For the first time in the promotion’s history, the UFC headed to Azerbaijan for a Fight Night event, with their June 21 card taking place at the Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, the country’s capital city.
In addition to fighters connected with Azerbaijan throughout the card, the main event featured a former UFC light heavyweight champion trying to get back to winning ways against a top-10 contender, as Jamahal Hill took on Khalil Rountree Jr.
Hill had previously won the light heavyweight title but vacated due to injury. He entered tonight on a pair of losses since then, getting knocked out by Alex Pereira at UFC 300 in an attempt to try and win back the gold and getting stopped by Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311. Rountree, meanwhile, had won five straight before it was snapped at UFC 307 — his most recent fight prior to this card — when he challenged Pereira for the UFC light heavyweight title.
The co-main event of the evening saw Rafael Fiziev look to snap a three-fight losing skid, as he took on Ignacio Bahamondes, who entered with three straight wins and victories in six of his last seven.
The main card also featured the return of former interim title challenger Curtis Blaydes, as he took on the UFC debutant Rizvan Kuniev. It also saw a catchweight bout between Tofiq Musayev and Myktybek Orolbai, a lightweight clash featuring Nazim Sadykov and Nikolas Motta and a featherweight battle between Muhammad Naimov and Bogdan Grad.
Who delivered? Who dropped the ball? Let’s find out with the hits and misses of UFC Baku!
Miss: Many Decisions, Just Two Post-Fight Bonuses
I don’t want to sound like one of these people where it’s a big finish or bust. There can be just as great fights that are expert grapple battles as fights that are slugfests. There are fights that can go the distance that are still great fights — sometimes, even better fights than the ones that have a big, quick highlight finish.
But the problem is, we didn’t get much of that at UFC Baku.
Only two fights on the whole card ended in decision. The main card, which aired on ABC in America, even started in the middle of the final prelim because of the pacing and the fact no prelim fights had finishes.
Most of the prelim fights, additionally, didn’t bring the excitement we’ve seen with prelims from other cards. One of the jokes around MMA X/Twitter of the event’s fallout is comparing UFC Baku to an Apex with people in the audience seen leaving the card early.
I’ll be more blunt and say I think this card was worse than some of the ones we’ve seen in the Apex.
Even Dana White seemed to agree, awarding all of the bonus money only to Nadim Sadykhov and Nikloas Motta for their exciting clash — and it’s deserved.
The UFC’s first-ever event in Baku might be an accomplishment; however, the card itself was a major disappointment.
Miss: Questionable Judging
And speaking of fights that ended in decision, how is it 2025 and we’re still having talks about judges and atrocious decisions?
Unfortunately, it seems Baku was hit with a couple of decisions from supposed MMA officials that left MMA fans scratching their heads in confusion, disbelief, and perplexity.
Azat Maksum put on a heart-filled showing against Tagir Ulanbekov, the 12th-ranked flyweight in the UFC. His reward? Winning only one round on all judge’s card across all three scorecards. A portion of the crowd booed the cards, and even UFC commentary called out the judges for their questionable scoring.
That was a SCRAP 💥@Ulanbekov_Tagir wins by UD & is now on a 4 fight winning streak!
Then came the main card bout between Curtis Blaydes and Rizvan Kuniev. Blaydes definitely won the first round with his wrestling ability, but Kuniev did some damage over the course of the next two rounds — and some might feel it was more than what Blaydes delivered and should have been given the nod.
It was a close fight for sure, so feel how you feel. But if we’re going by how many in the online MMA community feel, this was just another blow to their intelligence.
Unfortunately, I know the answer to this is never, but I’ll keep yelling it: When are we going to start holding MMA officials (referees, judges, etc.) accountable for how they perform in fights, too?
Hit: Ko Seok-hyun Scores Major Upset In UFC Debut
Oban Elliott has had quite a bit of attention on him as a rising up-and-comer out of Europe. “The Welsh Gangster” entered UFC Baku 3-0 in the Octagon since his 2023 appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. And up against Ko Seok-hyun, who was making his UFC debut, most felt this was going to be another strong performance from Elliott.
Seok-hyun had other plans, however.
A +370 underdog as of about 12 hours prior to the start of his fight, Seok-hyun landed a hard left hand and then let his judo abilities take over. Seok-hyun took Elliott to the ground and landed with power at will, even opening a cut on Elliott at one point, as he dominated his way into a decision victory.
That's how you make a debut! 💪
Seokhyeon Ko wins the UD to earn his first victory! 👏
Elliott will probably rebound from this, but the focus here should be on a great UFC debut for the man who is dubbed “The Korean Tyson.” It will be fun to see what happens next for him in the Octagon.
Hit: Nazim Sadykhov And Nikolas Motta Deliver Fight Of The Year Candidate
As stated earlier, even Dana White agrees, there was one solo major highlight from the UFC Baku card: Nazim Sadykhov and Nikolas Motta beating each other to a bloody pulp until one dropped.
It was a slugfest that most agreed was one of the most exciting fights in MMA this year, let alone in just the UFC.
Motta appeared to have Sadykhov hurt in the first, and he landed a barrage of shots that seemed like would put him away for a quick ending to this fight. But Sadykhov held his own and then took advantage of a fatigued Motta, landing a barrage on him.
$100,000 between these two men is more than well deserved. I hope at the end of the year, we can look back on this fight, even if it doesn’t win Fight of the Year honors, and remember how these two gentlemen — in the midst of a card filled with so much bad — brought us eight or so minutes of exciting, wild battle.
Miss: So Much For Curtis Blaydes Being A Top Heavyweight Contender (And The Concerning State Of UFC’s Heavyweights)
As I stated earlier, Curtis Blaydes ended up getting a split decision victory after edging out Rizvan Kuniev, a former Eagle FC heavyweight champion who was making his Octagon debut on this card.
Blaydes had his fair share of shots in addition to controlling the action with his grappling and wrestling abilities, but Kiziev busted up one of his eyes and landed a stunning knee and late flurry in the third — which led plenty to believe Blaydes didn’t deserve the nod.
BY SPLIT DECISION ✂️@RazorBlaydes265 earns the win to keep his top 5 ranking! 👏
You obviously expect a ranked heavyweight contender, in his first fight since falling short in an interim title bout, to beat someone making their Octagon debut. But this was not in the way that’s going to earn Blaydes popularity points with the fans or Dana White.
Blaydes claimed he suffered an injury early on in the fight — but more than his own performance, it speaks to the state of the heavyweight division (especially in the wake of the breaking news of Jon Jones’ retirement).
Obviously the UFC’s rankings have to be taken with a grain of salt, but to say that was a performance from a top-five ranked contender is sad. And right now, there’s nothing that screams awesomeness and star power right now at heavyweight outside of new undisputed champion Tom Aspinall. Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane is the best matchup we’ve got at that weight class right now.
Blaydes’ performance is a reminder that the UFC needs to find an entertaining and talented name for the heavyweight scene outside of Aspinall – STAT.
Hit: Rafael Fiziev Gets Much Needed Win In Front Of Home Crowd
Considering his talent, it might be a surprise that Rafael Fiziev hadn’t gotten a win in three years. But the Azerbaijan native, competing in his home country, got a needed showcase with a win over Ignacio Bahamondes in the co-main event.
After targeting the body in a slow opening round, Fiziev countered Bahamondes’ attempts to get inside, and then, to everyone’s surprise, used takedowns of his own to help with controlling the action. He added in a knockdown of Bahamondes before the end of the round. Fiziev then got the better of the exchanges in an action-filled third round, earning a clean-sweep decision.
ON THEIR FEET AFTER THAT 👏@RafaelFiziev ends the fight on top in the co-main event!
After the pair of losses to Justin Gaethje, sandwiched between with an injury he suffered against Mateusz Gamrot, Fiziev is ready to take part in another lightweight contenders’ battle. Depending how future fights play out, perhaps someone in the lower part of the top-10 could be a next opponent – names that include Beneil Dariush and Renato Moicano, as well as a possible rematch with Gamrot.
Miss: A Lackluster Main Event, The Downfall Of Jamahal Hill
The UFC Baku main event between Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr wasn’t just boring, it wasn’t even competitive. Rountree used his leg-kick-based offense and his distance work to completely take out Hill, putting on a one-sided beating in a clear decision victory.
The fault here shouldn’t lie on Rountree. As he stated after the fight, he was fighting his fight and clearly did more damage to the former champ. This was a solid victory for Rountree — and as others have mentioned, a fight between him and Jiri Prochazka sounds so appetizing with their styles.
Calm, cool & collected ✔️@KhalilRountree is now tied for 3rd in all time light heavyweight wins since 2016 with 10! 👊
Firstly, what is his corner doing lying to him and saying the fight is close? By the time round three ended, it was clear Rountree was up three rounds and Hill needed a finish. He could’ve fought differently had it not been for his corner telling him to fight for a decision win — a major blunder by championship-level cornermen. It’s such a blunder, in fact, I have to question their competence — which I shouldn’t be doing for the cornermen of a fighter who was just the welterweight champion a year ago.
And then for Hill to put on the showing he did and then try to talk trash after the fight about how boring it was? Let me remind him that it takes two to tango. Rountree fought a fight that got his butt whooped, and Hill did nothing about it.
I understand Hill is pretty much embracing the heel role with his trash talk and confidence-based predictions about his fights. It’s one thing to do this when you’re winning. It’s another thing to do this when you have gotten whooped three straight times and are on a three-fight losing skid.
This needs to be a wake-up call for Hill. Another loss and we can say he is on a downfall — if you don’t want to say he’s reached his peak and is on the fall already.
Khalil Rountree Jr.’s leg kicks have always been his key to success, and he continues to show why he is a legit contender in the light heavyweight division with a major, dominant victory over former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC Baku.
After a very quiet opening round that saw plenty of leg kicks from each man, Rountree started to open up more in the second round. Rountree continued with the leg kicks, one of his specialties, and he notably damaged up one of Hill’s legs before starting to target the other. Hill’s movement was seemingly compromised by the middle of this second.
The third round had the familiar slow pace, but Rountree continued to pound away with the leg kicks. But Rountree scored the biggest moment of the night with a left hand that briefly sat Hill down. He followed that up that doing it again in the round’s dying seconds, this time with a big right hand.
Rountree continued his cerebral approach in the fourth, slowly chopping away at Hill outside of a body shot that stumbled Hill back. The fight’s pace went the same for the fifth round, as Rountree swept two judges’ scorecards in a clear, one-sided decision.
Khalil Rountree Jr. Scores One-Sided Decision Over Jamahal Hill
Alright, give me Rountree vs. Prochazka all day next.
Rountree Jr. has now won six of his last seven. This was his first fight since coming up short in a light heavyweight title fight against Alex Pereira at UFC 307.
Hill has now lost three straight since vacating the UFC light heavyweight title due to injury. This skid has also included a title fight loss against Pereira at UFC 300 and a loss to Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311 in January.
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!
In the main event, light heavyweights Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree clashed. While in the co-main event, Rafael Fiziev faced off with Ignacio Bahamondes in a lightweight matchup.
UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card
Khalil Rountree Jr. def. Jamahal Hill via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45×2)
Rafael Fiziev def. Ignacio Bahamondes via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
Curtis Blaydes def. Rizvan Kuniev via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
Myktybek Orolbai def. Tofiq Musayev via submission: R1, 4.35
Nazim Sadykhov def. Nikolas Motta via TKO: R2, 4.17
Muhammad Naimov def. Bogdan Grad via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Preliminary Card
SeokHyeon Ko def. Oban Elliott via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
Mohammed Usman def. Hamdy Abdelwahab via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
JunYong Park def. Ismail Naurdiev via unanimous decision (29-26×2, 29-25)
Daria Zhelezniakova def. Melissa Mullins via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27×2)
Klaudia Sygula def. Irina Alekseeva via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
Tagir Ulanbekov def. Azat Maksum via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27×2)
Main Card Highlights
Muhammad Naimov def. Bogdan Grad
Muhammad Naimov got it done on the scorecards in this featherweight bout.
