Alex Pereira reveals Jamahal Hill fight is first of new eight-fight UFC contract: “Very grateful”
Light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira won’t be leaving the UFC for quite a while.
‘Poatan’ is fresh off a battle for vacant light-heavyweight gold in November at UFC 295. In the main event of the New York card, Alex Pereira faced Jiri Prochazka. ‘Denisa’ never lost the title himself, but vacated it due to injury in late 2022. In his first fight back, he lost to the Brazilian by second-round knockout.
Just a few months removed from that championship victory, Alex Pereira has signed a deal to return. At UFC 300 in April, the newly crowned champion will face Jamahal Hill. Much like Prochazka, ‘Sweet Dreams’ never lost the title in the cage. He claimed the gold with a win over Glover Teixeira last January but was forced to relinquish the title due to injury.
For his part, Jamahal Hill has already stated that the UFC offered him “a bag” to headline the milestone event. As it turns out, a new contract was part of the deal for Alex Pereira as well. Appearing on The MMA Hour alongside Ariel Helwani earlier today, ‘Poatan’ revealed that he signed a new deal with the company.
Furthermore, Alex Pereria’s new UFC contract is for eight fights. While the Brazilian has renewed his contract with the promotion previously, he seems extremely happy with his new deal. Just based on his comments, it seems that Pereira won’t be leaving Dana White anytime soon.
(via Zuffa LLC)
UFC light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira reveals new eight-fight contract
“We’ve got eight fights with the UFC, so let’s see where we go from here.” Alex Pereira stated on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, through a translator earlier today. “Friday, I signed [a new contract], and now eight more… Yeah, I signed on Friday. [My] relationship with the UFC is really good, [I’m] very grateful by the way the UFC and his management team get together.”
He continued, “They’ve been doing great things together. I think the UFC also appreciates who [I] am because [I’m] a composed guy, focused, and delivers. When I first joined the UFC, they gave three fights. After the first fight, they renewed for eight, and I think after the Strickland fight or something like that, they renewed it again. So now, they’ve just given another eight fights.”
“Of course, [I] bring to the table too, and they’re happy with that.” Alex Pereira concluded, through his translator earlier today. “But, they’re very good with us, so we can’t complain. We’re in a perfect relationship with them.”
If Alex Pereira gets his way, he will have fought two of those eight fights by the end of May. ‘Poatan’ has already revealed plans to fight at UFC 301 in Brazil, if he can get through Jamahal Hill in two months.
What do you make of this fight news? Are you excited for Alex Pereira’s return at UFC 300 in April?
