UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and No. 2 ranked Jamahal Hill will meet in the main event at UFC 300. The five-round title bout will take place on Saturday, April 13, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pereira (9-2-0) is coming off a pair of impressive wins, including a second-round TKO over Jiri Prochazka in November to claim the vacant title. The reigning 205-pound champion has lost only once in his past 10 fights.
Hill (12-1-0) earned a unanimous decision over Glover Teixeira in his last fight at UFC 283 to win the light heavyweight title in 2021. But, the Illinois native had to relinquish the belt after rupturing his Achilles tendon playing a fighter basketball game.
In the co-main events, women's strawweight champion Zhang Weili (24-3-0) will defend her title against #1-ranked contender Yan Xiaonan (17-3-0). At the same time, lightweight Justin Gaethje (26-4-0) will put his BMF belt on the line against Max Holloway (25-7-0).
Pereira (-160) is the favorite to retain his light heavyweight championship against Hill (+130), per BetMGM sportsbook. But the underdog is a former champion riding a four-fight winning streak. This headliner promises to be an exciting matchup with both fighters capable of walking out of the Octagon with the 205-pound title.
Pereira is a kickboxing legend who will be defending the belt he won five months ago. The Brazilian has finished 88% of his fights with knockouts, and 12% via a decision.
The 36-year-old mixes kickboxing with superior hand speed and powerful strikes. Pereira lands five significant strikes per minute with an effective 57.1% striking accuracy.
Hill is an ultra-talented fighter with above-average knockout power—the American lands an impressive 7.31 significant strikes per minute with a 54% striking accuracy.
The southpaw has finished 64% of his fights with knockouts, and 36% via decisions. Although the 32-year-old is an average grappler, he boasts a spectacular 73% takedown defense.
Despite Hill being a former light heavyweight titleholder, Pereira is confident he will emerge victorious in his maiden title defense.
"I think I proved myself in the light heavyweight division with the fight against Jiri, winning the title, and obviously as well with the fight against Jan Błachowicz," Pereira said on his YouTube channel.
"If I would compare these three fighters – Jamahal, Jan and Jiri – and someone would tell me, like, 'Hey, choose one you would like to fight,' I would choose Jamahal because I think he's a good opponent for me."
Hill is also overflowing with confidence and has little doubt that he will dispose of Pereira and reclaim the title that he never lost.
"I feel like I'm just better," Hill told Bodog Canada. "I've said it in multiple interviews people don't believe me, I am truly just better than him everywhere. It's not going to go well for him that's why I love all of the talk and hype that Pereira is this mythical fighter.
"Build him up in your heads as big as you want, so when I lay him out you know how much further you need to start putting together where I am." Hill said.
Betting Pick: Pereira
Betting odds for this exciting light heavyweight title fight are live on the top legal NY sportsbooks, including BetMGM, which has pegged Pereira as a -160 favorite. The most common bet type for this UFC fight is the moneyline, a wager on who will win the fight outright.
Considering how the challenger has not fought in over two years, the champion should retain his belt. However, Hill is a gifted athlete who has the talent to win the light heavyweight championship for the second time. Pereira is our pick to win the fight and a $100 wager on the champion at odds of -160 would net a total payout of $162.50.
The Over/Under bet is another popular type, where you wager on the number of rounds the fight will last. Given that all but one of Pereira's previous fights have ended in three or fewer rounds, we do not expect the fight to end in the early rounds. Thus, betting Under 3.5 rounds could be a winning pick.
To maximize your betting experience, be sure to explore the best UFC betting promos available on legal betting sites. These promos can offer significant advantages, such as enhanced odds, free bets, or deposit bonuses, making your betting journey not only more exciting but also potentially more profitable.
The five-round light heavyweight championship fight will take place on Saturday, April 13, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mixed martial arts fans in New York can watch the fight live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is the favorite to successfully defend his title against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300. Pereira is a -160 betting favorite, while Hill is the +130 underdog, per BetMGM.
A tantalizing women's strawweight championship matchup has Zhang Weili (24-3-0) putting her title on the line against #1-ranked contender Yan Xiaonan (17-3-0). In a pair of lightweight contests, Justin Gaethje (26-4-0) will defend his BMF belt against Max Holloway (25-7-0), while #1-ranked Charles Oliveira (34-9-0) tangles with #4-ranked Arman Tsarukyan (21-3-0). Bo Nickal (5-0-0) and Cody Brundage (10-5-0) will battle in a middleweight bout.
Bets can be placed during the fight as it is happening with live UFC odds that are constantly changing based on what's happening in real-time inside the Octagon. The most popular types of in-play bettings are moneyline wagers representing the odds for who will win the fight outright. Other live betting types include the method of victory and how long the fight will last.
UFC fans can place various bets on this highly anticipated light heavyweight title showdown at BetMGM, a well-known sportsbook in New York.
