Michael Bisping predicts a new champion will be crowned at UFC 303

UFC 303 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday and is headlined by a middleweight championship rematch between champion Alex Pereira and former titleholder Jiri Prochazka.  The two first fought at UFC 295 last November with Pereira finishing Prochazka in the second round via technical knockout.  

Every fight is different.  Former middleweight champion Michael Bisping doesn’t think the rematch will look anything like their first fight.  He also expects a different outcome.  

“Alex Pereira, once again defending the strap against the Czech Republic’s Jiri Prochazka.  This is a phenomenal fight and I’m telling you right now, I believe this fight will look very, very different from the first fight,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel.    

“Alex Pereira’s incredible.  What he’s achieved in the sport in such a short amount of time, beating all these champions, becoming a two weight division champion, and doing it with one skillset,” Bisping continued.  “Kickboxing, devastating punching power, knocking people out.  The way he knocked out Jamahal Hill, not to mention countless others.  The man’s unbelievable.  He’s phenomenal.  He stopped Israel Adesanya.”

“I can not wait for this fight.  I am very, very excited because, I’m telling you right now, we are going to get a different result.  We are going to get a different fight.  It will not be the same,” Bisping added.  

In their first bout, Prochazka’s undoing came when he attempted to take Pereira down along the cage.  Pereira unloaded a series of elbows and badly hurt Prochazka.  Bisping doesn’t see that happening again.  He expects Prochazka to reclaim the 205-pound championship.  

“I think the first round is going to be a feeling out process.  Alex isn’t a crazy, overly aggressive madman.  He’s calculated.  He takes his time.  He picks his shots, chips away at the calves and the rest of it.  Jiri’s the flip side.  He’s a madman,” Bisping said.  

“He’s going to go right at Alex Pereira and turn it into a barnburner straight away because that’s the only way the man fights.  He only knows one speed,” Bisping continued.  “Saturday night, when the dust settles, when it is all over, Jiri Prochazka will be the light heavyweight champion of the world.  Bet your bottom dollar.  I’m willing to put money on that, not because I underestimate Alex Pereira.  It’s because I have a lot of faith in Jiri Prochazka.”