Tag: Jamahal Hill

Anthony Smith: Problem with losing out on Jamahal Hill fight is that ‘it kind of leaves me with nobody’

Anthony Smith might’ve been the biggest loser after UFC 282 without even fighting.

[autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] might’ve been the biggest loser at UFC 282 without even fighting.

With the vacant light heavyweight title fight between Jan Blachowicz (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) and Magomed Ankalaev (18-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) declared a split draw this past Saturday, a frustrated Dana White decided to move on.

White called their fight “terrible” and announced the promotion has booked a new light heavyweight champion at UFC 283 on Jan. 21 when Glover Teixeira meets [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), who was originally scheduled to face Smith (36-17 MMA, 13-9 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 221 main event March 11.

“Yeah that’s a problem,” Smith said while working the ESPN desk at UFC 282. “Yeah, that’s a big problem for me. Yeah, I don’t know.”

He continued, “It kind of leaves me with nobody, that’s the problem. Ankalaev just fought, (Aleksandar) Rakic is injured, Blachowicz just fought, Jamahal Hill was left. Glover Teixeira was available, and now he’s not.”

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So where does that leave Smith? The former title challenger isn’t sure whom he’ll be matched up with instead, but he wants on the UFC 286 card March 18 in London.

“We’ll figure it out,” Smith said. “I don’t know, the London card is coming up. I like London this time of year. I feel like someone owes me a favor right now, so I don’t know. We’ll figure it out.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 282.

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Dana White’s response to ‘terrible’ UFC 282 headliner? Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill for vacant title

With the UFC 282 headliner ending in a split draw, the promotion is moving in a different direction with the light heavyweight title.

LAS VEGAS – Since when is UFC president Dana White one to matchmake immediately after an event? When the night ends without a champion being crowned.

With the UFC 282 headliner ending in a split draw, the promotion is moving in a different direction with the vacant light heavyweight title [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) vs. [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] (18-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) was declared a split draw Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena, leaving the 205-pound title up for grabs.

White didn’t appear too impressed with how the fight between Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev panned out and immediately decided post-fight – after consulting with matchmakers and Hunter Campbell – that [autotag]Glover Teixeira[/autotag] will face [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] for the vacant title Jan. 21 at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro.

“What are you gonna do? I think the main event was terrible,” White said at the UFC 282 post-fight news conference. “What are you gonna do?”

He continued, “I started to zone out after like f*cking three rounds. I heard that Ankalaev is upset and whatever. What do you want me to do? You got beat up the first two rounds, and you took him to the ground, you started – what are you gonna do?”

Teixeira, who originally was to headline UFC 282 vs. then-champ Jiri Prochazka before he pulled out because of injury, was in attendance at T-Mobile Arena.

Hill, who was scheduled to face Anthony Smith at UFC Fight Night 221 on March 11, took to social media to react to the news.

Blachowicz, who said afterward that he believed Ankalaev deserved the win from the judges, didn’t have a problem with White’s decision to book Teixeira vs. Hill.

“I’m OK with that,” Blachowicz told TSN. “I was not gonna be ready for that. Let something happen. The division has to move on. Show must go on.”

UFC 282 took place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 282.

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Nov. 21-27)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from Nov. 21-27.

UFC books Jamahal Hill vs. Anthony Smith for March 11 headliner

Light heavyweight contenders Jamahal Hill and Anthony Smith are expected to fight March 11, per sources close to the situation.

A big time light heavyweight contender bout is set for a March headliner.

At a UFC Fight Night event March 11, [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) and [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] (36-17 MMA, 13-9 UFC) will clash in a five-round main event. The promotion has yet to finalize a venue or location.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. MMA Island was first to report the pairing. MMA Fighting first reported the date.

Hill (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) rides a three-fight winning streak into the matchup, which includes TKO stoppages of Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker, and most recently former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Thiago Santos.

Smith (36-17 MMA, 11-7 UFC) looks to rebound from a TKO loss against Magomed Ankalaev in July. Prior to that defeat, Smith was on a three-fight winning streak with victories over Devin Clark, Jimmy Crute, and Ryan Spann.

The are no other known bouts set or targeted for that event at this time.

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Jamahal Hill: UFC champ Jiri Prochazka a ‘physical freak,’ but I have more tools

Jamahal Hill likes how he matches up with UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka.

[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] likes how he matches up with UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag].

Having knocked out his past three opponents, Hill (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) is on the cusp of title contention. “Sweet Dreams” has his eyes on Prochazka and thinks their styles make for an exciting matchup.

But everything Prochazka (29-3-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) does well, Hill thinks he does better.

“From the first time I saw him, I knew he was a fun fight,” Hill said on the UFC Unfiltered podcast. “He’s a flow fighter. That’s what I am. He likes to cause chaos and then use his ability to flow with it. It’s a natural feel. He’s got good natural instinct.

“Jiri is like that, though – he flows. He causes chaos and then he flows through chaos and he lands big shots. He’s a physical freak. You can see his physical stature and things like that. I just think I do those things better, from what I see. My flow is stronger. My technique is sharper. I’m more dynamic. I have more tools.”

