UFC 303 can be headlined by a lightweight heavyweight championship rematch between Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka. Pereira will look to make it 2-0 towards Prochazka whereas Prochazka, the previous champion, will look to avenge his TKO loss.
The cardboard, at T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas, was initially purported to characteristic the return of Conor McGregor towards Michael Chandler. McGregor, sidelined since July 2021 after struggling a damaged ankle towards Dustin Poirier, injured his foot, and the battle was canceled.
Featherweight title contenders Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes will throw down within the co-main occasion in what must be an thrilling battle between two jiu-jitsu specialists.
The remainder of the UFC 303 essential card is rounded out by Anthony Smith vs. Roman Dolidze, Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson, and Ian Machado Garry vs. Michael “Venom” Web page.
The UFC 303 preliminary card options some nice match-ups to arrange the principle card motion. Listed here are 5 fights you need to catch.
Joe Pyfer vs. Marc-Andre Barriault
Pyfer is seeking to rebound from his first UFC loss, when he fought Jack Hermansson, the No. 9-ranked middleweight, in what was a fast-track battle. Pyfer’s three wins within the UFC came visiting strong competitors in Abdul Razak Alhassan, Gerald Meerschaert and Alen Amedovski. The heavy-handed Pyfer will look to earn one other top-15 match-up by taking over Barriault.
Barriault brings a gritty, workman-like fashion to the middleweight division, depleting his opponent’s gasoline tank over quarter-hour or much less. “Powerbar” is a troublesome out for anybody. He has wins over Eryk Anders, Julian Marquez and Jordan Wright, all of whom have ending means. Barriault completed two of these fights, in addition to Abu Azaitar for his first official UFC win.
Barriault can be a superb gauge to see the place Pyfer is at following his first UFC loss. The winner may simply discover himself in a top-15 showdown subsequent, making this an important bout for each males.
Cub Swanson vs. Andre Fili
Longtime UFC veterans Swanson and Fili meet in what must be a high-paced featherweight affair. Swanson (25) and Fili (22) have 47 UFC bouts between them.
Swanson, 40, has confronted a assassin’s row within the UFC, having gone up towards legends like Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway, and Frankie Edgar – beating Oliveira and Poirier. Even within the twilight of his profession, Swanson has turned away prospects like Hakeem Dawodu and Kron Gracie. It’s unfathomable that his Struggle of the Yr contender win over Doo Ho Choi was seven-and-a-half years in the past. Even then, folks noticed it as an old-guard vs. new-guard battle. Swanson has confirmed his longevity repeatedly.
And but, Fili, 34, has stepped into the Octagon solely three much less occasions than “Killer Cub.” Fili’s file consists of wins over Lucas Almeida, Invoice Algeo, Charles Jourdain, Dennis Bermudez, Artem Lobov, Hacran Dias, and Gabriel Benitez.
Swanson has the larger names on his resume, however Fili is available in six years youthful than Swanson.
Charles Jourdain vs. Jean Silva
Jourdain, a 13-UFC battle veteran, will tackle Silva, making his sophomore UFC look in a really related dynamic to Simon vs. Oliveira down beneath. The UFC thinks it has one thing in Silva, fast-tracking him to tackle a troublesome veteran who can end a battle wherever.
Silva TKO’d Westin Wilson within the first spherical of his UFC debut, placing him on the map in emphatic vogue.
Jourdain has seen many alternative types in his 23-fight skilled profession. “Air” Jourdain has defeated the likes of Ricardo Ramas, Lando Vannata and Kron Gracie and gone up towards Sean Woodson, Nathaniel Wooden, Shane Burgos and Julian Erosa.
Jourdain has completed all however two of his 15 professional wins, whereas Silva has completed all however certainly one of his 12 – 9 by T/KO. This featherweight battle could possibly be a variety of enjoyable, particularly if it stays standing.
Payton Talbott vs. Yanis Ghemmouri
Outdoors of Ian Machado Garry, who’s properly into the highest 10 at welterweight, Talbott is essentially the most intriguing blue-chip prospect on the cardboard. The 8-0 bantamweight is about to tackle France’s Ghemmouri. Talbott adopted up his UFC debut rear bare choke over Nick Aguirre with a TKO over a fellow high prospect in Cameron Saaiman.
Talbott has completed all however certainly one of his victories. Ghemmouri is a well-rounded fighter, successful three by T/KO, 4 by submission and 5 by determination. Talbott enters as an enormous favourite, nevertheless, and the expectation is that he will get previous Ghemmouri, who will look to play spoiler in a serious method.
The battle is value watching to see if Talbott continues so as to add abilities to his software field or if Ghemmouri can upset the apple cart.
Ricky Simon vs. Vinicius Oliveira
Scheduled because the UFC 303 opener, followers are getting a banger off the bat. Simon is seeking to snap a two-fight skid towards the upstart Oliveira, who KO’d Benardo Sopaj with a flying knee in his UFC debut. The UFC clearly sees one thing in Oliveira, as they’re giving him 12-fight Octagon veteran Simon in simply his sophomore outing.
Simon has been in there with a few of the greatest at bantamweight: He has wins over Merab Dvalishvili, Jack Shore, Raphael Assuncao, Brian Kelleher, Ray Borg, Rani Yahya and Montel Jackson, to call a handful.
Simon is a well-rounded fighter who pushes the tempo, whereas 16 of Oliveira’s 20 wins have come through T/KO. It’s a very intriguing stylistic match-up, as Simon has the expertise edge, however Oliveira is harmful within the standup. Simon has extra to lose on this battle whereas Oliveira has every little thing to achieve.
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