Alex Pereira open to headlining UFC 301 in Brazil should he beat Jamahal Hill: “That is a very big possibility”

Alex Pereira isn’t ruling out the possibility of him headlining UFC 301 in Brazil.

UFC CEO Dana White announced on Saturday that Pereira would headline UFC 300 on April 13 against Jamahal Hill. Pereira is looking to defend his light heavyweight title for the first time, but originally, the plan was for him to headline UFC 301 on May 4 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“We were talking with the UFC to make this fight in Brazi. Then they came up with the idea to bring it a little earlier and make it on UFC 300, which for me is a good thing because I’ve already been training hard. The fight being before what was expected makes it even better for me. I’m in good shape, I’ve been training hard, and I’m excited for the fight,” Alex Pereira said on his YouTube channel through an interpreter.

With UFC 300 just three weeks before 301, most would assume that rules out Alex Pereira to fight in Brazil at UFC 301. However, he says his plan is to beat Jamahal Hill and then make the three-week turnaround to defend his light heavyweight title again.

“I always spoke that I want to defend the belt hopefully in a very fast pace in a row, two times. Now this would be the opportunity, with the cards being so close to each other, for me to be able to defend at UFC 300 and maybe in Rio. That is a very big possibility because if I don’t get hurt, I did this before in kickboxing. Of course, anything can happen in a fight, I could get hurt, you can’t predict, but I will try and defend the belt very fast,” Pereira said.

If Pereira can’t turn around at UFC 301 it’s uncertain who exactly would headline the pay-per-view card in Brazil. But, the hope for ‘Poatan’ is to make a quick turnaround and headline back-to-back pay-per-views. However, for that to happen, he will need to beat Hill and escape the fight without any injuries.

Alex Pereira is 9-2 as a pro and just 6-1 in the UFC and has already won titles in two different weight classes. Last time out, he scored a TKO win over Jiri Prochazka to win the vacant light heavyweight title after scoring a split decision win over Jan Blachowicz in his 205lbs debut. Pereira won the middleweight title back at UFC 281 in 2022 with a fifth-round TKO win over Israel Adesanya.