Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka are operating it again earlier than anticipated.
No, Conor McGregor isn’t returning Saturday, however followers have had loads of time to return to grips with that, and because of Dana White and firm’s matchmaking wizardry, UFC 303 ended up with a important occasion with far better stakes as Pereira defends his mild heavyweight title in a rematch towards Prochazka. Their first combat thrilled for so long as it lasted, although a barely early stoppage left us wanting extra. Now, we get the reprise simply seven months later.
Not solely that, we’ve additionally been served an unexpectedly pleasant co-main, with Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes stepping as much as change Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jamahal Hill vs. Carlos Ulberg Anthony Smith vs. Carlos Ulberg … uh, to switch a lightweight heavyweight co-main occasion. There have been some regrettable pre-fight shenanigans, as Ortega reportedly struggled to make 145, precipitating a transfer as much as light-weight for each males, however on paper this matchup remains to be a banger.
In different important card motion, Anthony Smith fights Roman Dolidze in an mild heavyweight bout that got here out of nowhere, current bantamweight title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva appears to fend off Macy Chiasson, and Ian Machado Garry takes on longtime Bellator welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Web page.
What: UFC 303
The place: T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas
When: Saturday, June 29. The four-fight early preliminary card begins at 6 p.m. ET, adopted by a four-fight preliminary card at 8 p.m. ET, all on ESPN and ESPN+. The five-fight important card begins at 10 p.m. ET and is accessible completely on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
(Numbers in parentheses point out standing in MMA Combating’s International Rankings and Pound-for-Pound Rankings)
Alex Pereira (1, P4P-2) vs. Jiri Prochazka (2)
When these two first tussled, I confidently picked Alex Pereira due to the one-touch knockout potential and, marvel of wonders, I used to be right even when he didn’t precisely flatten Jiri Prochazka. That was very a lot a “vibes” decide, as Jed Meshew would say, and so is that this: Prochazka evens the rating.
Pereira and Prochazka’s types aren’t remotely alike and but in some way they’re so evenly matched. I really consider that if these two ran it again 100 occasions, neither man would win a major majority of the contests. Such is their stage of putting and their potential to finish any combat in a flash.
There are clear benefits Pereira has, which we noticed play out within the first combat. Pereira took benefit of Prochazka’s poor leg kick protection and when he discovered a gap, he rifled in a type of KO punches that he’s well-known for. However let’s not neglect that Prochazka had his moments too. He’s a gifted striker able to producing energy from unconventional angles, so nobody would have been shocked if the ending sequence was reversed. They shouldn’t be shocked if it occurs Saturday both.
You need to be a particular type of psycho to volunteer to step right into a cage with Pereira greater than as soon as, however that’s precisely what Prochazka is and he’ll profit from having confronted “Poatan” as soon as already. As reductive because it sounds, Prochazka has a stronger sense now of Pereira’s velocity and energy, and that familiarity might be what redeems him within the rematch.
In a recreation of inches, Prochazka makes it 1-1 with a knockout of his personal.
Decide: Prochazka
Brian Ortega (5) vs. Diego Lopes (14)
There are some ugly shades of final week’s Kelvin Gastelum debacle within the Brian Ortega-Diego Lopes weight class swap, so I can perceive why followers aren’t too happy with Mr. Ortega proper now. This case feels much less sinister as a result of it feels like Ortega might need tried to make weight this week (emphasis on “might need”) however when his staff realized he couldn’t, they reached out to Lopes’ staff late Thursday night to request a light-weight bout.
Then again, Ortega needed to have recognized it will be troublesome to hit 145 on brief discover particularly since he’d been gearing up for a possible light-weight transfer earlier than getting the decision to face Lopes. So they need to have negotiated a distinct poundage then, not lower than 48 hours earlier than combat evening. Unhealthy look.
How this impacts the fighters tonight is anybody’s guess, although it actually can’t damage Ortega and I can’t think about it’s good for Lopes. Apparently Lopes was on schedule to make 145 earlier than getting informed round 3:30 a.m. he’d be competing at light-weight as a substitute. So he might be just a little drained, which is a matter if you’re going through an opponent who’s recognized for being further harmful within the third spherical.
Grappling-wise, Lopes is a match for Ortega on the bottom, a lot of this battle ought to come right down to successful scrambles and holding positions. I like Lopes extra on the toes from a technical standpoint, although Ortega has ending energy in his strikes.
