Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka will run it back as Pereira defends the UFC light heavyweight title against the former champion at UFC 303.
A kickboxing champion, Pereira quickly established himself by becoming the fastest fighter to win two belts in two divisions in UFC history (736 days/7 fights). The former UFC middleweight champion beat Prochazka to win the vacant UFC light heavyweight title. “Poatan” last fought in April, knocking out Jamahal Hill.
Prochazka beat Glover Teixeira in 2022 for the UFC belt but was forced to relinquish it after suffering a shoulder injury. He is 1-0 since the Pereira fight, punishing Aleksandar Rakic in April.
It is a last-minute fight, as a planned Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler bout got nixed due to a McGregor injury. Pereira, who last fought in April, has been healing from broken toes and must now deal with a short fight camp. However, he’s using his experiences from kickboxing to adapt.
“Of course, this is not the best way, but it’s not new to me,” Pereira said on his YouTube channel via Sherdog. “Been through similar situations. First fight I did with Israel (Adesanya), in China, no one know, but I did two [trips] to China in 30 days. I went for interviews, take some pictures, went back the next day, in and out of China… But for my fight [it] was complicated.
“After 30 days, I went back to fight. [Cutting] weight, was the category 85 kilos in kickboxing. I did three stops, three stops to get to the final destination. That got me very tired, got there just in time to [cut] weight, cut the weight, did my obligations, went to the fight, and won. This isn’t new to me. My mind is very strong for this. I decided to do this. It’s what I want, let’s go.”
Here’s how you can watch UFC 303 including streaming options and TV channel to catch the prelims and the main card on pay-per-view.
How to watch UFC 303 prelims
The prelims, starting at 8 p.m. ET, will air on ESPN and ESPN+. It will also be streamed via Fubo. Fubo offers a free trial so you can explore all that it has to offer without the commitment.
The prelims will see Joe Pyfer facing Marc-Andre Barriault in an exciting middleweight clash, as well as favorite Cub Swanson taking on Andre Fili.
How to watch UFC 303 main card
- US: ESPN+ ($ 79.99 PPV fee plus $ 10.99/month membership)
- UK: TNT Sports (￡3.99/month or ￡39.99/year via discovery+)
- Canada: DAZN ($ 69.99)
UFC 303 is available on ESPN+ and ESPN+ PPV in the U.S., TNT Sports in the U.K., and DAZN in Canada.
UFC 303 fight card, odds
Main Card
- Alex Pereira (c) (-175) vs. Jiri Prochazka (+145) 2 for the UFC light heavyweight title
- Brian Ortega (+120) vs. Diego Lopes (-145); Featherweights
- Anthony Smith (+115) vs. Roman Dolidze (-140); Light Heavyweights
- Marya Bueno Silva (-115) vs. Macy Chiasson (-105); Bantamweights
- Ian Machado Garry (-135) vs. Michael “Venom” Page (+110); Welterweights
Prelims
- Joe Pyfer (-300) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (+240); Middleweights
- Cub Swanson (+200) vs. Andre Fili (-250); Featherweights
- Charles Jourdain (-125) vs. Jean Silva (+105); Featherweights
- Payton Talbott (-2000) vs. Yanis Ghemmouri (+950); Bantamweights
Early Prelims
- Michelle Waterson-Gomez (+150) vs. Gillian Robertson (-185); Strawweights
- Andrei Arlovski (+200) vs. Martin Buday (-250); Heavyweights
- Rei Tsuruya (-450) vs. Carlos Hernandez (+340); Flyweights
- Ricky Simon (-225) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (+185); Bantamweights
*betting odds courtesy of BetMGM
UFC 303 start time
UFC 303 early prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET, with the prelims at 8 p.m. ET. The main card airs at 10 p.m. ET. Pereira and Prochazka should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
Upcoming UFC TV schedule
| Date | Event | Location | How to watch |
| June 29, 2024 | UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka 2 | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, USA | ESPN+ |
| July 13, 2024 | Barber vs. Namajunas | Ball Arena – Denver, Colorado | ESPN, ESPN+ |
| July 20, 2024 | TBA vs. TBA | UFC APEX, Las Vegas, USA | ESPN+ |
| July 27, 2024 | UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 | Co-op Live – Manchester, England | ESPN+ |
| August 3, 2024 | Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov | Etihad Arena – Abu Dhabi | ESPN+, ABC/FUBO |
