Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff Writer February 18, 2024, 1:39 a.m. ET
ANAHEIM, Calif. – UFC 300 finally has its main event.
Alex Pereira will defend his UFC light heavyweight title in the headliner against former champion Jamahal Hill on April 13 in Las Vegas, UFC CEO Dana White announced on social media Saturday night after UFC 298.
ESPN ranked Pereira at No. 7 on its pound-for-pound list.
Pereira (9-2) is the former UFC middleweight champion and was the fastest to win two division titles in UFC history (seven fights).
Editor favorites
1 relative
The Brazilian knockout artist stopped Jiri Prochazka via TKO to win the 205-pound belt at UFC 295 in November. The 36-year-old Pereira defeated Israel Adesanya in November 2022 to win the middleweight title before regaining the belt in April Adesanya returned.
Hill (12-1, 1 NC) is out with a torn Achilles tendon. He has never lost the light heavyweight title, but was forced to give up the belt last summer due to injury. Hill, a 32-year-old Chicago native, has won four straight and beat Glover Teixeira to win the title in January 2023.
Pereira vs. Hill is the third title fight added to the card. Justin Gaethje will put his BMF belt on the line against Max Holloway and Zhang Weili will defend the UFC women's strawweight title against Yan Xiaonan.