3 Fights That Should Be Added To UFC 303

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Conor McGregor makes his long-awaited return at UFC 303, nearly three years after his gruesome leg injury against Dustin Poirier in 2021. It has been a long road back for the Irish superstar, but he will have the opportunity to return to the win column when he takes on Michael Chandler this summer. Chandler, who coached against McGregor on the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter, finally gets the matchup he has campaigned so hard for. Their awaited showdown is set for June and will take place inside the T-Mobile Arena on International Fight Week.

In the co-main event, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jamahal Hill is back in action. He squares off against Khalil Rountree Jr. in a crucial bout at 205 pounds. Though several fights have already been announced, the card is still lacking both fun and big matchups. Are there additional fights that can help bring more buzz to an already pivotal night for the company?

Below are three fights the UFC needs to add to UFC 303:

A 5-Round Welterweight Co-Main Event: Colby Covington (4) vs. Ian Machado Garry (7)

Imagine an International Fight Week main and co-main event that features Ireland vs. America? This one is a no-brainer and is rumored to be in the works for UFC 303 anyway. If I were the UFC, I would turn the press conference into a PPV. Conor McGregor and Ian Machado Garry hurling back insults to Michael Chandler’s motivational wisdom and Colby Covington’s low blows? Sign us up!

This could be Garry’s chance at winning fans back by silencing Covington, the man responsible for the lowest form of trash talk in MMA history. On the other side, Covington can remind the world how good he is by derailing the undefeated hype train. A win will surely catapult either back into the title picture.

Stylistically, this is a striker vs. grappler matchup between two guys with excellent cardio. It will be interesting to see if Covington can get Garry to the ground, as he has 100% takedown defense in the UFC. For someone with stellar footwork, fans will learn if Ian can continue to pick apart his opponents by using his range from circling out. This fight could go the distance, but it will be a matchup of tactical fighters and vicious trash-talkers that could draw viewers.

Assuming Belal Muhammad finally gets his well-deserved title shot at UFC 304 in Manchester, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Jack Della Maddalena, and the winner of this potential fight will be next in line for gold. The stakes could not be higher…

A Lightweight Banger: Bobby Green (15) vs. Dan Hooker (11)

This fight is definitely on the list of saddest cancellations in 2023. Who wouldn’t want to see a rebooking of some of the toughest human beings on planet earth? Bobby Green once again proved he can deliver nonstop volume in his massacre of the great Jim Miller at UFC 300. On the other hand, Dan Hooker is one of the rangiest lightweights and comes firing with devastating kicks.

Green’s hands and Hooker’s knees for 15 minutes? Yes please. This could very well be a Fight of the Year candidate.

Featherweight Fireworks: Josh Emmett (7) vs. Diego Lopes (14)

Diego Lopes’ quick knockout of the credited Sodiq Yusuff at UFC 300 proved he belongs in the rankings. With three straight first-round finishes, he deserves a chance to enter the top of the division with a full training camp. Josh Emmett is the perfect test to see whether the UFC’s most beloved prospect can hang with the best.

A true champion fights with logic, which is how to beat Emmett. Lopes will have to avoid banging with him in order to avoid his thunderous one-punch knockout power. Can Lopes prove how good his defense and counter striking are? Perhaps he even mixes in his elite jiu-jitsu to tame the hardest hitter in the division… Or can Emmett send another prospect to the shadow realm and make a case for a second title shot? This fight would be a perfect main card opener.

What other fights should be added to UFC 303? Let us know in the comments below.

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About Post Author

Anik Subramanian

Anik Subramanian is a United States based journalist who fell in love with mixed martial arts when it was the first sport to return during the pandemic. He also sheds light on the warriors who enter the BKFC’s squared circle. You may know Anik as a journalist for FightBook MMA. Follow his X & Instagram accounts linked below.

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