Jamahal Hill, the UFC’s light heavyweight champion, has announced that he will be relinquishing his title after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in a basketball game.
Jamahal Hill has relinquished his LHW belt after rupturing his Achilles.
It will require surgery.
Heartbreaking news. pic.twitter.com/yO8i0oTaSz
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) July 14, 2023
Hill made the announcement on his YouTube channel on Thursday night. He said that he had been playing basketball during International Fight Week in Las Vegas, Nevada when he felt a sharp pain in his Achilles tendon. He was immediately taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Hill said that he was “devastated” by the injury, but that he knew that he had to make the decision to relinquish the title. He said that he would need to undergo surgery and then undergo a long rehabilitation process. He said that he was unsure of when he would be able to return to the cage, but that he was “determined” to make a comeback.
Hill’s injury is a major blow to the UFC light heavyweight division. He was seen as the clear-cut No. 1 contender and was expected to challenge for the title soon. However, his injury will set him back several months, and it is unclear when he will be able to return to the cage.
Jiri Prochazka has given his reaction to Hill’s injury and the vacancy of the title
In an interview with MMA Fighting, Prochazka said that he was “sorry” to hear about Hill’s injury and that he wished him a “speedy recovery.” Prochazka also said that he was “open” to fighting anyone for the title again, but that he would need to discuss it with the UFC.
Ankalaev is currently ranked No. 2 in the division, Rakic is ranked No. 3, and Smith is ranked No. 4. All three fighters are coming off of wins, and they would all be considered legitimate contenders for the title. With that said, two top contenders Jan Blachowicz and the newest addition to the light heavyweight division former middleweight champion Alex Pereira will be battling it out at UFC 291 on July 29th and a win for either one of them could be next in line for a light heavyweight title shot.
However, with Hill out of the picture, the division is wide open and there are several potential contenders who could step up and challenge for the title.
Potential contenders for the UFC light heavyweight title
Magomed Ankalaev
The No. 2-ranked light heavyweight contender, Ankalaev is coming off of a draw against Jan Blachowicz. He is a dangerous striker and grappler, and he would be a tough challenge for any fighter.
Jan Blachowicz
The No. 3 ranked light heavyweight contender, Jan Blachowicz is set to take on Alex Pereira at UFC 291 on July 29th. He most recently fought to a draw against the No. 2 ranked light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev. Blachowicz would be his toughest adversary to date as he has the knockout power and the grappling to make it a tough night for him
Alex Pereira
The former middleweight champion has finally moved up in weight after killing himself to make 185 pounds. Now that he is in the light heavyweight division, he is arguably the best striker in the entire division and is coming into his light heavyweight debut with a 4-1 UFC record. If he able to be victorious against Jan Blachowicz he would be an extremely tough matchup for the former light heavyweight champion.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
