures. It reduces niggle risk when CNS fatigue is highest and keeps movement quality high into the weekend.
5) Remote to in-person — same framework
Before relocating to Wollongong, programming ran remotely with tight feedback loops. Now in person, we’ve simply layered in live bar-speed cues, immediate load tweaks and on-floor decision-making. The model scales for any fighter, anywhere.
Why this approach suits Jamie
- History with elite rooms — Time at Freestyle with Volkanovski has normalised high standards and high pace. The peaking model mirrors that intensity without overcooking volume.
- Profile-specific — Jamie’s best weapons show when his feet and hands are quick and his entries are sharp. Strength built early becomes usable speed late.
- Perth-specific — Travel, time zones and media add stress. Short, high-quality S&C touches protect freshness while skills work takes centre stage. Event timing and venue are locked, so backward-planning is clean.
Bedoya matchup notes we’re respecting
- Range management — Bedoya’s at his best when he gets reads at long range. Speed peaking plus feint layers helps steal his timing.
- Pace spikes — Short, violent bursts off defensive triggers force him to make faster decisions than he prefers.
- Wrestle threat respect — Even if we don’t lean on takedowns, showing level change keeps his feet honest.
If you’re a fighter, steal this checklist
- Build force early — convert to speed inside 14 days.
- Keep main-session intent high — make volume earn its place.
- Pair S&C with hard skills sparingly and deliberately.
- Lock a weekly physio slot when your body is most wound up.
- Plan for venue, travel and media — not just the opponent.
Event details at a glance
- Event — UFC Fight Night Perth: Ulberg vs Reyes
- Venue — RAC Arena, Perth
- Date — Sat 27 Sep 2025
- Bout — Jamie Mullarkey vs Rolando Bedoya (lightweight)
About Raise Performance
We support combat athletes with testing-driven S&C, integrated physio and practical peaking strategies in Wollongong and remotely. If you want a camp plan tailored to your schedule and game, visit Raise Performance. Raise Performance
Written By Chris Jaffrey, Raise Performance — Wollongong