A perturbed UFC President Dana White announced Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill will fight for the vacant title at UFC 283.
White called the vacant light heavyweight title fight between Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz “terrible” and indicated the title challengers had no one to blame but themselves after UFC 282’s main event ended in a split draw.
“What are you going to do?” White asked incredulously. “I think the main event was terrible. What will you do ?”
?
UFC 283 takes place Jan. 21 at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The promotion suggested that the main event would be a quadrilogy featuring Brandon Moreno and champ Deiveson Fieredo. Those plans clearly changed after UFC 282.
In the aftermath of the UFC 282 main event, Hill proposed a different matchup, asking White to book him against UFC commentator and top light heavyweight Anthony Smith.
Me and @lionheartasmith for the belt now? @ufc @danawhite @Mickmaynard2
— Jamahal Hill (@JamahalH) December 11, 2022
Reached for comment, Hill’s reaction to the news was brief, but clear.
“Let’s Goooooooooo!” he wrote MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin in a text message.
Hill later cut a promo to celebrate the news.
Jamahal Hill reacts to getting the title fight against Glover pic.twitter.com/m94IyDiVsm
— 176. 37 lb Bendaman (@Bendaman2001) December 11, 2022
Teixeira, who was cageside at UFC 282, tried to go into the octagon afterward to face off with the winner; he could not be reached for comment. The Brazilian ex-champ was scheduled to face Jiri Prochazka for the title before a severe shoulder injury to Prochazka resulted in the Czech champ vacating the belt.
Teixeira was offered a fight with Ankalaev, but he said the promotion turned down his request to face the Dagestani fighter one month later at UFC 283.
Teixeira now has his chance against another opponent, and on a timetable. Hill has won three straight including a stoppage of one-time title challenger Thiago Santos in his previous bout. Teixeira gets another chance to win back the belt after losing to Prochazka via fifth-round submission.
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/12/11/23503756/dana-white-glover-teixeira-vs-jamahal-hill-will-fight-for-vacant-title-at-ufc-283?rand=96749
