UFC 300 News: Alex Pereira Plots Speedy Return After Title Defense vs. Jamahal Hill
Alex Pereira wants to do the unthinkable.
The current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion is keeping busy after taking the vacant throne vs. Jiri Prochazka in November. Pereira has been booked against ex-champ Jamahal Hill, finally filling in the empty headliner spot for UFC 300.
'Poatan' was under the impression he'd return at UFC 301 a month later in his home country of Brazil. But, the promotion ultimately decided this was the fight that would be the cherry on top of the mega-event.
"While we were talking to the UFC to make this fight happen in Brazil, and then they came up with the idea to bring it a little earlier and make it on the UFC 300," Pereira said on his YouTube channel, through his coach who translated.
"...Which for me is a good thing cause I've already been training hard. I think that actually the fight being before what I expected makes it even better for me. I'm in good shape. I've been training hard and am excited for the fight."
While stepping up to the plate and fighting at UFC 300 is history enough, Pereira dares to be even greater.
"I want to defend the belt... hopefully in a very fast pace in a row two times," Pereira revealed. "If this will be an opportunity, the cards being so close to each other, for me to be able to defend at UFC 300 maybe Rio [UFC 301]."
"That is a very big possibility because the way that I do, if I don't get hurt, if I did this before in kickboxing, so everything going fine.
There's a reason why the UFC doesn't do one-night tournaments anymore, because of the damage that may occur between fights and the effects of weight-cutting.
In the modern era, express turnarounds to the Octagon haven't always been the best idea– just look at Alexander Volkanovski getting knocked out again at UFC 298 four months after he did at UFC 294.
Even still, Pereira is down to fight back-to-back... that is if he doesn't sustain much damage vs. Hill.
"Of course, anything can happen in a fight. I can get hurt. I can never predict, but if everything goes fine, there's a big chance that I'll try to defend the belt very fast."
"I'm very excited about this [Hill] fight in general because to fight on a card like UFC 300 is a card that most people going to remember. Being able to headline this event, it's something really good."
Brazil's former champion Deveison Figueiredo holds the record for the quickest turnaround between title defenses, which was 21 days. Pereira's potential attempt would tie the record.
Will we see Alex Pereira fight at both UFC 300 and UFC 301?
If you use any quotes from this article, please leave an H/T to MMAKnockout.com for the transcription.
Stick with MMA Knockout for more daily coverage of the UFC and MMA