UFC 303 just can’t catch a break.
Earlier this month, the event—scheduled to emanate from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on June 29—took a massive blow when its highly anticipated headliner between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler was canceled after ‘Mystic Mac’ was forced out due to an undisclosed injury.
Around that same time, former middleweight champion Jamahal Hill also exited the card due to a knee injury, leaving Carlos Ulberg without an opponent. UFC CEO Dana White later announced that Anthony ‘Lionheart’ Smith would step in to fight Hill. Well, it now looks like that fight is no longer on the docket.
According to a report from Benny P on X, Ulberg is now out of UFC 303.
https://x.com/Bendaman2001/status/1804044203095396471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1804044203095396471%7Ctwgr%5E167e447c03c90e07ca9642b6c72ef6d1a69458f2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmiddleeasy.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost-new.php
Smith will remain on the card with No. 10 ranked middleweight contender Roman Dolidze stepping in on short notice to replace Ulberg.
https://x.com/ufc/status/1804202084902015102
Originally, Jamahal Hill was scheduled to fight Khalil Rountree in the evening’s co-main event, but Ulberg was called in to replace Rountree after ‘The War Horse’ was pulled from the bout due to a positive drug test. Now, all three are officially off the card leaving us with Anthony Smith vs. Roman Dolidze.
UFC 303 Books Light Heavyweight Championship Rematch Following Conor McGregor’s Exit
After McGregor vs. Chandler fell through, the UFC slapped together a light heavyweight title rematch pitting reigning champion Alex Pereira against ex-titleholder Jiri Prochazka. That fight will serve as a sequel to their November 2023 showdown that saw ‘Poatan’ score a second-round KO over ‘BJP’ to take the vacant 205-pound crown.
Since then, both fighters have earned highlight-reel knockouts. Pereira dispatched turned Jamahal Hill into a meme following a brutal first-round KO at UFC 300 in April. Hours before, Prochazka landed an epic come-from-behind knockout against Aleksandar Rakic during the event’s featured prelim.
Throughout their mixed martial arts careers, Pereira and Prochazka have combined for 34 total knockouts.
