- What: UFC 303
- Who: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka in the main event
- When: Saturday, June 29 at 10 p.m. ET
- Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
- How to Watch: Pay-Per-View event
At the last second, fans have been left disappointed with a major change to UFC 303, but that doesn't mean for a second that things aren't going to be quite exciting this weekend. Yes, Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler won't be going head-to-head, but there's still a great event that will be on the way, highlighted by Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka meeting in the octagon. With that said, we have our UFC 303 bets: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka picks. Who will come out on top?
As you might have been able to expect, Pereira is the favorite to come out on top. He's one of the best light heavyweights on the planet and he's going to look to make a statement this weekend. With that said, Prochazka is a big-time talent too and he has unreal power. Should he land a haymaker on Pereira, it could drop him to the floor in a second. This is something the Brazilian is of course hoping to prevent from happening.
| UFC 303 odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pereira to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Prochazka to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over 2.5 rounds | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 2.5 rounds | -110 | -110 | -110 |
"He’s a true warrior who lives his way, his warrior way, that’s something I like about him,” Prochazka said of Pereira during a recent interview. "I remember that from the fight, and before the fight and I learned a lot from these moments and right now it’s about using that, especially when I saw him before his fight against Jamahal Hill."
According to the best sports betting sites, which includes the reliable Bovada sportsbook review, Pereira holds -110 UFC betting odds to come away with a win. Prochazka is the underdog with his +125 odds per the best UFC betting sites, which tells you that analysts still think he has a chance to pull off an upset. This has the potential to go the distance. With all of that said, we have a feeling that Pereira will have his hand raised. He's our pick to come out victorious.
The hair is gone, meaning Alex Pereira is ready to fight! 🔥#UFC303 pic.twitter.com/lGeGoXr5T4
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) June 26, 2024
Why is Conor McGregor not fighting at UFC 303?
A big question a lot of people have in mind right now is why is Conor McGregor not fighting at UFC 303? For months, people had been hyping up the bout between him and Chandler. Straight up, these two don't like one another and that has been the case for a long time. With all the trash talk going on, people could not wait for them to put the gloves on at UFC 303. Unfortunately, that's no longer going to be the case.
How come? McGregor was forced to back out of the main event due to a toe injury, which is a massive bummer. This all happened at the last second too, which obviously has impacted a lot of UFC fans out there. There are plenty of people who are ripping McGregor for backing out, but his toe injury is serious enough that he knows he won't be able to be at his best vs. Chandler. On the other side of things, however, a lot of people are defending him.
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29 has been canceled, per Dana White.
The new main event is Alex Pereira vs. Jiří Prochazka for the light heavyweight title.
McGregor vs. Chandler will be re-booked later this year. The fight has been pushed because… pic.twitter.com/T78ZNIzF2u
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 14, 2024
“I cannot judge whether he fights or not because honestly, he’s in a point in his life where he secured himself on many different financial aspects,” Pereira told ESPN on McGregor missing UFC 303 due to injury. “Maybe he was fighting in a much different scenario than I’m fighting. Maybe if I was fighting in the situation where he is in life right now, I don’t know if I would do it, too. So, I cannot judge how bad it is."
While McGregor and Chandler are not going to fight in the coming days, the hope is that the two can still put the gloves on later this year and give people the fight they've been waiting to see. McGregor is going to be sidelined a little bit with his toe injury, but it's not one that should keep him out of action for the long haul. Soon enough, look for Dana White to find a new date for these two UFC legends to go to war against one another.
Diego Lopes is favored over Brian Ortega in the co-main event
Back to the action, Diego Lopes is favored over Brian Ortega in the co-main event. This has the potential to be another incredible fight, as both Lopes and Ortega have a ton of experience and they pack a ton of power. This is a featherweight matchup and both of these fighters match up pretty evenly. Lopes is 24-6-0 in his career, while Ortega is also pretty impressive, sporting a 16-3-0 mark.
Lopes has been on a bit of a tear recently, though, which is why a lot of people think that he's going to come out on top. It's going to be interesting to see if that happens or not, but we have a feeling that he's going to not only post a win, but do so in impressive fashion. We think this fight could end in either the first or second round. Having said all of that, Lopes is 100 percent our pick to take down Ortega. He should do so without breaking a sweat.
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