Alex Pereira opens as slight favorite over Jamahal Hill in UFC 300 main event

MMA Fighting

Alex Pereira will not only headline arguably the biggest event of 2024 when he serves as one half of the main event for UFC 300, but he'll do so as the betting favorite.

Despite having only two past fights in the light heavyweight division, Pereira has already earned a lot of respect, which is why oddsmakers have him favored to beat ex-champion Jamahal Hill when they clash on April 13. The opening odds for the fight from Sportsbetting.ag have Pereira listed as a slight favorite in his first title defense after knocking out Jiri Prochazka to claim the title this past November.

Hill will be returning from a torn Achilles' tendon suffered last year that forced him to relinquish his light heavyweight title, which then led to Pereira battling for a vacant belt a few months later.

Hill enters the fight off four wins in a row, including three knockouts and a lopsided decision over Glover Teixeira to claim the title back in January 2023. The unfortunate injury ended Hill's reign before it ever really began, but now he'll attempt to recapture the belt in April.

As for Pereira, the 36-year-old Brazilian has scored back-to-back wins over Prochazka and another former champion in Jan Blachowicz in his brief light heavyweight career. Overall, Pereira holds a 9-2 record in MMA, including a 6-1 résumé in the UFC, with his only loss coming to Israel Adesanya in a middleweight title fight.

Now Pereira will attempt to defend his belt against Hill in the final fight of the night for the historic card that happens at the T-Moble Arena in Las Vegas on April 13.