Gentle heavyweight champion Alex Pereira will headline on brief discover on Saturday when he defends his title in a rematch towards top-ranked contender Jiri Prochazka in the primary occasion of UFC 303: Pereira vs. Procházka 2. Their five-round battle tops the primary UFC 303 battle card beginning at 10 p.m. ET from T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas. The UFC 303 card was initially slated to function the much-anticipated return of Conor McGregor following a three-year absence, however McGregor withdrew due to a foot harm. His main-event slot, through which he was to face explosive journeyman Michael Chandler, finally fell to Pereira and Prochazka. They met in November of final yr, with Pereira notching a second-round TKO, however the final result left room for doubt.
Pereira is a -150 favourite (danger $150 to win $100), whereas Prochazka is obtainable at +125 within the newest UFC 303: Pereira vs. Procházka 2 odds. Within the co-main occasion, ranked featherweight contenders take the highlight as Diego Lopes (-140) meets two-time title challenger Brian Ortega (+120). Earlier than locking in your picks for UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka 2, be sure to see the MMA predictions and betting recommendation from SportsLine knowledgeable Daniel Vithlani.
From breaking down movie and following fighters and their camps intently, to monitoring sharp motion and betting market indicators, Vithlani covers the breadth of the MMA betting panorama high to backside. He additionally trains newbie boxers and speaks commonly with MMA fighters to know the game’s nuances.
Vithlani made his SportsLine debut in January 2023 and swept the primary card for UFC 283 with a 5-0 document and has been a constant winner ever since. Over the previous 12 UFC pay-per-view occasions, Vithlani has gone 8-4 on main-event picks and his main-card choices in that span have netted his followers a revenue of greater than $1,500.
His highlights embody predicting an upset for Sean O’Malley (+210) towards Aljamain Sterling (-250) at UFC 292 as a part of a 4-1 essential card and his UFC 299 winners included underdog choices on Poirier (+190) towards Saint Denis (-230) and Michael Web page (+110) towards Kevin Holland (-130). Anybody who has adopted him has seen large returns.
Now, with UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka 2 on deck, Vithlani has studied the cardboard from high to backside and launched his high choices. You possibly can solely see his picks and evaluation at SportsLine.
UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka 2 preview
In lower than two years, Pereira (10-2) has advanced from a relative unknown amongst UFC observers to maybe the promotion’s greatest lively star, with “lively” the operative phrase. That is the second time in simply 10 weeks that the sinister 36-year-old Brazilian striker has taken a short-notice battle to headline a pay-per-view occasion and salvage the wreckage of the promotion’s matchmaking misfortunes.
Pereira (10-2) was recruited and fast-tracked by the UFC solely for the aim of offering a possible rival for former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, who had been dominating the division and working wanting certified challengers. Pereira, who had overwhelmed Adesanya twice in skilled kickboxing, knocked out Sean Strickland within the first spherical of their title eliminator in July 2022 earlier than rallying to cease Adesanya for the title in November of that yr.
He has since claimed a second title at gentle heavyweight, however his stardom has skyrocketed largely due to the occasions he has helped save. After UFC brass failed to provide a promised tremendous battle to headline the historic UFC 300 card in April, Pereira and Jamahal Hill stepped in on brief discover to offer a essential occasion. Pereira received by first-round knockout.
He and Prochzaka each competed on the UFC 300 card, and each agreed to headline the UFC 303 card on about two weeks’ discover. Prochazka (30-4-1), a relentless and reckless brawler who received the UFC belt in simply his third battle with the promotion, knocked out Aleksandar Rakic within the second spherical of a wild battle that earned him a coveted $300,000 efficiency bonus. It additionally set the stage for him to earn a rematch with Pereira.
The McGregor vs. Chandler battle was believed to be in jeopardy after a kick-off press convention in Eire was canceled, and the enduring Irish fighter made his withdrawal from UFC 303 official the next week. Quickly after, UFC president Dana White introduced that Pereira vs. Prochazka 2 would exchange McGregor vs. Chandler within the high slot at UFC 303 and be the centerpiece of this week’s UFC betting. You possibly can see extra UFC 303 picks at SportsLine.
High UFC 303 predictions
We’ll share certainly one of Vithlani’s UFC 303 choices right here: He’s backing Andre Fili (-245) to get his hand raised towards Cub Swanson (+200) in a matchup of veteran featherweights on the preliminary card.
Fili (23-11-1) is an 11-year UFC veteran identified for his versatility and willingness to tackle all provided opponents. Nevertheless, the 34-year-old Sacramento resident has seen his outcomes decline, with a 2-4-1 mark in his final seven appearances.
Swanson (29-13) has an identical profession profile. He’s a relentless brawler who has confronted quite a few huge names in his 13-year run with the UFC, however the 40-year-old Californian has by no means maintained a protracted sufficient run of success to contend for a title.
“Swanson nonetheless has a pointy kickboxing sport, however I fear concerning the decline of his velocity towards explosive opponents like Fili,” Vithlani advised SportsLine. You possibly can see extra UFC 303 picks at SportsLine.
The best way to make UFC 303 picks
Vithlani has sturdy picks for Pereira vs. Prochazka and different bouts on the UFC 303 card. He is additionally backing a fighter who “is a wild however calculated brawler” to emerge with a dominant victory. Vithlani’s picks and evaluation are solely obtainable at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka 2, and the way precisely does every battle finish? Go to SportsLine now to get detailed picks on UFC 303, all from the MMA knowledgeable who profited greater than $1,500 on his UFC main-card picks, and discover out.
UFC 303 odds, battle card
See full UFC 303 picks, predictions, greatest bets right here.
Alex Pereira (-150) vs. Jiri Prochazka (+125)
Brian Ortega (+120) vs. Diego Lopes (-140)
Mayra Bueno Silva (-105) vs. Macy Chiasson (-115)
Ian Machado Garry (-140) vs. Michael Web page (+120)
Charles Jourdain (-130) vs. Jean Silva (+110)
Anthony Smith (+120) vs. Roman Dolidze (-140)
Andre Fili (-245) vs. Cub Swanson (+200)
Joe Pyfer (-300) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (+240)
Vinicius Oliveira (+190) vs. Ricky Simon (-230)
Andre Arlovski (+210) vs. Martin Buday (-260)