Jamahal Hill’s Injury: Why Did the UFC 300 Star Vacate His Light Heavyweight Title?

Before Alex Pereira won the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 295 last year, the two preceding champions had to vacate the belt due to injury. ‘Poatan’ defeated one of them, Jiri Prochazka, who was coming back from a shoulder injury at their UFC 295 bout, to win a UFC title in two weight classes. And now, he will face former champion Jamahal Hill in the main event of the UFC 300 milestone PPV card on April 13 for his first 205-pound title defense. While not quite the rematch fans were expecting, it is likely to be a striking masterclass between two men who are willing to trade heavy shots. However, Hill is coming off a serious Achilles tendon injury, which may prove consequential in the bout.

How did Jamahal Hill rupture his Achilles?

After a victory against Glover Teixeira at their UFC 283 clash, which set a 232 significant strikes division record, Jamahal Hill became the UFC light heavyweight champion last January. Former champion Jan Blachowicz, who had previously fought #1 ranked Magomed Ankalaev to a draw for the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 282, was scheduled to be Hill’s first title defense at UFC 283.

However, in the run-up to the bout, barely six months after becoming champion, he injured his Achilles tendon while playing a pick-up basketball. He followed former champion Jiri Prochazka’s example and vacated the title to avoid holding up the division (as Jon Jones is doing to the heavyweight division at the moment).

“Everyone knows that I have been waiting for months now to face Jan Blachowicz and defend my belt and my title. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to wait a little bit. I have ruptured my Achilles… It’s one that’ll require surgery and time and rehab and things to be out for a while,” ‘Sweet Dreams’ said in a video on his YouTube channel.

More details on the ex-UFC champ’s injury

Jamahal Hill underwent surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles tendon with renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr Neal ElAttrache, who has previously operated on the likes of Kobe Bryant and Conor McGregor.

The former champion has been on the mend since then and has fully recovered. ‘Sweet Dreams’ revealed in a recent video, “I’ve been training, I’ve been sparring, I’ve been at a full go now for a few weeks now. There’s been no setbacks. Nothing hindering anything.”

“When I’m saying full go, I mean this is me doing everything full speed, full on like I would when I normally train. So, there’s no concerns. My Achilles is not an issue. It’s not a problem at all,” he said.

This is good news since Alex Pereira, with his one-punch knockout power (even after moving up from middleweight, as Jiri Prochazka found out last year), will undoubtedly be a very tough customer. And if he is anything less than a hundred percent going into the fight, Hill is in serious trouble.

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