Lil Tjay & Alex Pereira Spar, Rapper Knocks Down UFC Champion: Watch

BYHayley Hynes5.7K Views
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Viewers are debating the legitimacy of the footage, with some calling it a "Make-A-Wish KO."

We're able to witness unexpected celebrity link-ups all the time thanks to social media. The latest to go viral online is between rapper Lil Tjay and UFC Champion Alex Pereira, who found himself being put in his place by the young East Coast rhymer during a recent sparring session. On Monday (March 18), a video of Tjay and the athlete surfaced on @akademiks' page, showing the former full of energy and enthusiasm while taking shots at Pereria.

Just a few seconds into the clip, the Brazilian fighter falls to the floor, marking Tjay the winner after seemingly knocking out his competitor. Though the moment was impressive, not everyone is buying the video's validiity. "If you believe this s**t delete the app," one skeptic wrote. On the other hand, others commended the 22-year-old for his strategic movements. "When you hit the chin right, you going to sleep," they remarked. "Lil Tjay know what he doing 💪🏽💪🏽."

Read More: UFC's Sean O'Malley Called The "Next Adam22" Due To His Open Marriage

Alex Pereira and Lil Tjay Practice Together

Even if the whole thing was staged, hip-hop heads are still eager to see if Tjay will celebrate by walking Pereria out for his upcoming UFC 300 fight. "An event fitting for a mega walkout," one person declared, as Sportskeeda reports. "Alex out here doing side quests with rappers," and "We need to see more of hip-hop crossing over into MMA," other chimed in.

Besides the obvious work he's been putting in on getting his strength up, Lil Tjay also has big aspirations for his musical career. The New Yorker shared last month that he was hoping to make an appearance on Kanye West's Vultures 2 LP, and while that might not have come together as hoped, we might see him on the series' third installment, whenever that arrives. Read all about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.

Read More: Lil Tjay Thinks Him & Kanye West Should Collab On "VULTURES," Talks Avoiding Cancel Culture

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About The Author
Hayley Hynes is the former Weekend Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop, she stepped down after two years in 2024 to pursue other creative opportunities but remains on staff part-time to cover music, gossip, and pop culture news. Currently, she contributes similar content on Blavity and 21Ninety, as well as on her personal blog where she also offers tarot/astrology services. Hayley resides on the western side of Canada, previously spending a year in Vancouver to study Fashion Marketing at Blanche Macdonald Centre and Journalism at Mount Royal University in Calgary before that. She's passionate about helping others heal through storytelling, and shares much more about her life on Instagram @hayleyhynes.