Hill notched his third straight bonus when he took out former title challenger Thiago Santos in their August headliner. With Prochazka projected to run things back with Glover Teixeira for his first title defense, Hill sees himself one win away from a title shot.

“I think I’m one ‘dub,’ one win ahead of me, as long as it’s somebody ahead of me,” Hill said. “I’m not going to fight somebody behind me, somebody that’s going to keep me in the same spot that I’m in, so I’m looking to fight somebody that’s ahead of me.”

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Jamahal Hill blasts critics saying he’s not ready for Jan Blachowicz: Thiago Santos ‘knocked him the f*ck out’

“Bro, Jan f*cking lost to Santos. Santos knocked him the f*ck out.”

[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] thinks it’s ludicrous that people are questioning if he’s ready for [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag].

Hill (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) is coming off a fourth-round TKO of former title challenger Thiago Santos this past Saturday in the UFC on ESPN 40 main event. “Sweet Dreams” initially called for a title shot, but also expressed interest in ex-champ Blachowicz.

In an expletive-filled rant, Hill went off on his haters, reminding everyone that Santos (22-11 MMA, 14-10 UFC) owns a third-round knockout of Blachowicz (29-9 MMA, 12-6 UFC) in February 2019.

“People need to shut the f*ck up about this whole, ‘Oh, Jan is this, he’s not on Jan’s level, Jan will take it,'” Hill said in an interview with Sportskeeda. “Bro, Jan f*cking lost to Santos. Santos knocked him the f*ck out, and if I’m not mistaken, he was losing that fight. Thiago Santos knocked him out. Three f*cking years ago, it’s not that long ago, so he never fought him again after that. He beat Corey Anderson, no longer in the UFC, he beat Dominick Reyes coming off a loss, that’s how he became champion.

“Then his only title defense was against the smallest f*cking 205-er that you could possibly fight (Adesanya) just because he was the champion in the smaller weight class. You didn’t go out and just put on a dazzling performance and beat him up. He laid on him. I respect Jan. Jan is a credible threat, he’s definitely one of the best in the world. But whenever you talk about comparing myself to anybody, bro, I compare to any f*cking body.”

Hill is currently the No. 6 ranked UFC light heavyweight. With champion Jiri Prochazka and Glover Teixeira expected to run things back before the end of the year, and Magomed Ankalaev eyeing Blachowicz, the logjam in the division leaves the rising star in a tough spot.

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Jamahal Hill irritated by possibility of Jiri Prochazka vs. Glover Teixeira rematch taking place in December

“I wanted Glover to get the rematch, but I thought they would’ve at least got it out of the way by like the fall or some sh*t.”

[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] thinks the [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Glover Teixeira[/autotag] rematch is going to stall the light heavyweight division.

UFC light heavyweight champion Prochazka (29-3-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) is rumored to run things back with Teixeira (33-8 MMA, 16-6 UFC) in December, which Hill thinks is too far away.

Prochazka dethroned Teixeira in a back-and-forth war at UFC 275 in June. Prior to submitting Teixeira late in Round 5, Prochazka was down on two of the three judges’ scorecards and thought it was only right to rematch Teixeira. Hill is all for Teixeira getting a rematch, but not six months later.

“It’s what we expected, but damn, December? A whole year of fighting the same f*cking person,” Hill said in an interview with Sportskeeda. “Yeah, I want it – don’t get it wrong. I’m cool with Glover getting the rematch. I wanted Glover to get the rematch. But I thought they would’ve at least got it out of the way by like the fall or some sh*t. Like, Dec. 10, that’s what? It’s like four months (away), and when’d they fight? They fought in May, right?

“So they fought three months ago and now you need a four-month camp? Come on, bro. Now, when it comes to sh*t like that, that is when immediate rematches start to become a problem, especially when you only had one and you lost in your first defense. That’s when those start to become a problem, because now, what about the rest of the division? I’m just sitting here now at No. 6. Now I have to just sit here pretty much or fight (opponents) behind me, which I’m supposed to fight behind me multiple times? Yeah, that’s irritating.”

Hill (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) called for a title shot after he finished Thiago Santos this past Saturday at UFC on ESPN 40. He admits he was just shooting his shot, but with Magomed Ankalaev angling for Jan Blachowicz, Hill thinks he might be left out of the picture.

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“I want the title shot,” Hill said. “I just put my name out there to let them know I’m ready and that’s what my aspirations are. Do I think that’s what I’m going to get right now? No. I see the line. I see where it’s at. That’s why that date in December pisses me off, because now we know the rematch is happening.

“But I also know that Magomed has first crack at Jan. The winner of that has the first crack at whoever wins that fight (between Prochazka and Teixeira). And so I’ll have to win another fight and then – you know what I’m saying? And then when is that going to be? The end of next year? Yeah, that’s irritating.”

