UFC 300 will be headlined by Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill on April 13, with UFC CEO Dana White stating the decision came down to timing and opportunity, despite welterweight champion Leon Edwards being a frontrunner to headline the event.
UFC 300’s main event is set. The surprise? Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill. Not the match-up many saw coming for the historic April 13 card.
Dana White, UFC CEO, dropped the bombshell post-UFC 298. Rumors had been swirling. Pereira defending his light heavyweight title at UFC 301 in Brazil? Nope.
Instead, Pereira’s headlining UFC 300. Hill’s back in action too. His first time since a torn Achilles in 2023 forced him to drop the light heavyweight title.
White explained the main event choice. Pereira vs. Hill? It’s about timing, opportunity. The UFC had been exploring options. Leon Edwards, the welterweight champ, was a potential headliner. He was game for any opponent, but it didn’t pan out.
“We were talking to lots of people, trying to make lots of fights,” White said. “In this business, it’s about taking opportunities. Headlining UFC 300 with all the buzz, all the energy.”
Leon Edwards? The guy’s a stud. Three potential opponents during UFC 300 talks. He said yes to all. But he’s not on the card. White’s got plans for one more UFC 300 fight, but it won’t be Edwards defending his title.
Edwards’ attitude impresses White. “This guy doesn’t care – he’ll fight anybody,” he said. “He’s ready to fight anybody. I love it and respect it very much.”
Booking the UFC 300 main event wasn’t without hurdles. But it wasn’t about outrageous demands for money or perks. It was about timing. Three pay-per-view cards in a row, UFC 298, 299, and 300, left the cupboard nearly bare. Luckily, Pereira and Hill were ready to rumble.
“This was not about money,” White said. “It was all about timing. We’ve got three killer cards in a row and in this business you have injuries and all kinds of other bulls*** that goes on behind the scenes. We were just trying to make the best fights that we could possibly make.”
Pereira’s rise has been meteoric. Less than three years in the UFC, four MMA fights under his belt, and now he’s headlining one of the biggest cards in UFC history. He’s defending his second divisional title after winning middleweight gold.
“[Alex Pereira with] how fast he did it, in such a short amount of time, two different weight classes,” White said. “A guy coming from basically one style and being able to accomplish what he’s accomplished here, obviously it was impressive when [Israel Adesanya] did it and now this guy did it even faster and in two different weight classes.”
Hill’s back after winning the light heavyweight title in January 2023. He defeated Pereira’s head coach and mentor, Glover Teixeira. Then came the torn Achilles. He had to give up his belt. But White’s confident “Sweet Dreams” will be ready for UFC 300.
“I’m friends with Kelsey Plum from the WNBA, she had the same injury [as Jamahal Hill],” White said. “She came back, and won MVP, and won a National Title. He’s been going to the [Performance Institute]. She recovered from that injury at the PI. So hopefully he’s good.”