Curiouscrow

UFC 303: Pereira vs Procházka 2 takes place this Sunday at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas United States. UFC 303 is highly anticipated for various reasons, however there has been plenty of chaos and confusion leading up to the event. Since UFC’s 300th record-breaking instalment, UFC’s president Dana White and his team have desperately tried to replicate its success.

UFC 303 was initially primed to be a historic event headlined by former UFC double-champion Conor McGregor. The Irishman’s long-awaited return to the octagon was initially booked for a five-round main event against former three-time Bellator Lightweight champion Michael Chandler. Former interim Light Heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill was also supposed to feature in the co-main event against Khalil Rountree.

Roughly two weeks prior to the event, White announced that McGregor would be pulling out of the fight against Chandler due to injury. Similarly, Hill announced via Instagram that he would not be fighting against Roundtree due to various injuries sustained, including two tears in his meniscus, a sprained ACL and a Baker’s Cyst. As a result, White was forced to announce major changes to the card. Although, majority of fans were undoubtedly excited for the Irishman’s return, I believe the last-minute replacements to the UFC 303 main card feature jaw-dropping fights which regular viewers like myself are more excited to watch. 

Ian Garry VS Michael Venom Page

The main card kicks off with an interesting fight between Welterweight’s #7 Ian Machado Garry and #14 Michael Venom Page (MVP). This is only MVP’s second fight in the UFC since his dominant debut win over Kevin Holland back in UFC 299. MVP is known for his entertaining fighting style, often dancing around the octagon and taunting his opponents as he blitzes in with rapid combinations.

Page is very light on his feet and uses that to evade counter strikes. During their fight in March, Holland only managed to land 29 significant strikes. Ian Garry is still undefeated in his mixed martial arts (MMA) career with a record of 14 wins. His last win was against Geoff Neal back in Feb. Similar to MVP, Garry stands taller than majority of his opponents and he keeps himself at a distance where he can comfortably land jarring kicks and rely on counter-boxing when his opposition’s dive in to close the distance.

Stylistically, this will be an intriguing fight because both fighters stand at 6.3 feet, possess similar power and prefer to fight at long-distance. This will be a true test for Ian Garry as Page is a seasoned fighter with 22 career victories under his belt, majority of those stemming from his time at Bellator. MVP is eager to make a mark in the UFC and this is a great opportunity for him to slide his way into Welterweight division’s top-10.

Prediction: Michael Venom Page wins via unanimous decision. 

Anthony Smith VS Roman Dolidze 

In a Light Heavyweight bout, American Anthony Smith (#10) looks to compete against unranked Roman Dolidze. Smith won his last fight via submission against Brazilian Vitor Petrino early in the first round. Light Heavyweight’s 10th ranked fighter is a veteran of the sport, amassing 38 victories out of 57 fights throughout his career.

Smith has competed in various MMA competitions including Bellator, Strikeforce and UFC. Although the American has had a long career, he has lost 19 times, majority of them coming against ranked opposition’s in the UFC. Smith has excellent ground game, often choosing to engage in the clinch or shoot for a takedown. He also has 15 wins by submission and his striking game is just as good, bestowing 19 wins by knockout. Contrastingly, Dolidze is fairly new to the sport having only competed in 15 fights to date.

The Georgian was on a 4 fight win-streak before he lost his last two fights against Vettori and Imavov respectively. Similar to his upcoming opponent, Dolidze is well-versed in grappling and striking. In his short career, the Georgian has picked up 7 victories by knockout and 3 by submissions. Again, another stylistically similar fight which could go all the way to the judges scorecards.

I believe the vast experience of Smith will determine how the fight plays out. For Dolidze, this is an unmissable opportunity to beat a ranked opponent and break into Light Heavyweight’s top-15. 

Prediction: Anthony Smith wins via submission or knockout. 

