Jamahal Hill scored the biggest win of his career in UFC Vegas 59’s main event this past weekend (Aug. 6, 2022) and now it’s only up from here.
Taking out one-time title challenger, Thiago Santos, via fourth round technical knockout (watch highlights), Hill extended his current streak to three all by striking stoppages. When looking at some of the recent speeds in which contenders have earned their title shots, Hill feels there’s no reason he can’t be next to face the champion, Jiri Prochazka, after accumulating a 5-1 (1 no contest) record in the promotion.
“We’ve seen it before,” Hill told MMA Fighting on The MMA Hour. “That’s how [Prochazka] got the belt. He jumped [the line] and got the belt. Go down a weight class, Alex Pereira [fighting Israel Adesanya]. That’s not a jump? Everybody else is getting jumped around. Why not jump ‘Sweet Dreams’ around?
“I feel like I match up with Jiri phenomenally,” he continued. “I feel like that would be a phenomenal fight, and I feel like I could take that fight. I feel like that would be a great fight. It’s a great showing. I feel like it would be very marketable.”
For Prochazka, two strong wins into his UFC career were more than enough to earn him his first title opportunity. Making good on the chance against Glover Teixeira earlier this year (June 2022) at UFC 275, Prochazka submitted the savvy veteran in the waning moments of round five with a rear-naked choke (watch highlights).
The war was as good and chaotic as any ever seen at 205 pounds, and from Hill’s perspective showed many different things he can capitalize on when facing the Czech Republic’s finest.
“I think he showed a lot of toughness [against Teixeira],” Hill said. I think he showed great athleticism, great strength, durability, and physical ability, but I also saw some holes in his game that I can take advantage of and things that I do well that I feel would give him trouble and lead to his downfall.
“Like how he takes clean shots,” he concluded. “When he gets hit clean, he’s stunted for a second, and then he stands there for a second. I don’t just hit you with one clean shot. I’m coming for more. I’m coming for multiple. I don’t think he’s ready for that.”
For complete UFC Vegas 59: “Santos vs. Hill” results and play-by-play, click HERE.