 When Ichigo leads his group to Las Noches, Ulquiorra confronts Ichigo and provokes him into fighting.He easily withstands and defeats Ichigo's hollow form, then leaves Ichigo for dead.Much later, after escaping imprisonment by the Espada Grimmjow's "Caja de Negación", Ulquiorra engages Ichigo in another battle before taking Orihime to Aizen.