According to the American, he received a call from the UFC immediately after the fight between Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz, in which the champion could not be determined due to a draw.
“I think they were still in the cage when they called me,” Hill told MMA Junkie. “And it was a 100% immediate ‘yes’. I knew they had to do something. Before that, I jokingly posted a tweet with a proposal to appoint our title fight with Anthony Smith, and, nevertheless, what happened was a surprise for me.
Hill, who has knocked out the last three opponents, says his plan for a title fight is to top his record with another knockout win.
“Of course, I would like to have a training camp for a couple of weeks more, but in general I am satisfied with everything. This is the perfect time. The plan is to knock out anyone. I like knockouts, that’s my style, but I can win a fight in every possible way, whether it’s in the clinch, on the ground, or by breaking an opponent on the stand.”
If Hill manages to defeat Teixeira and win the belt vacated by the injured Jiří Prochazka, he will feel like a true champion.
“Why don’t I feel like a real champion? Right now the person who wins this title cannot fight at this level. So it’s stupid to sit and say that he is a real champion, because now he is not at this level – he is injured. Let him recover, restore his level, and then we will check him. And now he has decided to step aside and allow a new champion to be crowned. If it’s me, why shouldn’t I feel like a champion?”
The fight for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title between Glover Teixeira and Jamal Hill will be the main event of UFC 283, which will take place on January 21 in Rio de Janeiro.