Back-to-back W's 🤝@HillmanMMA is now on a 2 fight winning streak after his UD victory!
UFC Baku is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekend’s lineup.
The upcoming event takes place Saturday, June 21, at the Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. The main card begins at 3 PM ET/12 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 12 PM ET/9 AM PT.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill returns to the Octagon and looks to get back in the win column, as he takes on Khalil Rountree Jr.
Also making the walk on Saturday will include Rafael Fiziev and Ignacio Bahamondes (who compete in the lightweight co-main event), as well as Curtis Blaydes, Tofiq Musayev and Nazim Sadykhov.
UFC Baku: Hill vs. Rountree Jr Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Baku (as of 11:30 pm ET on 6/20), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Jamahal Hill (-110) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (-110)
Rafael Fiziev (+124) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (-148)
Curtis Blaydes (-258) vs. Rizvan Kuniev (+210)
Tofiq Musayev (+130) vs. Myktybek Orolbai (-155)
Nazim Sadykhov (-410) vs. Nikolas Motta (+320)
Muhammad Naimov (-258) vs. Bogdan Grad (+210)
Preliminary Card:
Ko Seok-hyun (+370) vs. Oban Elliott (-485)
Ismail Naurdiev (+145) vs. Park Jun-yong (-175)
Daria Zheleznyakova (+210) vs. Melissa Mullins (-258)
UFC star Jamahal Hill has said that he needs to come out and make a statement when he battles Khalil Rountree Jr in the main event of UFC Baku this weekend.
As we know, UFC Baku will be headlined by Jamahal Hill vs Khalil Rountree Jr. These are two of the most exciting strikers in the light heavyweight division, and while both are working to get back in the win column, there’s no denying that this one has the potential to produce absolute fireworks on the night.
Jamahal Hill has fallen on hard times in the Ultimate Fighting Championship as of late, between his defeats inside the cage and his injuries. With that being said, he’s a former champion, and we all know that he can knock anyone out if the opportunity presents itself.
In a recent interview, Jamahal Hill made it clear that he knows he needs to produce a big performance in order to get the attention of the UFC matchmakers.
Jamahal Hill says Khalil Rountree Jr. has only a 'puncher's chance' to beat him at #UFCBaku 👀
Jamahal Hill is ready to make a statement against Khalil Rountree Jr
”I believe 100 % I need to come out and make a statement against Khalil Rountree [Jr.]. I need to show that I’m still that high level and dominant fighter that I’ve been. The guy’s a brutal fighter. He don’t come out to just beat you. He comes out to truly do damage. He wants to be feared. But I have the ability to win a fight in multiple ways, and he has really just one way to win. He has a puncher’s chance, and I believe I’m the magician here. I got all the tricks.”
UFC star Jamahal Hill has promised fireworks in his UFC Baku main event against Khalil Rountree Jr.
On Saturday night, Jamahal Hill is set to try and get back in the win column when he squares off with Khalil Rountree Jr. The two men are both top light heavyweights, and both have their eyes firmly set on trying to get back into the title picture. There are no guarantees, but if one of them gets a big finish, they could well vault themselves into contention.
Of course, getting the job done is going to be tough given what we know about both men. In a recent interview, Jamahal Hill had the following to say on his upcoming fight.
Jamahal Hill promises big performance against Khalil Rountree Jr
“They know what I bring. They know I’m here to deliver a show. Always. I can’t think of a fight of mine that wasn’t entertaining. Even whenever I watch my fights back, I was there, and I still like to see them.
