Pereira and Hill Nearly Come to Blows Amidst Rising Tension
Champion and Former Challenger Engage in Heated Exchange at UFC Performance Institute
The simmering feud between light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and former opponent Jamahal Hill boiled over recently at the UFC Performance Institute, with the two almost coming to blows after a heated verbal exchange. Footage of the encounter, captured by Full Send MMA, shows Hill approaching Pereira during a training session.
Initially, it appears Hill attempts a conciliatory fist bump, stating, "Not on Twitter now," as Pereira, standing behind a barrier, motions with the offer. Tensions, however, quickly escalated, with both fighters looking increasingly agitated as they traded words.
At one point, Pereira, in Portuguese, appears to challenge Hill, saying "Put the gloves on" as a sparring session in the heat of the moment.
Pereira’s long-time coach, Plinio Cruz, intervened before things escalated further. Hill, in response to the incident, stated, "It’s coming, I’ll get that money from that boy being asleep."
The altercation sharply highlighted the animosity between the two fighters, dating back to their bout at Y
The animus between the two fighters stems from their previous encounter at UFC 300, where Pereira secured a controversial stoppage victory over Hill in his first title defense. Hill has disputed the outcome, contending the stoppage came after a low blow.
The situation has only intensified in recent days. Pereira’s confident online post encouraging Hill to "calm down" and pass the test against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311 before adding “Dad will give you a second chance’, drew a fiery retort from Hill.
Responding via Twitter, Hill, clearly incensed, wrote, "Beat it, funny how you rushed lil ass Roundtree and dumbass Jiri like you were the man, but waited until the refs got in the way to swing at me!!! You will see me again at 100 percent soon, and we both know the fear that was in your heart!!"
With both men deeply invested in the heated rivalry, Hill faces a crucial bout against Prochazka, hoping to earn another shot at the title. For Pereira, attention will likely turn to his next title defense, expected to come against Magomed Ankalaev sometime in 2025.
What caused the altercation between Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill at the UFC Performance Institute?
## Interview with UFC Analyst
**Interviewer:** Welcome back to the show. Joining us today is Alex Reed, our resident UFC analyst.
Alex Reed, we’ve seen some fireworks lately between light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira and former challenger Jamahal Hill. It seems their rivalry is heating up both inside and outside the octagon.
**Alex Reed:** Absolutely. Their recent altercation at the UFC Performance Institute really took things to another level. It seems Hill tried to squash the online beef with a fist bump, but things quickly escalated.
**Interviewer:** Right, from the footage, it seemed like Pereira wasn’t interested in a truce.
**Alex Reed:** Yeah, Pereira is known for his intense demeanor. The rivalry between these two is palpable, and it’s clear neither one is backing down.
**Interviewer:** It’s interesting, because we just saw Pereira win a first-round knockout against Hill at UFC 300. [[1](https://www.ufc.com/news/prelim-results-highlights-winner-interviews-ufc-300-pereira-vs-hill)]Do you think this tension will lead to a rematch down the line?
**Alex Reed:** Absolutely. This isn’t over. Hill, despite the loss, is a top contender, and he’ll be hungry for redemption.
Pereira’s win was decisive, but the intensity of their rivalry will keep this matchup on everyone’s mind.
**Interviewer:** Well, we’ll definitely be watching to see how this rivalry unfolds. Thanks for your insight, Alex Reed.
**Alex Reed:** My pleasure.
