The fan favourite made his first defence of the 205lbs strap he claimed last November early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC 300 in Las Vegas.

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Pereira, 36, was the bookies’ favourite to come out of the historic card with the title, which he kept around his waist courtesy of a round KO.

The Brazilian bruiser vowed to make Hill eat his words after the American went from cordial to confrontational during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference.

And he delivered on his promise with a hellacious flurry of ground and pound after felling him with a crushing left hook.

Pereira opened up with a series of hard low kicks to the leg of the former champion as he looked to get his range.

Chants of “Chama, Chama, Chama” rang out in support of Pereira before he narrowly missed a head kick.

Hil was tentative to close the distance early doors and looked to utilise his own kicks from range.

The tension in the arena was on a knife edge as fans were all too aware of the danger posed by the champion.

Fans let out a collective groan as Hll accidentally low blowed ‘Poatan’.

But the stoic Sao Paulo slugger pushed away referee Herb Dean before brushing off the low blow.

And seconds later he sent the T-Mobile Arena into pandemonium with a lethal left hook that put Hill on his backside.

The two-division champion didnt waste the golden opportunity to close the show, unleashing a ferocious barrage of ground and pound that prompted Dean to wave off the contest.

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