UFC 303 Pereira vs Prochazka 2 Prediction and Betting Tips: 23/1 treble for Las Vegas main card

Despite a rescheduled main event which no longer involves the 'Notorious' Conor McGregor, UFC 303 promises to deliver plenty of entertainment, headlined by the rematch between light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and former title holder Jiri Prochazka.

A broken toe is the reason for Conor McGregor's delayed return to the Octagon, beckoning the question of whether the UFC's first two-weight champion will ever fight again in the sport.

Despite two other cancelled bouts on the main card, fans are still being treated to a competitive five-fight PPV schedule, consisting of Alex Pereira, Jiri Prochazka, Brian Ortega, Diego Lopes, Anthony Smith, Roman Dolidze, Ian Machado Garry and Michael Venom Page.

Opening up the main card are welterweight strikers Ian Garry and Michael Page. These two share a similar style, using length to keep their distance and utilising unorthodox kicks to disrupt any rhythm that their opponents may be gathering.

This could result in a lacklustre contest, but is likely to suggest a more predictable end over by the judges table for one of the two. Irishman Garry has no qualms about snoozing his way to a victory, whereas MVP will want to put on another show following his exciting arrival into the UFC at 37 against Kevin Holland.

Garry does have the escape clause of grappling or wrestling his way out of trouble, which would be uncomfortable territory for the underdog, however, as Michael Page proved during his long and fruitful Bellator career, his sporadic movement and crafty striking can produce some devastating results.

It's No.3 vs No.14 in this short notice, featherweight co-main event in Las Vegas. Both fighters enter off the back of stoppage wins, fighting as recently as February and April respectively.

The hype surrounding Diego Lopes remains entirely justified, impressing in four UFC fights with his strong cardio, submission abilities and confident striking, including in that opening defeat to Movsar Evloev.

Brian Ortega's strengths reside in his grappling and wrestling game, but Lopes has evidenced that he will be able to hang with the 33-year-old on the ground, winning scrambles to get this fight back on the feet where he'll hold the advantage.

Although the Brazilian is the younger and hungrier fighter, his opponent is an incredibly durable fighter who can take a lot of punishment and keep moving forwards, making it likely that the betting favourite will have to pace himself and avoid chasing the stoppage.

You'd have to be a fool to bet against the devastating Alex Pereira, even when the formidable Jiri Prochazka is the person standing on the opposite side of the Octagon from him.

As we saw two fights ago, Pereira knocked out Jiri to claim vacant gold at 205lbs, and it's difficult to envisage any other result than a repeat of that outcome this weekend.

The Czechian's wild style leaves him open to being hit, which is a less than ideal weakness to carry against someone with serious one-punch power like Poatan.

Pereira managed the distance well in the pair's first meeting, preventing Jiri from being able to engage. When he was eventually able to close the gap, Jiri had his lights switched off.

There is a path to victory for Prochazka to beat the champ, however, it's just not in Jiri's DNA to jab at distance and use his speed advantages to squeak out a decision win. He's coming to brawl, and that, in our opinion, only ends one way for him.