There will be no Conor McGregor, but UFC 303 features a compelling main event rematch as light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira will defend his title on 16 days’ notice against Jiri Prochazka.
Pereira and Prochazka have met once before with ‘Poatan’ winning the fight by knockout in round two to become the light heavyweight champion at UFC 295. Since their first meeting, both men fought and won on UFC 300. Pereira defended the title in the main event against Jamahal Hill while Prochazka completed a comeback win over Aleksandar Rakic in the second round.
UFC 303: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka 2 Tale of the Tape
Alex Pereira | Jiri Prochazka | |
36 | Age | 31 |
Champion | Rank | 1 |
10-2 (7-1) | Record (UFC) | 30-4-1 (4-1) |
Kickboxing | Base | Muay Thai |
6’4″ | Height | 6’3″ |
79 inches | Reach | 80 inches |
Brazil | Country | Czech Republic |
Teixeira MMA & Fitness | Team | Jetsaam Gym |
Glover Teixeira | Head Coach | Martin Karaivanov |
W3 | Streak | W1 |
UFC 303: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka 2 Odds and Round Total
Betting odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook as of June 25. Game odds and lines refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Money Line | Total Rounds | |
Alex Pereira | -158 | O2.5 (+116) |
Jiri Prochazka | +124 | U2.5 (-148) |
Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka 1 Recap
Both Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka are beloved fan-favorite fighters but most hype around the UFC 303 main event stems from their first fight. Prochazka entered the original matchup off a year-long layoff in which he relinquished the light heavyweight strap due to an injury. While he was absent from the Octagon, Pereira had moved up from middleweight and became a top contender at 205 pounds with a win over Jan Blachowicz.
As most would expect, their fight did not last long. Pereira won the fight by second-round knockout at 4:08 after losing the first round on all three judges’ scorecards. Pereira slightly edged Prochazka in significant strikes 38 to 30. Most of Pereira’s strikes were in line with his status quo, including a healthy amount of leg kicks and body shots.
Prochazka landed the only takedown of the fight on three attempts, accumulating 2:45 of control time in the first round. However, Pereira would surprisingly notch the lone submission attempt of the night with a half-hearted guillotine choke attempt against the fence.
UFC 303 Main Event Key Stats
Alex Pereira
Pereira was awarded his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt at UFC 300 following his win over Jamahal Hill but he is still essentially a kickboxer disguised as an MMA fighter. In his 10 MMA wins, Pereira has won eight by knockout (80 percent) with only two of his 12 fights (17 percent) going to a decision.
Jiri Prochazka
With a much larger sample size, Prochazka has a similar finish rate to Pereira. In 30 professional wins, ‘BJP’ has won 26 by knockout (87 percent) to just three by submission and one by decision. Overall, Prochazka has also only gone to three decisions through 35 fights (9 percent).
UFC 303: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka 2 Final Pick
There are too many factors in this fight working against Pereira. He deserves a ton of credit for accepting this fight but the UFC likely had to persuade him with a hefty paycheck.
Not only was the champion in the middle of traveling the world for sponsorship commitments and leisure vacation but he is also competing with at least one broken toe. Considering how lethal his kicks are and how big of a factor they played in the first fight, that could be a major component. One checked kick from Prochazka could cause significant damage if his toes hit the wrong spot.
Prochazka lost the first fight but he was not without his success. He found a home for his right hand over time and Pereira has since admitted that the awkward style gave him trouble. The way both fighters reacted to the short-notice rematch is worth noting as well, as Pereira seemed slightly hesitant while Prochazka showed complete enthusiasm.
Best bet: Jiri Prochazka by KO/TKO or Submission (+165)
For More Great Content
Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy