Nick Peet: UFC 300 Preview

PROBABLY the greatest fight card in the history of combat sports lands in Las Vegas’ on Saturday night with the milestone UFC 300 event featuring 13 bouts, three title fights and 12 current or former champions.

Newly-minted light-heavyweight maestro Alex Pereira features in the main event, defending against former champion Jamahal Hill in a match-up that’s highly unlikely to go five rounds.

China’s first UFC champion, Zhang Weili, meets compatriot Yan Xiaonan in the co-main with much more than the women’s strawweight championship on the line.

And they both follow the people’s main event, as Justin Gaethje defends the BMF belt he won last summer against former featherweight kingpin Max Holloway.

HANDS OF STONE

Pereira, 36, has enjoyed a remarkable run in MMA. The former Glory kickboxing champion only landed in the UFC two years ago but has already captured first middleweight and now light-heavyweight gold.

His 9-2 MMA career includes seven just UFC fights, three of which were title fights. He’s beaten four consecutive title holders and five have ended in dramatic knockout fashion.

Similarly, Hill has only been active in the UFC for three years, yet in just eight fights he captured the UFC belt in the last of four straight performance bonus earning victories.

The 32-year-old’s 12-1 ledger features eight UFC contests, six of which ended by knockout – albeit including a 2021 loss to Scotland’s Paul Craig – with the cherry on the cake being his January 2023 title success over Glover Teixeira.

However, a freak Achilles injury during a charity basketball game last summer led to him surrendering his belt and absent from competition for over a year.

In his absence, Pereira – Teixera’s prodigy, no less – stepped up from 185lb to knockout Jiri Prochazka in November and join the UFC’s exclusive two-weight champion club.

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Join us for greatness this Saturday at #UFC300

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— UFC (@ufc) April 8, 2024

SUPERPOWER

Zhang (24-3) may well be the leading female fighter in MMA today, but she’s got her hands full with compatriot Yan (17-3), who was actually the first Chinese woman to sign with the organisation.

Both ladies are heading into the fight on the back of significant performances, the champion having bagged three consecutive bonuses is blossoming as a mixed martial artist in her second run with the belt.

Whilst the challenger solidified her #1 ranking by knocking out former champion Jessica Andrade in little over two minutes to bag this title chance and a bonus of her own.

The two strikers are both 34 and combined have 19 career knockouts, but in terms of power Zhang looks to have the edge, coupled with an ever-improving ground game.

THE HIGHLIGHT

Gaethje and Holloway are two of the most popular fighters in the 30-year history of the UFC, who deliver time and again breath-taking moments on premier occasions.

After his revenge KO over Dustin Poirier last summer landed him with the BMF belt, Gaethje has put himself back in the frame for third lightweight title shot.

But with current king Islam Makhachev spoilt for suitors, the former interim champ stays busy against Holloway, who steps up from featherweight after a series of losses against Alexander Volkanovski.

The Hawaiian’s 25-7 includes nine UFC title fights. He has the longest winning streak in UFC featherweight history, plus the most wins and finishes. His Hall of Fame status is assured already.

Combined they have won 23 performance bonuses, starred in countless Fight and Knockout of the Year nominees and generated some of the most viral moments in MMA history.

Gaethje’s kickboxing versus Max’s boxing; power against volume where violence is the only outcome guaranteed.

Brace yourself, UFC 300 is going to be spectacular.

TIP: Hill by KO, Weili on Points, Gaethje by TKO

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