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

THE seemingly cursed UFC 303 card has undergone 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 comeback 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 the rescheduled fights between Carlos Ulberg and Hill and Ulberg and Anthony Smith.

A featherweight showdown - which was bumped up to lightweight on Friday - between fan favourites Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes was on the cards.

But that fight fell through just HOURS before it was due to take place.

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

And company man Dan Ige stepped in to replace the former title challenger after learning of Ortega's illness a few hours ago.

Ige was relaxing when UFC bigwig Hunter Campbell reached out to him to see if he'd be willing to step in and accept the catchweight fight, which will contested at 165lbs.

He didn't hesitate, texting the promotion's matchmaker extraordinaire: "Hey Hunter, I've been in camp for three months.

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"I'm the healthiest I've ever been, I can be fight this guy tonight and beat hm.

"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 the opportunity away from me."

MMA fans couldn't quite believe Ige's willingness to wade into the fire on such short notice.

One wrote on X: "BMF."

Another said: "Badass s**t."

And another said: "BMF activities."

One remarked: "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 146lbs two days ago.

"And Ige…was he just at home doing what I’m doing."

Another chimed in: "Holy s**t."

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One Ige fan said: "Ige has earned so much respect these last few years. Gangster."

Despite a brave attempt, he lost the fight.

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