Alex Pereira managed to retain his UFC light heavyweight title against Jamahal Hill on Saturday night, proving why he was a favorite heading into the matchup. The Brazilian fighter took on the American at the UFC 300 match and ended up defeating him in a brutal knockout.
It was an entertaining match from start to finish, with both fighters going toe-to-toe. In the end, the Poatan pulled off a stunning victory, breaking what has come to be known as ‘Drake’s Curse,’ as the rapper had bet on him.
How much did Drake bet on Alex Pereira in his UFC 300 match against Jamahal Hill?
Drake is one of the most well-known rappers in the world, with five Grammy Awards to his name. He has played an instrumental role in popularizing R&B in the hip-hop genre of music. While he is primarily a musician, he also has a keen interest in sports and is often in the news for placing bets.
This year, Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill’s bout was highly anticipated among MMA lovers. The You Broke My Heart artist wanted in on the action as well, and he placed his bets on the Brazilian star. Unfortunately, he has quite a bit of history with betting, as the person he supported ended up on the losing side more often than not.
The Canadian rapper had placed a bet of $675,000 on Pereira to defeat the former champion at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. Reports had suggested that the singer would make just under $1.2 million if Pereira won, and his wager has paid off this time.
The One Dance singer has been quite unlucky with bets this year alone. He had backed up Sean Strickland to win against Dricus du Plessis earlier this year but lost $700,000 when Strickland was defeated.
His fortune did change as the year progressed. First, the rapper won his $1.15 million bet when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers to win the Super Bowl. The curse reared its head again in March, and the singer lost a staggering $600,000 when Anthony Joshua defeated Francis Ngannou in the knockouts.
There was a time when Drake’s curse had gripped the UFC. He staked $275,000 on Jorge Masvidal to defeat Colby Covington, but the former failed to do so. The rapper also lost $400,000 after he backed Justin Gaethje to defeat Charles Oliviera in 2022. He also lost a whopping $844,700 after claiming that Israel Adesanya would win against Strickland in 2023.
How did Alex Pereira break the Drake Curse against Jamahal Hill?
Hill is a former champion, who was eyeing a return to glory by defeating Pereira in the Octagon on Saturday night. However, Pereira proved his mettle as he took the fight to the American.
‘Sweet Dreams’ had to give up his title after he suffered an unfortunate injury last year. However, Pereira managed to overcome him during their encounter. The Brazilian’s left hook had Hill on his back on the canvas before Pereira pummeled him to force a stoppage at the 3.14 mark.
“I told everyone the whole time, he’s a strong guy, I cannot go away from my strategy, and that’s exactly what I was doing … I was gauging the distance and the timing, and everything went perfectly,” said the Brazilian after the match (via Reuters).
The Poatan has become a force to be reckoned with, with a 7-1 record already in the Octagon. He also has three championship games in less than three years, proving once more why Drake was right to bet on him.
