UFC 303 Fight Card: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka 2 Set as New Main Event After Conor McGregor Injury
Conor McGregor has withdrawn from a fight for the first time in his career after suffering an injury in the build-up to his return clash with Michael Chandler at UFC 303. UFC president Dana White broke the news on Thursday night, stating that the event in Las Vegas will now be headlined by Alex Pereira against Jiri Prochazka for the light heavyweight title on June 29.
With Thursday’s news that Conor McGregor was forced out of the UFC 303 main event, the International Fight Week card was in need of a new, big main event. UFC president Dana White announced on Thursday night that the new main event would feature a rematch between light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and the former champion he defeated to win the belt, Jiri Prochazka.
The first meeting between the pair came at UFC 295, when Pereira scored a second-round stoppage of Prochazka. With the win, Pereira became the first fighter in UFC history to capture titles at both middleweight and light heavyweight. Pereira also achieved that feat in just his 11th professional bout.
Prochazka won the title with a thrilling UFC 275 win over Glover Teixeira that was one of the best fights of UFC’s modern era. After dropping the title to Pereira, Prochazka proved his place among the division’s elite with another incredible win, overcoming the early momentum of Aleksandar Rakic for a comeback stoppage victory.
In addition to the main event changes, UFC president Dana White announced that the co-main event was scrapped after Jamahal Hill was forced out of his bout with Carlos Ulberg due to a knee injury. This left the card in need of another high-profile fight to maintain its star power.
In the co-main event’s place, former featherweight title contender Brian Ortega will take on Diego Lopes. Lopes is a rising star for the promotion, with three consecutive stoppage finishes. All but two of Lopes’ 24 career victories have come by stoppage, showcasing his formidable skills in the octagon.
Brian Ortega, who climbed the rankings to challenge Max Holloway for the featherweight title in December 2018, lost that fight by TKO due to a doctor’s stoppage. After rebounding with a win, Ortega again challenged for the title, facing Alexander Volkanovski but ultimately losing the bout. This fight against Lopes presents an opportunity for Ortega to re-establish himself as a top contender.
Carlos Ulberg also remains on the card, facing former light heavyweight world title challenger Anthony Smith in a 205-pound battle. This matchup adds another layer of excitement to an already stacked card, ensuring fans get to witness some top-tier light heavyweight action.
Conor McGregor, 35, was preparing for his first fight since breaking his leg in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021. Unfortunately, he has been forced to withdraw from a contest for the first time in his iconic career, much to the disappointment of his fans and the UFC community.
UFC 303 takes place on June 29 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, promising an evening filled with high-stakes bouts and thrilling action. The reshuffled card aims to deliver a spectacular experience for fight fans, ensuring that despite McGregor’s absence, the event remains a highlight of the UFC calendar.
With Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka headlining the event, and notable fighters like Brian Ortega, Diego Lopes, Carlos Ulberg, and Anthony Smith on the card, UFC 303 is set to be an unforgettable night of mixed martial arts action. Make sure to mark your calendars for June 29 and witness some of the best fighters in the world compete on the grand stage of T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 303 Fight Card: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka 2 Set as New Main Event After Conor McGregor Injury
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UFC 303 Fight Card: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka 2
Conor McGregor has withdrawn from a fight for the first time in his career after suffering an injury in the build-up to his return clash with Michael Chandler at UFC 303. UFC president Dana White broke the news on Thursday night, stating that the event in Las Vegas will now be headlined by Alex Pereira against Jiri Prochazka for the light heavyweight title on June 29.
With McGregor out, the International Fight Week card was in need of a new, big main event. Dana White announced that the new headliner will feature a rematch between light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and the former champion he defeated to win the belt, Jiri Prochazka. This exciting bout promises to keep fans on the edge of their seats.
The first meeting between Pereira and Prochazka came at UFC 295, where Pereira scored a second-round stoppage over Prochazka. This victory made Pereira the first fighter in UFC history to capture titles at both middleweight and light heavyweight, achieving this feat in just his 11th professional bout.
Prochazka initially won the title with a thrilling victory over Glover Teixeira at UFC 275, a fight regarded as one of the best in UFC’s modern era. Despite losing the title to Pereira, Prochazka proved his resilience and skill by overcoming Aleksandar Rakic with a comeback stoppage win, solidifying his place among the division’s elite.
In addition to the main event changes, Dana White announced that the co-main event was scrapped after Jamahal Hill was forced out of his bout with Carlos Ulberg due to a knee injury. This led to the promotion of another high-profile fight to maintain the card’s appeal.
Former featherweight title contender Brian Ortega will now take on Diego Lopes in the co-main event. Lopes is a rising star with three consecutive stoppage finishes, showcasing his formidable skills in the octagon. Ortega, who has previously challenged Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title, seeks to re-establish himself as a top contender with this bout.
Carlos Ulberg remains on the card and will face former light heavyweight world title challenger Anthony Smith in a 205-pound battle. This matchup adds another layer of excitement to an already stacked card, ensuring fans get to witness some top-tier light heavyweight action.
UFC 303 takes place on June 29 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, promising an evening filled with high-stakes bouts and thrilling action. Despite McGregor’s absence, the reshuffled card aims to deliver a spectacular experience for fight fans, featuring some of the best fighters in the world competing on the grand stage of T-Mobile Arena. Mark your calendars for this unmissable event.