“I can pretty much click on any of them because all my fights were entertaining to this point. I don’t think there’s ever been a boring fight tied to my name. That’s one thing I’m proud of. I’ll be able to look back whenever I get older, my kids, grandkids, or whatever, and I can turn it on, and it’s like—oh, the whole time, eyes glued to it. So it’s cool.”
Buckle up, fight fans, because this is set to be a big one.
The pair were originally slated to meet in the main event of UFC Kansas City on April 26, but the bout was scrapped last week after Hill withdrew due to an undisclosed injury.
“Sweet Dreams” last stepped into the Octagon at UFC 311 this past January, where he was stopped by former champion Jiří Procházka via a third-round knockout. That defeat came on the heels of another setback at UFC 300 in April 2024, where Hill’s bid to reclaim the 205-pound crown ended in a first-round finish at the hands of Alex Pereira.
Meanwhile, Rountree Jr. is also looking to rebound from a knockout loss at UFC 307 last October, where he challenged “Poatan” for the light heavyweight title. Prior to that bout, “The War Horse” was riding a five-fight winning streak.
Hill and Rountree Jr. were initially slated to square off at UFC 303 in June 2024, but the matchup was called off after “The War Horse” tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid DHEA, resulting in a 4.5-month suspension.
Carlos Ulberg may have now set himself up for a battle of prominent light heavyweight contenders in his next fight after defeating former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in the co-main event of UFC London.
But while the fight could have fallen either way, the feeling is that both men could have done more to put on a better performance.
This opinion is evidently held by former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill, who posted his discontent over how the bout unfolded on social media.
Both men brought out a closely contested opening round, with the two spending time feeling each other out.
Blachowicz seemed to do more damage, however, thanks to working Ulberg over with a number of calf kicks, in addition to jabs. “Black Jag” did try to fight fire with fire, throwing his own low kicks.
Carlos Ulberg Edges Out Jan Blachowicz In UFC London Co-Main Event
The leg kick battle continued into the second round, with Ulberg landing more in terms of quantity, but Blachowicz landing with a little more power behind his attacks, though also slowing down a bit.
The third round continued the trend, with the Kiwi landing better quality strikes but the Polish veteran spending more time on the front foot. Ultimately, all three judges scored the fight for Ulberg, 29-28.
Ulberg has now won eight straight, with four finishes during this streak. His sole UFC loss came against Kennedy Nzechukwu at UFC 259.
Meanwhile, UFC London marked Blachowicz’s first fight since losing to Alex Pereira at UFC 291 in July 2023, having dealt with injuries since. The former champion is 1-3-1 in his last five, which stretches back to his title fight loss to Glover Teixiera at UFC 267.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill has given his take on Saturday’s main event between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev — and he doesn’t foresee it being a popular one.
This weekend’s UFC 313 pay-per-view will conclude with Pereira’s fourth defense of the light heavyweight gold, which he held through three challenges in 2024.
Among the fallen contenders was Hill, who was knocked out by “Poatan” inside the first round at UFC 300 last April.
But despite feeling the full force of Pereira’s patented left hook, “Sweet Dreams” doesn’t expect Magomed Ankalaev to suffer the same fate inside T-Mobile Arena on March 8.
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Hill broke down the latest title fight in his division. Of note was his belief that Ankalaev’s striking threat is being wrongly counted out.
“Magomed’s striking is seriously being slept on here,” Hill said. “I don’t believe that Pereira sits back and wants to fight out of the pocket. He wants to put the pressure on him and land good, hard shots on the outside. The problem with that is, Magomed is a counter striker.
“If you look at his last few fights, he counters. He waits for you to throw, to overexert yourself, and even off of feints, if you feint and it puts your feet in the wrong spot, he’s countering you. He counters with combinations. They’re fast, and he mixes up his punches. So, he has a variety of strikes available at his disposal.”
That, coupled with the Dagestani’s well-known grappling ability, has left Hill leaning on the challenger’s side with his prediction.
