RUMOR: Could there be a double retirement at UFC 303?

UFC 303 is all set to take place on June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight card will take place during International Fight Week and will be headlined by a light heavyweight title clash between Jiri Prochazka and champion Alex Pereira.

The bout will be a rematch as their first encounter took place at UFC 295 in November last year. That night, 'Poatan' proved himself to be the better fighter as he scored a second-round TKO victory against Prochazka.

Now as UFC 303 is just around the corner, there is a possibility that MMA fans might witness some fighters compete for the last time that night.

MMA journalist Alex Behunin from MMA Mania recently uploaded a post on X, speculating that UFC veterans Cub Swanson and Andrei Arlovski might announce their retirement from the sport after UFC 303.

One reason behind Behunin's statement is the fact that both fighters will be competing in front of a large crowd after a long period.

Swanson's last fight in front of a large crowd took place in October 2019 when he defeated Kron Gracie via unanimous decision. The bout was awarded the 'Fight of the Night' honors and both fighters took home an additional sum of $50,000 each.

40-year-old Swanson has been a part of the UFC since November 2011 and has competed in 23 fights in the promotion. So, it would seem like an ideal scenario for the veteran to part ways with the sport in front of a crowd.

However, 'Killer' has been doing well recently and has won four out of his last six outings. So, a possible victory at UFC 303 might make the 40-year-old want to continue fighting.

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Exploring the possibility of Andrei Arlovski's retirement after UFC 303

Similar to Cub Swanson, Andrei Arlovski has not competed in front of a large crowd for several years. His last outing in front of an audience was at UFC 271 in February 2022. He scored a split decision victory against Jared Vanderaa that night.

Additionally, Arlovski is 45 years old and is currently on a three-fight losing skid. So, a combination of all these factors might possibly result in 'The Pitbull' hanging his gloves after UFC 303.

But one thing to note is that in his career, Arlovski has suffered bigger losing streaks and has managed to bounce back into the win column. So, it would not be out of the realm of possibility if the UFC veteran continues to compete after June 29.