via Imago
Credit: Imago
via Imago
Credit: Imago
The main event for the historic UFC 300 card will feature a light heavyweight title clash between Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill. However, according to UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch, there are some concerns for Hill due to his injury and recovery timeline.
‘Sweet Dreams’ relinquished the light heavyweight belt in July 2023 after he revealed that he had ruptured his Achilles tendon during a basketball game. And speaking on his YouTube channel, Welch broke down how the timeline for Hill’s return after such a major injury might lead to complications for him in the pivotal clash against ‘Poatan’ as the UFC and CEO Dana White is yet to announce a back-up for the main event!
Tim Welch raises an eyebrow at Jamahal Hill’s return timeline from a torn Achilles tendon
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Jamahal Hill’s last appearance inside the Octagon was at UFC 283 in January last year, when he defeated Glover Teixeira via unanimous decision to claim the vacant UFC light heavyweight championship. However, in July, he had to relinquish the gold due to suffering from a torn Achilles tendon.
Hill confessed on his YouTube channel after the injury, “As y’all know, I ruptured my Achilles (UFC 290) fight week playing basketball… A ruptured Achilles can happen in a number of ways, and it just happened to happen this way.”
As he is now gearing up to take on the dangerous, Alex Pereira on April 13, Tim Welch recently revealed his concerns for Hill going into this matchup. He stated, “Jamahal Hill, he tore his Achilles clean off just like I did last July which is 9 months ago. My surgeon told me I’m not going to be close to 100% until 12 months, he’s at 9 months…”
Welch also pointed out Pereira’s use of calf kicks as a concern for Hill as he further stated, “…if he starts kicking his calf like that, getting down to that Achilles, who knows how strong that Achilles is attached yet.”
And that’s not all! He also raised questions about Hill’s foot positioning and the risk of re-injury when generating power from the ball of the foot, a critical aspect for striking as Welch revealed, “…my surgeon clearly said, ‘This is what you have to be careful about’. My physical therapist said, you cannot drive off the ball of your foot really hard or you’ll blow that thing again. So I’m curious”.
In conclusion, Tim Welch, drawing from his own experience with a similar injury, highlighted the potential risks of competing at less than optimal health, especially against a formidable opponent like Pereira. And the final preparation for UFC 300 by ‘Sweet Dreams’ will have to be especially careful in light of having no backup fighters announced for this matchup.
Hill’s ability to navigate these challenges will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the historic UFC 300 event as he’s already revealed his plans for the future if he manages to end ‘Poatan’s reign atop the 205 lbs division.
‘Sweet Dreams’ wants to pick up where he left off at UFC 300
Jamahal Hill is gearing up to take on Alex Pereira but he already has a plan in mind if he regains the title he never lost inside the Octagon! In a recent conversation with UFC veteran and commentator, Michael Bisping on the ‘Believe You Me’ podcast, Hill confessed that he wants to take on fights that “make sense” for the light heavyweight division.
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He stated, “I think if Jiri (Prochazka) goes out and he knocks (Aleksandar) Rakic out in an impressive fashion and has a good performance, that’s still a fight that I want, I still want that fight, but it’s got to make sense.”
Another name in his crosshairs is Magomed Ankalaev as Hill went on to reveal, “Him (Jiri) or Magomed (Ankalaev), Magomed’s there, he’s waiting…” Before his injury forced him to relinquish the belt, Hill was on a 4-fight winning streak in the UFC which saw him defeat names like Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker, Thiago Santos, and Pereira’s friend and mentor, Glover Teixeira.
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Do you think Jamahal Hill will be able to overcome the challenges of returning from a torn Achilles tendon? And what do you make of his plans for the future in the light heavyweight division? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
