Mixed Martial Arts-Pereira knocks out Hill to retain UFC light heavyweight title

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) reacts after defeating Jamahal Hill (blue gloves) during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Brazil’s Alex Pereira pulled off a stunning first-round knockout victory over Jamahal Hill to retain the UFC light heavyweight title while Zhang Weili beat Yan Xiaonan to retain the straweight belt at UFC 300 on Saturday night.

Pereira waved off what looked to be a low blow from Hill before landing a left hook that sent the American sprawling backwards onto the canvas. He then pounced to rain down blows and force the stoppage at the 3:14 mark of the first round.

“I told everyone the whole time, he’s a strong guy, I cannot go away from my strategy, and that’s exactly what I was doing … I was gauging the distance and the timing, and everything went perfectly,” Pereira said in a post-fight interview in the cage.

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) fights Jamahal Hill (blue gloves) during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Hill had won the title in January 2023, but an injury suffered playing basketball forced him to vacate in July and decorated kickboxer Pereira, a former UFC middleweight champ, took over the belt with a second-round knockout of Jiri Prochazka in November.

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) fights Jamahal Hill (blue gloves) during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

After coming through the fight relatively unscathed, Pereira said he would like to fight on the upcoming UFC card in Brazil in May, and that he had sustained no damage against Hill.

In the all-Chinese clash in the straweight event, Zhang looked like she had almost ended the fight in the first round with a rear naked choke, but her 34-year-old opponent survived until the bell, looking unsteady as she got back to her feet.

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) fights Jamahal Hill (blue gloves) during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Yan had some success on her feet, but Zhang brought the fight to the mat as often as possible, dominating the grappling exchanges en route to a unanimous decision victory.

In perhaps the most thrilling finish on the card, Max Holloway folded Justin Gaethje with a thunderous right hand to win their lightweight fight by knockout with one second left on the clock after a tremendous five-round battle.

(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; editing by Miral Fahmy)