Pereira to defend title vs. Hill in UFC 300 main event

At long last, UFC 300 has a main event.

Alex Pereira will defend his light heavyweight title against former champion Jamahal Hill in the landmark headliner April 13 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, UFC CEO Dana White announced Saturday.

Pereira is making his first defense after capturing the vacant title with a second-round knockout of Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 last November at New York's Madison Square Garden. Hill relinquished the belt last July after suffering a torn Achilles tendon. Pereira, a former middleweight champ, became just the ninth fighter to claim UFC titles in two weight classes with the victory.

Pereira moved up to 205 pounds last summer following a knockout loss to Israel Adesanya in his first 185-pound title defense. The Brazilian defeated former light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz by split decision in his debut at UFC 291 to earn a title shot.

Hill dominated ex-champ Glover Teixeira by unanimous decision in January 2023 to win the vacant light heavyweight title. "Sweet Dreams" didn't defend it. He's riding a four-fight winning streak and is 6-1 (1 NC) in the promotion.

UFC 300 is shaping up to be one of the biggest events in the promotion's history, with a loaded main card and preliminary card already announced. The tentpole show will also feature a strawweight title fight between champion Zhang Weili and Yan Xiaonan, as well as a BMF title bout between former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje and ex-featherweight king Max Holloway.

With the addition of Pereira and Hill, a record 11 current or former UFC champions are scheduled to compete at the event.