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The last few hours in the MMA world have taken everyone by storm – except one man. Former FOX employee Ariel Helwani, much before any official announcements, revealed the true nature of the Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler saga for UFC 303. On his show, TheMMAHour, Helwani made a series of revelations which suggested that Dana White and his promotion were scrambling to put together a replacement fight to headline the main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. All the while, fans and even analysts believed that the Conor fight would actually take place, and that the suspense around it was purely a promotion ploy by Dana, Conor or both.
However, it seems that this Conor McGregor return saga is finally over. Despite being promised a card led by the biggest superstar in combat sports after a three-year layoff, we now know that the fight is indeed cancelled. White, on his social media accounts, announced the replacement to the most anticipated fight of the year with another blockbuster. Fans have received this change positively, despite the potential impact of a McGregor-less card. So much so, that even Helwani himself seems to have switched his focus to the superstars in the new main event.
Helwani fawns over Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler’s UFC 303 replacements
White recently announced the blockbuster duo replacing McGregor and Chandler at UFC 303. Meeting in a mammoth rematch at light heavyweight is reigning champion Alex Pereira and former champion Jiri Prochazka.
On his X (formerly Twitter) account, Dana White announced:
Pereira and Prochazka have reached a somewhat cult status in the UFC. Both, of course, are supremely talented martial artists with impressive resumes. Prochazka boasts 30 pro MMA wins while Alex Pereira has been a champion in two divisions of the UFC since making his promotional debut in 2021, a mere three years ago.
The Brazilian also boasts an impressive kickboxing record (33-7) and is a legend in those circles. So, it’s no surprise that people, including Ariel Helwani, are fawning over the two titans of the sport.
In a post on his social media account, Helwani had this to say about Poatan and Jiri:
“These two are so pure. So lovable yet can be so terrifying. Unflappable meets unflappable. Again.”
Ariel Helwani on X (formerly Twitter)
The video accompanying the tweet comes from the staredown moments before the two previously faced each other at UFC 295. The event boasted one of the most electrifying moments of all time, coupled with the most scenic backdrop in all of sports, Madison Square Garden. It’s certain that Helwani and fans of MMA will hope that their UFC 303 rematch can live up to the hype and overall package that the two produced at UFC 295.
Is UFC 303 better with Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka instead of McGregor?
The last time Alex and Jiri fought, there were fireworks in the octagon. UFC 295 was nothing short of electrifying, as Madison Square Garden buzzed with palpable anticipation. Pereira, known for his striking power and precision, squared off against Prochazka, a wild and unpredictable force in the octagon.
From the opening bell, the fight lived up to every ounce of hype, with Pereira’s surgical strikes clashing against Prochazka’s relentless aggression. The fight ultimately ended in dramatic fashion with Pereira securing a knockout victory in the third round. After two intense rounds of back-and-forth action, Pereira found his moment, landing a devastating left hook that sent Prochazka crashing to the canvas.
Check the absolute barnburner out below:
Despite everything going for it, however, it’s still safe to say that Conor McGregor might be a bigger draw alone than the both of them put together. After all, there’s a reason the Irishman holds multiple spots in the top 10 combat sport gates of all time. With his pre-fight promotion, clairvoyant predictions, flamboyant personality and the skills to back it all up, Mystic Mac is the ultimate combat sports athlete, and quite possibly the most popular, revolutionary and historic the sport has ever seen.
There’s an argument to be made that Alex and Jiri will fight at a much higher level than Conor McGregor after a three-year layoff can. There’s also a case for those claiming that the rivalry between Pereira and Prochazka is more organic than that of McGregor and Chandler, which often felt forced. However, from a purely emotional point of view, a Conor McGregor card is a Conor McGregor card – absolutely unmissable.
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