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- What: UFC 303
- Who: Anthony Smith vs. Roman Dolidze
- Date: Saturday, June 29, 2024
- Location: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Time: Early Prelims (6:00 p.m. ET), Prelims (8:00 p.m. ET), Pay-Per-View Card (10:00 p.m. ET)
- How to Watch: Early Prelims (ESPN+) Prelims (ESPN), Main Card (ESPN+ PPV)
With the injury to Conor McGregor, UFC 303 has a new main event, a rematch between UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and former titleholder Jiri Prochazka now headlines the June 29 fight card that takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. An injury to Jamahal Hill and a drug test failure from Khalil Rountree resulted in the event losing its co-main event as well. The new UFC 303 co-headlining contest sees former UFC featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega against Diego Lopes. Also on the main card is a short-notice light heavyweight bout between former UFC title challenger Anthony Smith and Roman Dolidze. Here is background on Smith and Dolidze before we discuss the betting breakdown for UFC 303.
Anthony Smith (38-19) is the No. 10 in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings. Smith is coming off an upset win over Vitor Petrino in May. Smith was initially the replacement for Jamahal Hill on this card, where he was set to face Carlos Ulberg, who pulled out of the event with an injury.
Roman Dolidze (12-3) has spent most of his UFC career at middleweight, where he is ranked at No. 10 in the UFC. However, Dolidze, who fought at 205 pounds as recently as 2020. Dolidze is on a two-fight losing skid.
Before we look at the best bets for Anthony Smith vs. Roman Dolidze on the UFC 303 PPV card, check out the best UFC betting sites and the best bets for UFC 303’s main event.
UFC 303: Anthony Smith vs. Roman Dolidze betting picks
| Fighters |  |  |  |  |
| Roman Dolidze | -151 | -145 | -150 | -155 |
| Anthony Smith | +131 | +120 | +120 | +121 |
Anthony Smith betting breakdown
Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger, Anthony Smith is a well-rounded fighter who excels on the mat. However, he has struggled as of late with leg kicks, something he addressed after a 2023 loss to Johnny Walker, “There is a glaring hole in my game, and it’s no longer a hole. It’s the leg kicks become a liability at this point. It’s not even a hole in my game anymore, it’s a liability.” That could be an issue for Smith against Dolidze who threw, and landed, a fair number of leg in his recent five-round decision loss to Nassourdine Imavov.
Smith’s biggest advantage in this fight is that he’s been fighting professionally since 2008. He had 39 pro bouts to his name by the time Dolidze made his professional debut. Grizzled veteran would be an apt description for Smith. He will be ready for everything Dolidze throws his way.
Smith is tough and resilient. He has good technical skills, and can mix up his techniques as needed. The big worry about Smith is if time has caught up with his chin. After all, Khalil Rountree knocked him out in December 2023. Smith is also a good game planner, but he hasn’t had a lot of time to prepare for this fight, which could hurt him.
Roman Dolidze betting breakdown
Roman Dolidze is a pressure fighter. The 35-year-old moves forward and throws the majority of his punches with full power. That approach sapped his energy against Vettori and left him flat-footed but still pushing ahead, when the final horn sounded in that battle. Dolidze targets the head often, primarily via powerful hooks. His heavy-handed style has led to seven career knockout wins, but it also opens him up to counters from opponents with fast hands, as his hooks provide time and space. Dolidze also fights with a low guard, which can be dangerous against an adversary with good timing and quick strikes.
Dolidze is the kind of fighter who can get his foe to fight his type of fight, which is a slugfest. He plays to his opponent’s ego to get him to engage in that type of war, as Dolidze fights with power in mind and not technical skills.
Like Smith, Dolidze is good on the mat, but he doesn’t go there often, unless that is where his opponent wants to be. Don’t expect Smith to risk a grappling game against Dolidze.
Dolidze has never been stopped in his career, and he is confident in his chin. Dolidze has had issues with cardio, and that could be a concern in this short-notice scrap, but the lack of a weight cut lessens those worries.
Best Bets: UFC 303 – Anthony Smith vs. Roman Dolidze
Anthony Smith seemed to gain new life after his May win over Vitor Petrino. However, don’t let that victory influence you when wagering on his matchup against Roman Dolidze because Dolidze is a better fighter than Petrino. The betting pick is for Dolidze to end his losing skid and beat Anthony Smith via decision at UFC 303.
See below a list of reliable sportsbooks and choose the best one for you.