Final week, I went with Gastelum, however solely as a result of that will have been my decide with or with out the burden snafu. I’m sticking with that logic right here as I used to be leaning Lopes for the unique featherweight reserving and don’t suppose the late change spoils his possibilities that a lot.
Decide: Lopes
Anthony Smith (13) vs. Roman Dolidze
Mutant matchup time!
That’s proper, Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree had been initially set for the UFC 303 co-main occasion till Rountree obtained a suspension for a optimistic drug check, then Carlos Ulberg was referred to as in to combat Hill, however Hill withdrew resulting from a knee damage, then Anthony Smith stepped in to combat Ulberg, after which Ulberg bowed out with an damage. All of these matchups had title contender implications within the skinny mild heavyweight division.
The identical can’t be mentioned for the combat we ended up with, Smith vs. Roman Dolidze, although credit score to Dolidze for stepping up right here and doing so after competing at 185 kilos in his previous two fights.
I’m fascinated by how Dolidze does again at 205 as a result of he was really undefeated in that weight class earlier than making the drop, which was in all probability a sensible transfer to keep away from future matchups with a lot bigger opponents. Sadly for the Georgian, we noticed his ceiling at 185 as he misplaced to a few ranked fighters and now finally ends up again at mild heavyweight anyway.
Smith isn’t significantly giant for the division, although he ought to have the energy benefit right here having made the burden class his house. He’ll look to grapple with Dolidze and put on him down early whereas in search of openings to land his personal pictures later. Stylistically, this combat is made for a end, and I favor the extra battle-tested Smith to beat Dolidze to the punch and develop into the primary fighter to place him away inside the space.
Decide: Smith
Mayra Bueno Silva (3, P4P-16) vs. Macy Chiasson (8)
Macy Chiasson is at all times this near a breakthrough and he or she will get one other alternative to claim herself as a high contender when she fights Mayra Bueno Silva.
Prepared for extra storytime? Silva’s inventory has fluctuated wildly over the previous 12 months as she gained our hearts by ending Holly Holm’s reign of terror, then had that end result erased when she popped for ADHD medicine, then ended up getting a shot on the vacant bantamweight title anyway, after which placed on an totally forgettable efficiency in a loss to Raquel Pennington. Suffice to say, she’s not precisely an amazing favourite right here regardless of the quantity subsequent to her title.
Chiasson is so spectacular at her finest and girls’s 135 is in such dire want of recent blood that it’s straightforward to root for her. Nonetheless, it’s been discouraging to see her wrestle with the dimensions and lose fights to the higher echelon of the division, which is the place Silva presently resides. She has the bodily instruments and expertise now to recover from the hump. She simply has to show it.
I’ve been fooled by Chiasson earlier than, however I’m going out on a limb right here and predicting that UFC 303 is the beginning of one thing large for her. Chiasson by resolution.
Decide: Chiasson
Ian Machado Garry (8) vs. Michael Web page (T13)
Brace yourselves. This combat may suck.
I understand that’s unkind, however this type matchup doesn’t scream barnburner to me. Ian Machado Garry and Michael Web page are extremely expert and no stranger to knockouts, however they’re additionally good and unlikely to pressure the motion if there’s the slightest likelihood that it provides their opponent an edge. Prefer it or not, that is going to be a chess match.
Who blinks first? My guess is Web page. The youthful Garry initiatives to have extra pep in his step and if it goes to the judges, he’ll get credit score for the uncommon situations the place he pushes ahead and lets his palms go. Web page has been concerned in some gnarly break up choices in his day, so let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
Nothing could be funnier than Web page unleashing one in every of his highlight-reel strategies and making Garry go viral, however it’s quite a bit to ask for. So I’ve Garry successful a tepid three-rounder on the scorecards.
Decide: Garry
Preliminaries
Joe Pyfer def. Marc-Andre Barriault
Cub Swanson def. Andre Fili
Charles Jourdain def. Jean Silva
Payton Talbott def. Yanis Ghemmouri
Gillian Robertson (13) def. Michelle Waterson-Gomez
Martin Buday def. Andrei Arlovski
Carlos Hernandez def. Rei Tsuruya
Ricky Simon def. Vinicius Oliveira