UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and former titleholder and challenger Jamahal Hill had to be separated after a heated confrontation at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.
On Thursday, Fullsend MMA posted a video of Hill approaching Poatan during a workout with his coach Plinio Cruz.
As he walked towards his rival, Sweet Dreams repeatedly said, “Not on Twitter now.” Pereira, who does not speak English, fist bumped Hill before realizing his intentions.
The clip then cut to the pair at one of the training cages as Pereira threw a pair of gloves at Hill, signaling a challenge.
They continued to exchange words despite the language barrier, as the Brazilian repeatedly pointed to the cage. After the tense interaction, Cruz managed to separate the two before the situation worsened.
Pereira and Hill met in the main event of the UFC 300 card in April. It didn’t take long for the heavy-handed champion to turn Hill’s lights out in front of a packed T Mobile Arena.
Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill had to be separated during a heated confrontation at the UFC PI
Pereira scored a first-round knockout over Hill in the main event of April’s marquee UFC 300
After making a shot at the cup in the first round, Pereira stopped referee Herb Dean from stopping the action before delivering the winning combination. He painted Hill’s face with his trademark left hand to force a stoppage.
Hill has since annulled the victory and campaigned for a rematch. Meanwhile, Pereira defended the title twice, finishing with Jiri Prochazka in June and Khalil Rountree Jr. in October.
After Pereira’s win over Rountree, Hill was seen mockingly yawning on the side of the fighting cage. When asked about the gesture, Pereira said, “Maybe he just woke up from UFC 300.”
The war of words flooded social media as Hill continued to cry for a rematch with the champion despite being booked against Prochazka for UFC 311 in January.
Pereira posted a photo of Hill and Prochazka facing each other and wrote: “Take it easy my son. Pass this test and Dad will give you a second chance.”
Hill enters his next fight with a 12-2 record, including seven knockouts and four first-round finishes.
On the other hand, Pereira’s next fight has yet to be announced. The light heavyweight king sits at the top of his division with a 12-2 record, 10 knockouts and four first-round victories.