Expert picks and best bets: Where's the value at UFC 303 and PFL? - ESPN

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira steps up for the promotion on short notice once again as he puts his title on the line against former champ Jiří Procházka in the main event at UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night (10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV, with prelims at 8 p.m. on ESPN/ESPN+ and early prelims at 6 p.m. on ESPN/ESPN+).

Pereira, ranked No. 3 in ESPN pound-for-pound rankings, is coming off a first-round knockout win over Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC 300 in April. Five of his seven UFC wins have come by knockout. Procházka, ranked No. 2 in ESPN's divisional rankings, enters the fight following a second-round TKO win over Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 300. Both fighters stepped up to take a short-notice fight against each other at UFC 295 last November after the initial main event between heavyweight champ Jon Jones and former champ Stipe Miocic was postponed. The fight between Pereira and Procházka was booked after Conor McGregor backed out of his fight with Michael Chandler due to a broken toe.

The PFL is also in action this weekend, as the promotion hosts its final event of the 2024 PFL regular season featuring the welterweights and featherweights on Friday night (10 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with prelims at 6 p.m. on ESPN+).

In the main event, 2022 featherweight champion Brendan Loughnane looks to solidify his place in the 2024 PFL playoffs as he takes on Justin Gonzales in the main event.

Brett Okamoto spoke to UFC light heavyweight and ESPN analyst Anthony Smith to get his perspective on the UFC main event. ESPN betting experts Ian Parker and Reed Kuhn add their insight and analysis on the UFC main event and other intriguing bets they like on this weekend's fight cards.

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