UFC 303 co-main event chaos CHANGES hours before fight due to illness as Dan Ige steps in to replace Brian Ortega

The seemingly cursed UFC 303 card underwent yet another major change – midway through the event.

The International Fight Week card was initially supposed to be headlined by the long-awaited return of superstar Conor McGregor.

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But The Notorious was forced to pull out of his return clash with Michael Chandler due to injury.

The card’s initial co-main event between Khalil Rountree Jr and Jamahal Hill also fell through, as did rescheduled fights between Carlos Ulberg and Hill and Ulberg and Anthony Smith.

A featherweight clash – which was upgraded to lightweight on Friday – between fan favorites Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes.

But that fight just failed HOURS before it happens.

Ortega was forced to withdraw from the competition due to illness.

And businessman Dan Ige replaced the former title challenger after learning of Ortega’s illness a few hours ago.

Ige was relaxing when UFC big man Hunter Campbell reached out to him to see if he would be willing to step in and accept the catchweight fight, which will be contested in the 165-pound division.

He didn’t hesitate, texting the promotion’s matchmaker extraordinaire: “Hey Hunter, I’ve been at camp for three months.

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“I’m healthier than I’ve ever been, I can fight this guy tonight and beat him.

“This is what legends are made of. I’m in, I’m ready. I’m in great shape.

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“Please don’t take this opportunity away from me.”

MMA fans couldn’t believe Ige’s willingness to step into the fire in such a short amount of time.

One wrote on the X: “BMF”.

Another said: “Fucking shit.”

And another said: “BMF activities.”

One commented: “IDK whose balls are bigger between the two of them but they might not fit in the Octagon.

“Lopes trained for a different fighter and weighed 146 pounds two days ago.

“And Ige…he was at home doing what I’m doing.”

Another chimed in: “Holy shit.”

One Ige fan said: “Ige has gained a lot of respect in recent years. Gangster.”

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