The lead-up to UFC 303 was anything but typical. Superstars were bowing out due to injury and illness. New fights were booked on the fly, just weeks out -- or even the day of the event. Through it all, the promotion delivered, as the event provided memorable finishes and dramatic moments, as well as some questionable contests and bizarre outcomes.
So, which fights were the best of the night? Which ones left us wanting for more?
After each MMA pay-per-view, we break down and assess the quality of each matchup and the fight card as a whole based on skill displayed, competitiveness and what is at stake. A bout that earns an A or higher could be considered one of the year's best fights, such as Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. Fights that earn a D-minus or lower will be fights that could be considered the worst matchups of the year. Think Rose Namajunas vs. Carla Esparza at UFC 274 or Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis at UFC 226.
Here are the grades for all 13 fights on the card -- including one definitive A and a few fights that failed to pass the grade.
Alex Pereira def. Jiří Procházka via second-round TKO
Grade: A
A high-octane match between two of the sport's most intimidating and violent strikers ends with a vicious head kick that cements the legacy of one of the most fascinating rises in MMA history? That's about as good as it gets, and Pereira didn't need magic to pull it off.
The highly anticipated rematch between the former champion (Procházka) and the current champion (Pereira) left little doubt there would be fireworks. It was about as good of a replacement fight that could be made when Conor McGregor had to pull out of the initial main event vs. Michael Chandler. Nobody was upset when the fight was announced and few could be upset with how it ended.
And it wasn't one-sided, either. Procházka made an excellent account for himself early on, landing several hooks and using his awkward movement to keep Pereira from timing him. But it didn't last long, as Poatan's trademark left hook found its mark at the end of the first round and sent Procházka crashing to the canvas. After a strong finish to close out Round 1, Pereira picked up where he left off, opening the second round with a head kick that sent Procházka to the mat again.
Pereira is in another stratosphere right now, as every performance allows his legend to grow.