A clash between two former UFC light heavyweight champions was recently announced during the post-fight show following the Fight Night event in Macau. After the fact that Jamahal Hill will be facing Ji?í Procházka at UFC 311 was seemingly accidently said on the broadcast, it was later reported all over social media.
With Magomed Ankalaev finally being in position to face Alex Pereira for the title, that leaves the #2 and #3-ranked contenders in the division free to settle a score that has existed for a long time. On January 18 in California, Hill and Procházka will finally put this chapter of their careers behind them.
When Hill defeated Glover Teixeira to become champion, it was because Procházka had vacated the title due to a significant injury. With Hill defending his title against the returning champion set to be the next fight, the same pattern repeated itself with “Sweet Dreams” giving the title up which was then won by Alex Pereira at UFC 295 last November.
Since then, “Poatan” has finished both men in consecutive fights meaning that a long-awaited match-up between them makes total sense for the division right now. With the news coming out sooner that expected, Hill did not confirm in his recent interview with Inside Fighting that this would be his next fight though he has teased it multiple times.
“Yeah we should, there’s gonna be an announcement soon. It’s gonna be announced soon, it’s a good one, it’s a good one.”
When Hill was asked whether he could provide any hints as to which fight it might be, he said that this contest is long overdue which essentially gives the game away without saying the name of his next opponent.
“It’s been a long time, it’s been a long time coming.”
Hill was then asked whether the fight he’s signed for is the one that all the fans expect it to be and though the former champion didn’t want to sign off on this, he made it pretty clear that it’s a big, highly anticipated bout.
“I don’t know which fight y’all think it’s going to be but I know y’all won’t be disappointed by it.”