“Not second or third…” Alex Pereira gives HONEST opinion on position of Jamahal Hill among best light heavyweights in UFC
Jamahal Hill isn’t the second — or even third-best — 205lber in UFC according to champion Alex Pereira.
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Where does 'Poatan' rank Jamahal Hill in the division? (Source: cbssports.com/IMAGO)
Alex Pereira’s maiden defense of his UFC light heavyweight title gold comes at UFC 300. He will face ex-champion Jamahal Hill in the historic card. CEO Dana White announced it recently at the UFC 298 post-fight presser. The headline bout had fans sulking as they expected a more high-profile bout. Recently, Pereira talked about the quality of Jamahal Hill as an opponent.
As per official Athlete ranking listings, Hill is the current #1 light heavyweight. The question comes in light of his vacating the title after incurring a ruptured Achilles tendon. Speaking with The MMA Hour‘s Ariel Helwani, here is what Pereira said through a translator:
He’s not in second...I don’t know which position I’d put him...but at least fourth. … If I were to move up to light heavyweight today and had to make my debut and there’s Jamahal Hill, Jan Blachowicz, and Jiri Prochazka, and I had to choose the best fight for me out of those three, I’d choose Jamahal...Alex Pereira via MMA Hour
Hill suffered the injury during a basketball game during UFC 290 fight week in Las Vegas. So, in all technicality, he never lost out on his gold. Pereira expressed Hill as the best fight for him currently. He has already conquered the other options – Jan Blachowicz (UFC 291) and Jiri Prochazka (UFC 295).
2-0 since departing the middleweight class, he is now a 2-division UFC and GLORY champ. He also indicated signing a new 8-fight contract before UFC 300 and his maiden defense bumping down from UFC 301. Additionally, there’s one more name that pops into his head, other than Hill.
Alex Pereira names one particular fighter he’d like to face after title defense
Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira will defend his title gold at UFC’s tricentennial show and the most historic fight card. He faces Jamahal Hill on April 13 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (pay-per-view, ESPN). Speaking on The MMA Hour, he deliberated on his title fight.
Pereira confirmed that he had a verbal agreement to readily headline UFC 301 on May 4 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, the matter was brought down a card earlier. He still prompted his resolve for a quick 21-day turnaround to headline the Brazil card. And he has a name in mind – Magomed Ankalaev.
On facing Ankalaev, this is what he said:
[On fighting] Ankalaev would be good because many people talk... Sometimes we want to prove a little bit, not to the fans, but to specialists that say this is a [tough] fight... People don’t know the way I train. We know that a fight is a fight, but it would be nice to be able to prove to these people that I’m good on the ground as well...Alex Pereira via MMA Hour
Ankalaev himself strongly believed that an Alex Pereira-shaped title fight would be in store for him after his knockout victory at UFC Vegas 84. The two have had some slights passed at each other, hinting at such a notion. However, it remains to be seen if Pereira ever gets to prove himself against the fighter in the foreseeable future.
In case you missed it:
- Alex Pereira admits Dana White’s UFC 300 offer was last moment: ‘UFC 301 was already done’
- Jamahal Hill Net Worth, Professional MMA Career, Girlfriend, Assets, Endorsement and More
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