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

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 11: Alex Pereira of Brazil recieves the light heavyweight belt after defeating Jiri Prochazka of the Czech Republic by TKO in the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 295 event at Madison Square Garden on November 11, 2023 in New York City.
Chris Unger / UFC / Getty

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.

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