Cursed UFC 303 card gets a last-second blow, Jiri Prochazka hints at quitting, Dana White gets honest about Ryan Garcia: MMA News Roundup
UFC 303, despite hitting a dozen different hurdles, successfully went down on Saturday, June 29, at T-Mobile Arena, but not without some last-minute hiccups. After the event, Dana White made some interesting comments about Ryan Garcia.
Catch up with the latest combat sports updates with Sportskeeda MMA's News Roundup.
Brian Ortega out, Dan Ige in at UFC 303
While the preliminary card was going down at UFC 303, the commentators announced that Brian Ortega was forced out of the card due to illness and a 103-degree fever. In his stead, Dan Ige stepped in on zero notice and took on Diego Lopes in the co-main event of the card in a catchweight (165 pounds) fight.
Ortega had trouble cutting down to featherweight, which is why the fight was bumped up to 155 pounds. Lopes, who accepted two major changes in the fight within 24 hours and still won, stated during the post-fight press conference that he bore 'T-City' no ill will and wished him a quick recovery
Take a look at Dana White's immediate reaction to the swap here.
Jiri Prochazka issues statement after loss to Alex Pereira
Jiri Prochazka was knocked out cold by Alex Pereira at UFC 303. The two locked horns in a title rematch, replacing the much-anticipated matchup of Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler after the former's toe injury.
Ahead of the fight, Prochazka accused Pereira of using spiritual forces to win fights. However, it was the Brazilian's power and precision, along with a well-timed discovery of a hole in Prochazka's gameplan, that sealed the deal in his favor on the night of the fight.
Prochazka was seen visibly shuddering after the vicious head kick knockout as Herb Dean and other officials struggled to keep him standing.
After the fight, Prochazka released a statement in which he said that he would either improve himself or never fight again:
"Thank you for all your support. Thanks to you, Alex, for the fight. You [were] better. Only one thing goes [on] in mind - I need to evolve to the next level or don't fight again. So it's simple. To be the strongest, this is the way."
Dana White weighs in on Ryan Garcia
Dana White shared what he thought of Ryan Garcia's positive drug test and subsequent suspension at the UFC 303 press conference. The UFC CEO stated that while he has "no skin in the game", he and his anti-doping team are pretty confident that Garcia accidentally took a tainted supplement and it was not an intentional act of deception.
"None of that is any of my business... But with all of [the] knowledge that we have in the years that we've been drug testing, the people who handle the drug testing believe that he took a tainted supplement - and that he did not cheat. If he had the right people around him, that wouldn't have happened."
Responding to White, Garcia wrote on X:
"Thank you Dana 🙏 Truth speaker"
Garcia is currently suspended for a year, with his win over Devin Haney overturned to No Contest after he tested positive for ostarine.