Morning Report: Jamahal Hill says UFC 300 main event vs. Alex Pereira came together day before UFC 298

UFC 300 lastly has its huge, extremely anticipated headliner bout.

It’s pretty poetic that the UFC’s most cursed division of the previous 4 years — the as soon as “golden” division of sunshine heavyweight — has wound up because the cherry atop the historic UFC 300 sundae. The divisional title will shut the present within the highlight on April 13 in Las Vegas. The speedy rise of championship collector and present titleholder Alex Pereira will proceed along with his first protection in opposition to the champion earlier than him in Jamahal Hill.

Pereira, 36, was rumored because the wild card of all wild-card choices for UFC 300 in an absurd fantasy matchup with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Nothing ever gave the impression to be too critical when it got here to the battle really getting put collectively, however each males teased it on a couple of events. For a number of causes, it’s most likely for one of the best that it didn’t occur. As developments continued, the anticipated subsequent 205-pound title battle of Pereira vs. Hill got here out of the blue for as early of a date as UFC 300.

In line with “Candy Desires,” issues weren’t official till this previous weekend.

“I discovered ‘for positive for positive’ that it was locked in since I been on this, since I acquired to the [UFC 298] venue,” Hill instructed Aaron Bronsteter on Saturday. “We talked about it and I agreed to it yesterday.

“I’m trying ahead to the problem. The problem of Alex has turn into big, you understand? He’s accomplished unbelievable issues, two-division champion within the UFC in seven fights, quickest to ever do it. I simply wanna get in there and see how I match up with him.”

The sunshine heavyweight title has been a sizzling potato since vacated by the all-time nice champion Jon Jones in February 2020. Since then, the belt has modified palms 5 instances, and solely been defended as soon as, which got here in Jan Blachowicz’s champion vs. champion title protection in opposition to middleweight’s Israel Adesanya in March 2021.

Accidents and selections have been the first culprits of the juggling after Jiri Prochazka snatched the strap from Pereira’s mentor Glover Teixeira in June 2022. Hill went on to seize it in a vacant bid reverse Teixeira seven months later earlier than he ruptured his achilles and dropped the crown with the necessity for a prolonged restoration.

As the primary Dana White’s Contender Collection alum to win UFC gold, Hill is honored to have completed what he has to this point together with having the ability to add UFC 300 to his record.

“It means quite a bit, even simply being thought-about for it and them asking me to do it’s big,” Hill stated of UFC 300. “It’s placing numerous belief in my skills and the way I’m in a position to present as much as put me on the helm of a card like that, and I admire that.

“All people needs to be on UFC 300, however realistically it didn’t actually come on my radar and didn’t actually occur till like yesterday. I’m not even gonna lie. Like, yesterday. When he referred to as me, and he let me know the scenario … effectively, principally the scenario was they wanted a major occasion. They’d some issues lined up however they most popular it’s me and Alex.

“It was the primary possibility, it’s what they actually wished,” he concluded. “The folks undoubtedly wished it, that’s what they’ve been asking me for months now, all week. Yeah, it made sense.”

Fallout. UFC 298: 7 biggest takeaways from a historic evening in Anaheim

BTS. Dana White explains UFC 300 major occasion, reveals Leon Edwards accepted 3 different opponents

Class. Alexander Volkanovski makes no excuses for UFC 298 knockout loss to Ilia Topuria: ‘That was a clean right hand’

Evaluation. Sean O’Malley on Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo: ‘Decent little fight from a couple little dudes’

Subsequent. Ian Machado Garry: Colby Covington doesn’t have choice to battle me

Wild. Ilia Topuria scores brutal knockout over Alexander Volkanovski to win featherweight title in UFC 298 major occasion

Response. ‘Volk got here again wayyy too quick‘: Fighters react to Ilia Topuria’s UFC 298 knockout of Alexander Volkanovski

Reflection. WWE star CM Punk has no regrets on UFC run: ‘I would be kicking myself to this day if I said no’

Legend. Wanderlei Silva introduced for 2024 UFC Hall of Fame

Second. Merab Dvalishvili: Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg distracted him from choke at UFC 298: ‘I got too excited’

$$$. UFC 298 post-fight bonuses: Amanda Lemos vs. Mackenzie Dern wins Battle of the Evening

UFC 298 Submit Present.

On To the Subsequent One.

UFC 298 Submit-Battle Scrums.

Free battle.

UFC 100.

RIZIN Confessions 143.

PFL vs. Bellator: Battle Camp Confidential.

ONE Highlights from Friday.

Aldana throwback violence.

Private replace from Volk.

Bo’s UFC 300 battle camp.

The KO.

Arnold at work.

These guys go nice together with your toasty, energized morning breakfast.

Finishes.

Whoops.

Positive does.

Good.

Congrats!

Badass.

Gangsters.

Purpose achieved.

Going for a trip.

Reward.

Oh.

Juicy.

Heal up, legend.

When in Thailand.

Saga.

Selfie time.

Time flies.

Stephanie Luciano (5-1-1) vs. Julia Polastri (12-3); UFC Vegas 89, March 23

Alex Pereira (9-2) vs. Jamahal Hill (12-1, 1 NC); UFC 300, April 13

If we’re to go off of how UFC 200 and UFC 300 turned out in comparison with the roads to every, every part all lined up as completely MMA as you’d have thought. If you understand what I imply, you understand what I imply.

Thanks for studying!

Final Week’s Outcomes:

Friday: 41% of 341 whole votes answered “1” when requested, “How many PFL fights will Francis Ngannou have?”

Thursday: 54% of 529 whole votes answered “Robert Whittaker and Merab Dvalishvili” when requested, “Who wins this weekend?” Whittaker and Dvalishvili defeated Paulo Costa and Henry Cejudo by way of unanimous selections.

Wednesday: 65% of 518 whole votes answered “No” when requested, “Does Conor McGregor fight in 2024?”

Tuesday: 72% of 495 whole votes answered “Sean Strickland” when requested, “Who would win in a boxing match?”

Monday: 78% of 337 whole votes answered “Alexander Volkanovski” when requested, “Who wins this weekend?” Ilia Topuria defeated Volkanovski by way of second-round knockout (punch) at 3:32.

At the moment’s exit ballot:

When you discover one thing you’d wish to see within the Morning Report, hit up @DrakeRiggs_ on Twitter and let him learn about it. Additionally, observe MMAFighting on Instagram and like us on Facebook.