Jake Paul and Sean O’Malley are ready to step and save UFC 303.
Emanating from T-Mobile Arena on June 29, the International Fight Week finale was expected to be headlined by the long-awaited return of former two-division titleholder Conor McGregor. It’s been nearly three years since we’ve seen the Irishman step inside the Octagon, but after all the rumors and reports, it really started to look like the wait was almost over.
Unfortunately, McGregor’s quote-unquote “greatest comeback in combat sports history” against former Bellator champion Michael Chandler is in some serious jeopardy with the UFC reportedly sending out “feelers” to various fighters hoping to find either a replacement for McGregor or a brand new fight altogether.
Well as it turns out, they won’t have to look very far.
After exchanging words on social media, ‘The Problem Child’ and reigning bantamweight world champion ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley went face-to-face, giving fans a little taste of the UFC vs. PFL clash they hope to bring to ‘Sin City’ later this month.
Dana White is more likely to jump off the Cosmopolitan than allow this fight to happen inside the Octagon, but you’ve got to appreciate the marketing tactic here. Two of the biggest names in combat sports today coming together. Paul pushing his new personal care brand.
Not to mention the inclusion of Rubi Rose, a popular American rapper and songwriter with more than 5.3 million followers on Instagram.
Jake Paul vs. Sean O’Malley may not be enough to save the UFC’s disastrous month
It’s been a rough month for Dana White and Co. Not only are they on the verge of losing one of the biggest tickets of the year, but their high-stakes headliner between Khamzat Chimaev and Robert Whittaker on June 22 has reportedly fallen through with ‘Borz’ suffering an undisclosed medical emergency.
Adding insult to injury, the UFC 303 co-main event is now in need of replacing. Former light heavyweight titleholder Jamahal Hill was originally expected to square off with Khalil Rountree Jr., but ‘The War Horse’ was forced to bow out after being flagged for a banned substance.
Carlos Ulberg agreed to step in and take Rountree’s spot, but it now sounds like the fight needs yet another replacement.
“In addition to working on a new main for 303, I’m told UFC is also looking at a new co-main for that card,” Ariel Helwani revealed on X. “The current co-main – Hill x Ulberg – might need a replacement now too, and if so it could get bumped down. One new fight that has been discussed – not for the main – is Brian Ortega x Diego Lopes.”