UFC 303 results: The biggest winners and losers from last night's “Pereira vs. Prochazka 2”

UFC 303 ends International Fight Week The light heavyweight championship bout took place last night (Saturday, June 29, 2024) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Alex Pereira defeat Jiri Prochazka He defended his title with a second-round technical knockout (watch it again here). Diego Lopez defeat Dan Ige — accepted the bout by unanimous decision with four hours' notice.

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Biggest winner: Alex Pereira

“Poitan's” legend continues to grow. Pereira earned a second stoppage victory over Prochazka with a stunning strike that would have been a few more seconds in the first round. Pereira defended his 205-pound belt with a laser-like head kick a few minutes later to start the second round. I've literally run out of things to say about this guy. He fights with such ease, barely breaks a sweat, and seems to get better with every fight, which is a scary thought for all of his future opponents, which could include a heavyweight contender in the near future.

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Runners-up: Roman Dolidze, Dan Ige

This card underwent a lot of changes, including one made just four hours before the start of the event. Brian Ortega Due to illness, Ige withdrew from the co-main event bout against Lopez. However, thanks to Ige taking his place, the co-main event was saved. In fact, Ige agreed to face Lopez at 165 pounds and then performed brilliantly, winning the third round. Although he lost, he won in many ways. He won the respect of UFC executives, martial arts fans, and his peers. I am sure that UFC will support him financially, and I hope that he will earn his place in the UFC. Noche UFC He hopes so, and of course we have to give Lopez credit for agreeing to the additional changes and winning the fight, but we're all in on the same page: sending Ige flowers.

Dolidze accepted the call to move up to light heavyweight and fight. Anthony Smith rear Carlos Ulberg He withdrew from the bout. Answering the call, Dolidze took on “Lionheart” and surprised him with a masterful performance in a big win despite many expecting him to lose. Thanks to this upset, Dolidze now has the option to stay at 205 pounds after beating the No. 10 ranked man or move back down to middleweight. For now, he can enjoy a big win on one of the biggest cards of the year.

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Biggest Loser: Anthony Smith

Before the fight, Smith was adamant that many contenders in the 205-pound division had turned him down, so UFC was forced to use a middleweight. Now, I'm not saying “Lionheart” overlooked Dolidze, but all his statements backfired when he was beaten by the #10 ranked 185-pounder in the world. Smith was “expected” to beat a smaller fighter who had moved up a weight class on short notice, but he totally failed and paid the price in the end. His coveted title fight with Pereira is long gone and probably never to return. It was a disappointing performance for a former title contender.

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