Late last week, the UFC announced that an injury had forced Conor McGregor out of his scheduled bout against Michael Chandler at UFC 303. The promotion quickly found a replacement fight between current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and former titleholder Jiri Prochazka, both known for their exciting fighting styles. Pereira claimed the vacant title in their previous matchup at UFC 295, with a second-round TKO victory over Prochazka. Since then, Pereira has successfully defended his title against Jamahal Hill, while Prochazka defeated Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 300. Prochazka currently holds the No. 1 ranking in the UFC light heavyweight division.
The co-main event originally scheduled between Jamahal Hill and Carlos Ulberg was also canceled due to Hill’s injuries. However, Ulberg remains on the card and will now face former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith on the pay-per-view portion of UFC 303. Ulberg is coming off a knockout win over Alonzo Menifield, while Smith’s most recent victory was a submission win over Vitor Petrino in May. Ulberg is ranked No. 11 in the UFC light heavyweight division, while Smith holds the No. 10 spot.
The UFC 303 fight card, set to take place on June 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, has seen some changes due to injuries. The main card will be streamed on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN2. Some of the early betting odds for the restructured fight card includes Pereira as the favorite in the main event against Prochazka, with Brian Ortega facing Diego Lopes, and Smith up against Ulberg. Other matchups include Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson, Ian Machado Garry vs. Michael Page, and Joe Pyfer vs. Marc-Andre Barriault, among others.
After McGregor and Chandler both announced the cancellation of their fight on social media, McGregor shared that he picked up an injury prior to the press conference that required more time to heal than was available to him. He expressed disappointment but assured fans that he would be back at his best for the fight. Chandler also shared a message expressing his reliability in MMA and indicating that he would return in due time. Fans can expect a thrilling night of fights at UFC 303, with top-ranked fighters going head-to-head in intense matchups.
As the event approaches, fans and bettors alike are eagerly awaiting the matchups on the UFC 303 fight card. With Pereira set to defend his title against Prochazka, and Ulberg facing off against Smith, the stakes are high for all fighters involved. Despite the setbacks due to injuries, the UFC has managed to put together an exciting lineup for the event, with fighters from various weight classes competing for glory. As the fighters prepare for battle, fans can expect an action-packed night of fights at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on June 29.
