The time has finally come for the headlining bout at UFC 303 as the Main Card reaches a fever pitch. We'll see a rematch of two titans as the Light Heavyweight (205) Championship will be on the line. Champion Alex “Poatan” Pereira will take on No. 1 contender and former champion Jiri Prochazka. Check out our UFC odds series for our Pereira-Prochazka prediction and pick.

Alex Pereira (10-2) has gone 7-1 during his already historic UFC run and after capturing and defending his most recent Light Heavyweight strap, it's safe to say he could be the greatest combat sports athlete ever. After beating Prochazka at UFC 295 in Madison Square Garden, he'll look for the same result here in Vegas. Pereira stands 6'4″ with a 79-inch reach.

Jiri Prochazka (30-4-1) has gone 4-1 in the UFC since 2020. A former champion, he returned from injury to recapture his belt against Alex Pereira. After falling short, Prochazka turned in a picture-perfect finish over contender Aleksandar Rakic and effectively established himself as the only contender remaining. The challenger stands 6'3″ with an 80-inch reach.

Here are the UFC 303 Odds, courtesy of BetOnline. 

UFC 303 Odds: Alex Pereira-Jiri Prochazka Odds

Alex Pereira: -141

Jiri Prochazka: +121

Over 1.5 rounds: -175

Under 1.5 rounds: +145

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Why Alex Pereira Will Win

Alex Pereira continues to etch his name in the history books and if he's able to defend the Light Heavyweight Championship once again, you have to start wondering whether he entertains the thought of moving to Heavyweight and having a similar run. His style continues to be a problem for everyone he faces and everyone feels his other-worldly power when he lands clean. His frame is also intimidating at any weight class and he's one of the few fighters that looks more imposing than Prochazka. Having won this first fight already, “Poatan” will have all the confidence behind his energetic training camp to get the job done once again.

Alex Pereira did a great job limiting the movement of Prochazka during their first meeting. Pereira was able to walk him down and force him to make decisions on his heels. His leg kicks will continue to be a huge focal point as he tries to disrupt the movement of Prochazka around the cage. His opponent works best in space where he can pick his shots, but Pereira does a great job of crowding his opponent and forcing them into split-second decisions. If he approaches this fight the same way and remains sharp with his boxing, we could see Pereira walk away with another TKO win.

Why Jiri Prochazka Will Win

Jiri Prochazka was very open about the stoppage during his last meeting against Pereira and he's clear that he may have been doing too many unnecessary tactics in the cage. This time around, we can expect to see Prochazka fight with more conviction and take some chances in the striking. He's now aware that he needs to be first in the exchanges and that pressuring Pereira in return will only work in his favor. Of course, his defense will have to be perfect in discouraging Pereira from opening up his striking. However, it's Prochazka's movement that will be the most important aspect in baiting Pereira and capitalizing on his counter shots.

Jiri Prochazka has all the power to finish this fight on the feet and although he doesn't get hit much, Alex Pereira has weathered some of the toughest wars imaginable. If Prochazka can stay composed and be the more fluid fighter, he could find a creative way to break through the stonewall defense of Pereira. Still, he'll have to be perfect in keeping his hands up and countering the exaggerated shots from his opponent.

Final Alex Pereira-Jiri Prochazka Prediction & Pick

This fight is going to be another massive one and with the total set where it is, oddsmakers are expecting this fight to end in a hurry. Both men possess fight-ending power and it's only a matter of time before one of them lands clean and walks away the champ.

Jiri Prochazka looked phenomenal in his most recent win and we saw glimpses of his old self following the injury. If he can calculate the perfect storm and throw Pereira off his steady rhythm, he could have a chance at stunning him and capturing the belt.

However, Alex Pereira seems to be a problem for Prochazka in the way he imposes his presence in the striking. While Prochazka can duck-and-dive his way out of a few shots, it's only a matter of time before Pereira lands the knockout blow and ends the fight.

For our prediction, we have to roll with the Champion Alex Pereira to retain his belt and win this fight. However, I expect a knockout to come in the later rounds as we see Jiri Prochazka greatly improve his approach to fighting on the feet with Pereira. Let's take “Poatan” and the over.

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Final Alex Pereira-Jiri Prochazka Prediction & Pick: Alex Pereira (-141); OVER 1.5 Rounds (-175)