3 keys to victory for Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill in UFC 300 main event

The highly anticipated UFC 300 event is finally here, and it has quite the stacked card on tap. Taking place on Saturday, April 13 live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, the event offers a 13-fight card with three titles on the line.

Justin Gaethje will defend his BMF title against Max Holloway in their lightweight bout whilst Yan Xiaonan challenges for Zhang Weili's strawweight title in the co-main event. The final match of the evening will witness a light heavyweight clash as Alex Pereira defends the gold against former titleholder Jamahal Hill.

This will mark Pereira's first defense of the 205-pound gold, and he does so against Hill, who was forced to relinquish the title in mid-2023 due to an Achilles tendon rupture. At UFC 300, the two meet in the octagon for the first time, and the victor will walk away with the ultimate prize - the title.

Though the pair have never faced each other before, there are certain things that they can look to do, in order to best prime themselves for success. Here are the three keys to victory for Pereira and Hill in the UFC 300 main event.

Alex Pereira's keys to victory

1. Have impeccable takedown defense

Pereira's ground game has been improving tremendously since his arrival in the UFC. At UFC 300, he will need to ensure that his takedown defense is impeccable because Hill is very comfortable on the ground. Although Hill does enjoy a stand-up fight, Pereira needs to be well prepared for the potential of the former champion instead of opting to try dominating on the ground. Should the fight go to the ground, Pereira does not necessarily need to hang with Hill there. Instead, he could succeed by defending those takedowns and keeping the fight on the feet, which is where they are on an even playing field.

2. Consistently switch up striking

Pereira is known for his devastating striking and, as one of the most respected in mixed martial arts, his opponents know to prepare for exactly that. The best thing Pereira could do in his match-up against Hill is to consistently switch up his striking. The timing, the rhythm, and everything else around Pereira's striking needs to be constantly changing throughout the match. This allows Pereira to show off the full range of his striking whilst also potentially opening up the window for Hill to be caught off-guard.

3. Use kickboxing pedigree to its full advantage

Before Pereira ever entered the UFC Octagon, he dominated the kickboxing world. At UFC 300, he needs to use his kickboxing pedigree to its full advantage, and this could prove to be the ultimate game-changer for Pereira. With over an 80% victory rate in his kickboxing career, Pereira is undeniable when it comes to his kickboxing. If Pereira uses his kickboxing to the max, this coupled with his already-powerful striking could shake Hill's fight plan to its very core.

Jamahal Hill's keys to victory

1. Show off all the Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Hill has been practicing BJJ for 13 years and has a brown belt in the respected martial art. He has trained to become an all-rounder but his true advantage over Pereira could be on the canvas. Pereira is a stand-up fighter, and Hill could counter that by showing off all the BJJ he has in his arsenal. By doing so, he could overwhelm Pereira and seriously throw the champion off their game.

2. Apply pressure immediately

Right out of the gate, Hill needs to apply pressure on Pereira. One of the most impressive things about Pereira is his self-control and the discipline he has, and Hill needs to shake that up. Pereira is known for taking his time settling into a match. Hill applying pressure immediately will force the pace to go at a different pace, and could allow Hill to capitalize in the best way possible.

3. Introduce the element of surprise

Hill's last match in the Octagon was in January 2023, when he defeated Glover Teixeira for the light heavyweight title. The Achilles tendon injury took him out of commission for several months and now, more than a year later, he is set to make his return - and this gives Hill the perfect opportunity to do something great. During his time away, Hill has been healing and training, which means he could have made some changes, and this opens the door for Hill to introduce an element of surprise. This could shock fight fans and pundits alike but, more than anyone else, this could seriously catch Pereira off-guard and see Hill pick up the victory.