Co-Main Event: Brian Ortega VS Diego Lopes 

As a replacement to the Jamahal Hill versus Roundtree fight, White provided us with a highly exciting fight. In a Featherweight bout, #3 Brian Ortega looks to set himself up for a title shot against one of UFC’s most entertaining fighters Diego Lopes. The #14 ranked Brazilian made his UFC debut last year on short notice and lost via unanimous decision against Movsar Evloev.

Since then, Lopes has been on a 3 fight win-streak, his most recent fight was against Sodiq Yusuff in the historic UFC 300 prelims. More impressive than Lopes’ win-streak is perhaps his dominant performances. All three of these wins came from first-round finishes, – 2 knockouts and 1 submission. The Brazilian possesses unbelievable power and his prowess in Jiu-Jitsu makes him extremely dangerous on the ground as well. Lopes is an exciting fighter fuelled by energy and ambition, visible to all every time he steps into the octagon.

Ortega has been close to the Featherweight title for some time now, losing title fights against Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski in 2018 and 2021 respectively. After recovering from a dislocated shoulder injury, the American defeated Yair Rodriguez in their rematch via submission in February. Ortega is renowned for his ground game, possessing 8 wins by submissions. Ortega also has the heart of a lion and will leave everything he has out there every time he steps inside the cage. I expect this fight to be a blockbuster right from the first round.

I believe both fighters will go for the win early on, holding nothing back which will make for an entertaining viewing. For Lopes, this is a massive opportunity to jump up the rankings and set himself up for a title shot. If he manages to beat Ortega, he will automatically move into the top-5 which will bring him a step closer to the belt. Although Ortega has already fought for the title twice, if he manages to beat Lopes, it would be difficult for the UFC to deny his resume. Ortega has not fought current champion Illia Topuria or even undefeated contender Evloev, we might get to see one of these exciting fights in the future. 

Prediction: Diego Lopes wins via knockout. 

Main Event: Pereira vs Procházka 

The unexpected cancellation of McGregor versus Chandler has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for majority of UFC fans. Alex Pereira has quickly become a fan-favourite and is on his way to becoming UFC’s poster boy, a title that once belonged to McGregor. Jiří Procházka has already established himself as a fan-favourite in the UFC due to a combination of exhilarating performances inside the cage as well as his anime-like persona outside of it. The last time the pair met inside the octagon was at UFC 295 when Pereira won via knockout due to an early stoppage.

The styles of both fighters make this fight an unmissable title fight which I am certain will become a UFC classic. Pereira is known for his sniper striking accuracy and his famous left-hook which have left all his prior opponents flat on the mat. The Brazilian also possesses jarring leg kicks which can sweep anyone off their feet due to the pure technique he incorporates. Although Pereira is an extremely dangerous fighter that most opponents would be weary of, Procházka will never back away from a fight.

What makes this fight exciting is that during their first encounter, Procházka stood toe-to-toe against the Brazilian and matched him strike for strike instead of cautiously waiting for his opportunity to strike. The Czechian fights using unorthodox stances and strikes from unique angles which make it extremely difficult for his oppositions to counter. Out of Procházka’s 30 wins, 26 have come from knockouts and 23 of them were first-round finishes. Donning the Bushido spirit, the former Light Heavyweight champion is as lethal as they come.

Pereira headlined UFC 300 against Jamahal Hill where he successfully defended the Light Heavyweight title in emphatic fashion, once again utilising his deadly left-hook to earn him a first-round knockout. In his first 8 UFC fights, the Brazilian has only lost once via knockout against long-time rival Israel Adesanya. Pereira has quickly climbed his way up the ladder since debuting in the Middleweight division in the UFC, beating former champions like Adesanya and Sean Strickland. The UFC 303 main event is going to be one worth watching as both these warriors will leave it out on the octagon for the Light Heavyweight crown.

It’s a difficult match to predict as both fighters possess incredible power and technique. Pereira will be looking to defend his title for the second time this year and firmly shut the door in Procházka’s face while the latter will attempt to reclaim the undisputed title without any doubts after being robbed through the early stoppage in their previous encounter. 

Prediction: Alex Pereira wins via knockout.