Alex Pereira defended his mild heavyweight championship in a rematch with former champion Jiri Prochazka in the primary occasion of UFC 303. Pereira landed a vicious switch-kick to Prochazka’s temple, sending Prochazka to the canvas and defenseless, forcing the referee to name the combat.
Pereira (11-2) has gained 4 fights in a row, together with a second-round TKO of Prochazka in November that earned the Brazilian the vacant 205-pound title. Pereira is No. 3 within the ESPN pound-for-pound rankings. Prochazka (30-5-1), has solely misplaced twice in 9 years, with each defeats to Pereira.
Here is all the pieces to learn about what went down on the 13-fight card at UFC 303, together with the recaps, replays and massive moments from the combat week.
Methods to watch the combat replays
Watch the PPV and all different fights on ESPN+: Get ESPN+ right here.
There’s additionally FightCenter, which affords stay updates for each UFC card.
UFC 303 combat outcomes
Lopes and Ige ship in huge method at UFC 303
Diego Lopes picked up a significant win in opposition to a ranked opponent at UFC 303 on Saturday — it simply did not come in opposition to Brian Ortega.
Lopes (25-6) prolonged his profitable streak to 4 by defeating Dan Ige by unanimous resolution in a bout befell at a catchweight of 165 kilos resulting from unimaginable circumstances.
Lopes was presupposed to combat Ortega on the 145-pound featherweight restrict, however that modified to 155 kilos on Friday after Ortega had bother making weight. Ortega was then scratched from the bout altogether on Saturday, and Ige took his place in what’s believed to be the shortest-notice combat in fashionable UFC historical past.
Okamoto: Ige earns ‘all respect’ in loss to Lopes at UFC 303
Karate Hottie calls it a profession, leaves gloves in Octagon
Michelle Waterson-Gomez, probably the most influential figures in ladies’s blended martial arts historical past, retired at UFC 303 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Waterson-Gomez, 38, introduced her retirement following a unanimous-decision loss to Gillian Robertson on the UFC 303 undercard. Waterson-Gomez (18-13) got here to prominence greater than a decade in the past, at a time when ladies’s MMA was nonetheless discovering its footing. She gained a 105-pound atomweight championship in 2013 and went on to a profitable profession within the UFC at 115 kilos.
Okamoto: Waterson-Gomez says she’s retiring after UFC 303 loss
‘Poatan’ talks flat tires, Jiri Prochazka and extra
Alex Pereira sits down with Brett Okamoto to debate damaged toes, altering tires and his upcoming title protection in opposition to Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 in Las Vegas.
Hale: Pereira helps stranded motorist change tire
Contained in the seven-year free fall of Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor was scheduled to return at UFC 303, however a toe damage is the most recent saga for the Irishman. McGregor has chased the skilled and financial highs he reached almost seven years in the past for the reason that evening he walked out of the boxing ring in opposition to Mayweather. What’s transpired since 2017 is only one UFC win and numerous setbacks, together with: arrests, accidents, lawsuits and a number of allegations of sexual assault.
Learn your entire story right here.
McGregor shares damage standing, vows to be prepared for subsequent combat
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Conor McGregor seeking to be 100% earlier than his subsequent combat
Conor McGregor explains his damage and particulars how he’s getting ready for his subsequent UFC combat.
Conor McGregor was available for the Bellator Dublin occasion to help Sinead Kavanagh in her combat in opposition to Arlene Blencowe. After the Blencowe-Kavanagh match, McGregor spoke within the postfight interview and detailed his damage standing alongside together with his plans to return to the Octagon later within the yr.
Rating the fights at UFC 303: With no McGregor-Chandler, who steps up?
Saturday’s reinvigorated primary occasion is a rematch of the fiery combat final November by which Alex Pereira gained the belt. It was tightly contested and swung in each instructions — largely towards Jiri Procházka, truthfully — earlier than Pereira landed a left hook counterpunch in Spherical 2 that was the start of the top. Talking of beginnings, although: Essentially the most spine-tingling spotlight got here throughout prefight introductions, when the fighters stood of their corners staring throughout the cage at one another, neither man shifting a muscle. If Pereira and Procházka can convey that chilling vitality once more Saturday, we’re in for a superb one.
A number of storylines will play out at UFC 303. Listed below are essentially the most intriguing, framed as inquiries to be answered on combat evening.
Learn your entire story right here.
Knowledgeable picks and finest bets: The place’s the worth at UFC 303 and PFL?
Brett Okamoto spoke to UFC mild heavyweight and ESPN analyst Anthony Smith to get his perspective on the UFC primary occasion. ESPN betting consultants Ian Parker and Reed Kuhn add their perception and evaluation on the UFC primary occasion and different intriguing bets they like on this weekend’s combat playing cards.
Learn your entire story right here.
UFC 303 broadcast workforce handled to ‘finest fighter assembly of all time’
Upfront of his UFC 303 combat, Ian Machado Garry met this week with the UFC broadcast workforce — together with a particular visitor, his younger son, who had Daniel Cormier, Jon Anik and the remainder of the crew in stitches together with his spot-on fighter impersonations. Try which UFC stars the teen mimicked — trace: One is headlining on Saturday, and one other was presupposed to — and see why backstage interviewer Megan Olivi known as this “the best fighter assembly of all time, completely superb.”
Prime tales
Conor McGregor says damaged toe compelled him out of UFC 303
Dana White: Conor McGregor-Michael Chandler UFC 303 combat off
UFC 303 prompt response: McGregor-Chandler cancellation, Pereira-Procházka rematch and extra
Jamahal Hill: Meniscus, ACL accidents led to UFC 303 withdrawal
Unbeaten welterweight Ian Garry will get Michael Web page at UFC 303
Conor McGregor ‘assured’ of UFC return, however no timetable
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