Jamahal Hill is looking forward to the challenge of facing UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka.
Hill scored knockout wins in three of his past four fights, and is on the rise in the 205-pound division and thinks a showdown between him and Prochazka is imminent.
Prochazka (29-3-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) dethroned Glover Teixeira in a wild, back-and-forth battle at UFC 275 and was rather critical of his own performance. Hill enjoyed the fight but saw holes in the newly crowned champion’s game.
“I think the fight was exciting,” Hill told MMA Junkie. “I think it was fun to watch, and it was one of the best title fights in any weight class regardless that we’ve seen in the history of the sport and congratulations to him, but he’s just warming the throne for the true king.”
He continued, “I see openings. Everybody’s always getting better, nobody’s perfect, but I see openings, and I see things that I do that I’m able to capitalize on. I just want to get in there and see what it is. I think he’s a really good fight and a really good test, and that’s just something that I really, really want.”
Hill has to get past Thiago Santos (22-10 MMA, 14-9 UFC) first. He meets the former title challenger in the main event of a UFC Fight Night event on Aug. 6 and expects to enter the title contention picture with a win.
“I feel like I’ve got to be somewhere right up there in that mix,” Hill said. “It’s time to get the new wave and the new era in there, and I feel like I’m the leader of that.”