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Spinning Back Clique: New UFC light heavyweight contender emerges, Jon Jones taking too long?, and more

“Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show, discusses the emergence of Jamahal Hill, Jon Jones’ return timeline, and more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

Our panel of Mike Bohn, Nolan King and Brian “Goze” Garcia discuss five topics with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

  • Looking back at UFC on ESPN 40 this past weekend, [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] defeated Thiago Santos in what was a fast-paced, action-packed, back-and-forth thriller to assert himself as a new title contender at light heavyweight. Or is that too strong of a position for the DWCS alum considering we’ve also got Glover Teixeira, Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev in the mix?
  • Also, this past weekend, [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] was bounced from the 2022 PFL lightweight playoffs after losing for the second consecutive time to Stevie Ray, this time a unanimous decision. The former UFC and WEC lightweight champion’s bid to win a third major title will have to wait. Furthermore, his contract expires after this season. At $750,000 a fight (disclosed), did the PFL get the return it wanted and should he be brought back?
  • Turning the page and looking forward, what are the stakes this weekend between [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag] and [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] in the UFC on ESPN 41 headliner? We have a former champ vs. someone on a quest to be a champ.
  • Looking forward even further, we got a HUGE announcement last week that UFC 281 in New York will be headlined by middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] defending his title against [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] on Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden. These two have met before in kickboxing, with Pereira up 2-0. What do we think? MSG, Stylebender, November … sound about right? What are the early predictions?
  • Last but not least, looking ahead even further, former UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] seemed a little perturbed and motivated by the notion from fans that he’s taking too long to return to the octagon for his heavyweight debut. Unless he headlines the UFC’s December pay-per-view, we will have gone two full calendar years without a Jones fight and not since March 2020 has he been in action. Could this long, drawn-out layoff hurting Jones?

“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Tuesday on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel. You can watch the full episode in the video above.

Thiago Santos ‘no se avergüenza de nada’ tras la derrota en UFC on ESPN 40: ‘Una mala noche en la oficina’

Thiago Santos se rehúsa a ser demasiado duro consigo mismo después de haber sufrido otra derrota en el evento principal de UFC on ESPN 40 . El sábado, Santos (22-11 MMA, 14-10 UFC) sufrió la quinta derrota de sus últimas seis peleas, cuando sucumbió …

Thiago Santos se rehúsa a ser demasiado duro consigo mismo después de haber sufrido otra derrota en el evento principal de UFC on ESPN 40.

El sábado, Santos (22-11 MMA, 14-10 UFC) sufrió la quinta derrota de sus últimas seis peleas, cuando sucumbió con un TKO en el cuarto round contra Jamahal Hill (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) en una pelea pareja en el UFC Apex de Las Vegas. La pelea recibió el honor de Pelea de la Noche, pero al final del día, “Marreta” no obtuvo el resultado que quería.

Los últimos años han generado algunas derrotas decepcionantes para Santos, pero el brasileño dijo que está determinado a seguir adelante y mostrar que puede ser mejor dentro del octágono (vía Twitter):

Traducción: Trabajé duro y tuve una muy buena preparación, lo di todo y aún así no fue suficiente, no hay nada de que avergonzarse, solo una mala noche en la oficina, felicidades a Hill. Regresaré más fuerte y mejor. Gracias a todos.

 

Trabajé duro y tuve una muy buena preparación, lo di todo allá afuera y aún así no fue suficiente, no hay de que avergonzarme, solo una mala noche en la oficina, felicidades a Hill. Regresaré más fuerte y mejor. Gracias a todos.

Desde julio pasado, tras llevar al entonces campeón Jon Jones al límite de una decisión dividida en la UFC 239, Santos no ha podido recuperar su empuje. En ese pelea, sufrió lesiones graves en ambas rodillas, lesiones que requirieron cirugía de emergencia y que lo mantuvieron fuera de acción por 16 meses.

Desde entonces, Santos ha perdido cuatro de cinco peleas ante Hill, Glover Teixeira, Aleksandar Rakic y Magomed Ankalaev. Su única victoria fue por decisión contra Johnny Walker, una que fue muy criticada por su falta de acción.

 

Artículo traducido por Ana Lucía Toledo

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Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Jamahal Hill after UFC on ESPN 40 win?

See who Jamahal Hill should fight next after his victory over Thiago Santos in the UFC on ESPN 40 headliner.

(ALSO SEE: Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Thiago Santos after UFC on ESPN 40 loss?)

[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] continued to validate himself as a threat in the light heavyweight division with a stoppage win over Thiago Santos in the UFC on ESPN 40 main event.

Hill (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) recorded the most significant win of his career Saturday when he finished former title challenger Santos (22-11 MMA, 14-10 UFC) by fourth-round TKO at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, pushing his winning streak to three fights.

After the Fight of the Night performance, Hill called for a title shot with 205-pound champion Jiri Prochazka. If he can’t get that, he said he’d settle for a fight with with former champ Jan Blachowicz.

What’s the reality of either of those fights coming to fruition? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Hill’s future after UFC on ESPN 40.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 40.

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