MIAMI – Alex Pereira says he received no joy in watching rival Jamahal Hill suffer a loss at UFC 311.
Hill (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC), who’s experienced issues with Pereira since his first-round TKO defeat last April at UFC 300, was halted by third-round TKO against Jiri Prochazka at this past Saturday’s event at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
Pereira was cageside for the contest, and poked fun at both his former opponents, claiming he was watching his “kids” fight. Just weeks prior, too, Pereira and Hill got into a minor verbal confrontation at the UFC Performance Institute.
With the volume of talk that’s come from Hill over the past 10 months, it’s reasonable to think Pereira would take some satisfaction from what he witnessed at UFC 311. However, he said that’s far from the case.
“I have absolutely no problem with him,” Pereira told MMA Junkie through an interpreter. “We’re both the same. Sometimes I’ll go and make some fun before the fight. Or he will (say something about me). But tomorrow we’re going to hold hands and respect each other. I think all the turmoil that was created is part of the sport.”
Hill has made his desire to rematch Pereira very clear, but the result at UFC 311 was a significant setback as long as “Poatan” holds the belt. For Prochazka (31-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC), however, he put him back in the running for another crack at the champion, whom he lost to at UFC 295 in November 2023 and UFC 303 in July.
Pereira, who is set to return for his fourth title defense at UFC 313 on March 8 in Las Vegas vs. Magomed Ankalaev (20-1-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC), said he’s indifferent to the idea of a third encounter with Prochazka.
“He’s No. 2, but whatever he is, I’m here to fight,” Pereira said. “If he’s No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, I’m just here to fight anybody.”
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