A first-round knockout loss to Alex Pereira has not prevented Jamahal Hill from consistently calling out “Poatan” this year.
Hill has been challenging Pereira and speaking about the reigning light-heavyweight champion on social media ever since Pereira finished Hill in the main event of UFC 300 earlier this year, and on Thursday, Hill confronted Pereira at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.
The PI is extra busy this week with UFC 310 being days away and Saturday’s anticipated event taking place at the nearby T-Mobile Arena. Pereira is not competing on the card but is in town and was getting in a training session at the facility when Hill approached him, accusing the former kickboxing world champion and one-time UFC middleweight champ of avoiding Hill on social media.
In a video captured by Full Send MMA, Pereira can be seen extending his hand for a fist bump to say hello to Hill. The video then cuts to Pereira tossing a pair of boxing gloves Hill’s way with Hill repeating, “For free? For free?” and “We don’t need no gloves.”
Pereira’s trainer and his regular translator for UFC press conferences and other appearances, Plinio Cruz, stepped between the two fighters to ensure nothing escalated.
Hill, 33, has not competed since that April loss which lasted only 3:14 and earlier in the day he was officially booked for a 205-pound bout against fellow former titleholder Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 in California.
Prochazka became a UFC champion in 2022 when he submitted Glover Teixeira, later vacating the belt due to injury. Hill won the title Prochazka vacated early in 2023 when he also defeated Teixeira who ironically was a teammate of Pereira’s and has since become the undisputed champion’s head coach.
Pereira, 37, is 5-0 since moving up from the middleweight division and has defended his light-heavyweight title two additional times since beating Hill. Pereira finished Prochazka in the second round of their UFC 303 main event and is coming off a fourth-round stoppage of Khalil Rountree at UFC 307 in October.
Hill will have to defeat Prochazka if he hopes to potentially earn another shot at Pereira’s championship.
Pereira does not have his next fight booked, however, Magomed Ankalaev is the most likely next challenger for the Brazilian star.
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