UFC 303 Fight Card Countdown: The Main Card

UFC 303 is bringing a loaded fight card to T-Mobile Arena for UFC International Fight Week. To get you fully prepped for fight night, we’re running down every fight on the card, with today’s feature focusing on the biggest fights at the top of the bout sheet, The Main Card.

Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka

Will it be repeat or revenge when UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira takes on former champion Jiri Prochazka? That’s the big question ahead of the newly-installed main event of UFC 303.

Pereira stopped Prochazka with strikes in their first matchup to capture the vacant 205-pound title, but now, after the pair got the call to form the new headliner following Conor McGregor’s injury scuppered his long-awaited bout with Michael Chandler, the duo will face off again.

It’s a case of history repeating itself, as the pair faced off in a substitute main event at UFC 295, when the planned main event between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic fell through after the heavyweight champion sustained an injury in training. On that occasion, the matchup was simply bumped up the card, but this time the pair arrive in Las Vegas on a short-notice assignment.

For Pereira, it’s a chance to headline another huge event and add to his legacy. For Prochazka, it’s an opportunity to avenge his lone UFC defeat, and a chance to regain the title he never lost inside the cage.

It’s a real clash of styles, and with their story a continuation of their first meeting, it should provide a superb end to the night at T-Mobile Arena.

Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes

In addition to the main event, the co-headliner is also a new matchup, as former featherweight title challenger Brian “T-City” Ortega takes on rising star Diego Lopes.

Ortega has made exciting fights his trademark since his arrival in the UFC’s 145-pound division, and he’s done almost everything in the division, other than capturing UFC gold.

He’ll look to move one step closer to that goal when he faces Lopes, an all-action fan-favourite scrapper from Puebla, Mexico who is riding a three-fight win streak in the Octagon, with wins over Gavin Tucker, Pat Sabatini and Sodiq Yusuff.

Ortega represents the toughest test of his UFC career to date, and he’ll look to show his development by scoring a career-best win over “T-City” on Saturday night.

Anthony Smith vs. Roman Dolidze

After everything that has happened to the bout(s) booked for this particular spot, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the third slot on the main card of UFC 303 has been cursed.

The matchup was supposed to feature former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill against hard-hitting contender Khalil Rountree Jr, but a temporary anti-doping suspension ruled Rountree out of the event and he was replaced by Carlos Ulberg.

Incredibly, the changes didn’t stop there. Hill subsequently sustained a knee injury and was removed from the card and replaced by Anthony Smith. Then, finally, Ulberg withdrew from the card, and was replaced by Roman Dolidze.

Assuming nothing crazy happens between now and fight night – and based on what’s happened already, don’t rule it out – Smith and Dolidze will do battle, with Dolidze moving up from middleweight for a short-notice scrap with former title challenger Smith.

It’s a real striker versus grappler matchup, with Dolidze likely to pursue a knockout finish against the super-experienced Smith, who has 19 wins by KO/TKO, and 15 by submission. “Lionheart” has claimed three of his last five UFC wins by submission, and will likely want to drag Dolidze into his grappling game, where his size and strength on the mat could prove crucial.

It’s a fun matchup that should set things up nicely for the two featured fights at the top of the card.

Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson

Former winner of The Ultimate Fighter Macy Chiasson is starting to make some real headway in the women’s bantamweight division, and at UFC 303 she’ll get the chance to gatecrash the title picture when she takes on Mayra Bueno Silva.

Chiasson may have alternated wins and losses through her last five UFC outings, but she has shown noticeable improvement through that journey. And now, after her first-round submission of Sweden’s Pannie Kianzad last time out, she’ll look to claim back-to-back wins with victory over No. 3-ranked contender Bueno Silva, who needs a win to bounce back to form.

Bueno Silva won three in a row through 2022 and 2023 before a submission finish of former champion Holly Holm was wiped from the record after she tested positive for ritalinic acid.

After serving her suspension, Bueno Silva returned against Raquel Pennington for the vacant UFC women’s bantamweight title at UFC 297, but lost out to “Rocky” on the scorecards.

Now she’s looking to return to form with victory over Chiasson, with a win likely to put her right back into the title conversation once again at 135 pounds.

Ian Machado Garry vs. Michael Page

The main card opener at UFC 303 is an absolute banger, and a real clash of styles, and personalities.

Ian Machado Garry exudes confidence and self-assuredness, and his performances reflect that. The Irishman is undefeated at 14-0, including seven successive victories inside the Octagon, with wins over Daniel Rodriguez, Neil Magny and Geoff Neal.

Now he’s set to take on UFC new boy and longtime Bellator star Michael “Venom” Page, whose unique brand of striking-heavy MMA has seen him serve up a plethora of highlight-reel finishes in his MMA career.

“MVP” made his UFC debut at UFC 299, walked out to The Undertaker’s entrance music and bamboozled Kevin Holland en route to a decision victory. Now he faces Garry looking to become the first man to defeat “The Future” and in the process catapult himself into championship contention after just two fights in the UFC.

The two fighters will approach the task in markedly different ways, but both have the same goal in mind – score a highlight-reel finish to deliver a statement to the rest of the UFC’s welterweight division.