In many ways, Jamahal Hill is still processing what he accomplished at UFC 283.
“It comes in moments,” the new UFC light heavyweight champion said Wednesday on The MMA Hour. It’s all about the hard work, the journey and everything else. Now I just want more of the greatness. I’m hungry now just to truly, truly — see, now that I’ve made history, I want to cement my name into that history, and I want to do that with names. Like a Jiri [Prochazka]. Like a [Alex] Pereira. As a Magomed [Ankalaev]. Like a Jan [Blachowicz].
“Whoever. Anyone who steps up. Whoever rises to the top of it. Any cream that rises to the top is what I want to grab. I’m here for action. I’m here for them fights.”
Hill, 31, capitalized on the chaos of the light heavyweight division in a major way at UFC 283, jumping into a short-notice opportunity to challenge Glover Teixeira for the vacant strap and then dominating the former champion with a pillar-to-post victory. It was a meteoric rise few could’ve seen coming, especially considering Hill was sitting outside of the title picture as recently as December, and now “Sweet Dreams” has only one name in mind for his first title defense: The man who relinquished the belt, Jiri Prochakza.
“That is the fight that I want. Hill stated that there is no fight more important than Hill’s fight.
” I understand that this is a huge fight and that it can propel me to the right [financial] figures that I desire to be in .”
Whether Prochazka is a viable option, however, remains to be seen.
The chain of events leading to Hill’s meteoric rise was triggered by Prochazka’s shoulder injury in November. Prochazka vacated his championship and the UFC annointed Ankalaev vs. Blachowicz at UFC 282 as the division’s next title bout; once Ankalaev vs. Blachowicz ended in a draw, the UFC pivoted to Hill vs. Teixeira at UFC 283.
Prochazka said Monday to MMA Fighting that he tentatively targets a return in July or August and that he’s eager to see how Hill does against him.
That timeline works just fine for Hill, but only if Prochazka’s prediction proves to be correct.
” I’ll wait,” Hill stated. “I’ll wait, I’ll let him go through his rehab and things over these next couple months. But around maybe like April, I want an answer. What time will you be returning? Are you going be back around this time?
“If not, they need to start making preparations to have me fight somebody else.”
Prochazka’s prediction of a summer return could be an ambitious one, though. The extent of his recovery could mean that the ex-champion may end up sidelined for longer than expected.
If that ends up being the case, Hill isn’t sure who deserves to be the next man up among a muddled group of 205-pound contenders.
“Somebody else is going to have to earn it,” Hill said. “Somebody else is going to have to earn it at this point. I’d love to see [Anthony Smith] fight for a title, whether that’s against me or whatever. He’s been here long enough. I think he was given his chance, he has worked hard and deserves another shot. And he had an unfortunate injury, but it still happened and things like that, so I believe from the UFC side, they would want more, another victory, another solid victory or something for him. For me it’s the next man up.
“Save for Jiri I don’t believe there is [a clear-cut next title contender], because of the Magomed-Blachowicz fight,” Hill said. Hill said that there isn’t anyone to fight either of them with so they might try again. This could be an option. Magomed couldn’t help but jump on the mic and say the following things .”
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This is why Hill has decided to take part in the Prochazka fight. It’s the biggest fight against the biggest name, and that’s exactly what he’s looking for as champion.
And if it does happen, Hill likes his chances against the 30-year-old erstwhile king.
“I think I knock him out,” Hill said of Prochazka.
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/25/23571905/jamahal-hill-all-in-on-potential-jiri-prochazka-matchup-there-is-no-fight-i-want-more?rand=96749
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