“I know I’m going to get hate for this,” Hill stated. “But I get hate anyway, f*ck y’all. I’m probably going to go with Magomed. I’ve just got a feeling. … I feel he has more tools to win. Alex has that one-hit wonder…but I believe Magomed also has that.
“He’s been in this position for. He let the title slip away, slip out of his hands once before. I believe he’ll be a lot more focused, locked in for this,” Hill continued. “Ultimately, he just has more ways to win.”
After a loss to Jiří Procházka at UFC 311 this past January, “Sweet Dreams” is now tasked with dispatching of Khalil Rountree Jr. if he’s to avoid a three-fight losing skid.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill and ex-title challenger Khalil Rountree are set to collide in the final main event of the promotion’s April schedule.
The mixed martial arts leader is heading to Missouri later this year to stage a UFC Fight Night from inside Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center on April 26.
This week saw the UFC confirm a number of high-profile bouts for the lineup, including the retirement fight for Anthony Smith, the next bout for entertaining middleweight Michel Pereira, and returns for the likes of Ikram Aliskerov and Giga Chikadze. And on Wednesday, a headline contest was revealed.
Off the back of consecutive defeats to Alex Pereira and Jiří Procházka, the #4-ranked Hill (12-3, 1 NC) will look to get his ball rolling again at 205 pounds against a fellow contender who also recently tasted defeat at the hands of “Poatan” in the #7-ranked Rountree (13-6, 1 NC)
When it comes to putting out fires in his combat sports career, a newfound camaraderie with Israel Adesanya isn’t the only unlikely friendship UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira is open to.
While achieving unprecedented success in just a few short years under the UFC banner, former kickboxing star “Poatan” has already has his fair share of rivalries.
Front and center is his feud with Adesanya, which was forged from two battles in the ring and the Brazilian ‘chasing’ his foe to the Octagon, where he dethroned him. A fourth clash between the pair finally went the way of “The Last Stylebender,” leading to talk of yet another installment.
And with one heated conflict now firmly in the past, “Poatan” is willing to do the same to another that’s currently raging on down the line.
During an interview on Straight Talk with Mark Bouris, Pereira was asked about the possibility of forming a similar bond with former opponent Jamahal Hill.
“Right now, at the moment no, because of a potential fight in the future. We fight in the same weight class,” Pereira said. “But if [it] happens just like Israel Adesanya, I’m not fighting him [Hill] anymore, I have no problem with that. We can be friends, train together; no problem for me.”
Pereira and Hill’s animosity arose ahead of their title bout at UFC 300 last April, with “Sweet Dreams” confidently downplaying the Brazilian’s threat only to be knocked out inside the first round.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka disregarded any and all trash talk that Jamahal Hill had thrown his way when they shared a drink this past weekend.
The two ex-titleholders collided in one of the most important and highly anticipated matchups on the opening pay-per-view card of the year, UFC 311 inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.
“BJP” was largely on top throughout an entertaining scrap, dropping “Sweet Dreams” more than once before a final flurry in round three forced the referee’s intervention to award the Czech star victory by way of TKO.
Though Hill gained a reputation as somewhat of a ‘sore loser’ in some circles of the MMA community owing to his reaction post-KO defeat to Alex Pereira, he was gracious and classy in reacting to the Jan. 18 setback.
That was most visible when the two combatants shared a drink following their battle. And during an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Procházka detailed what was said.
“We saw each other after the fight and in the bar when we were back in the hotel,” Procházka said. “I bought him a glass of vodka. So, we took a shot and I just told him like, ‘We fight together, we drink together…all good between us,’ and he is the same.
“He’s a good guy, man. He’s a really, really good guy,” Procházka continued. “In some situations, I don’t know why he was (talking trash) before the fight. We spoke about his speeches and all these things, but I don’t care right now. It is behind us.”
It remains to be seen what will come next for either man, but judging by his Octagon interview with Joe Rogan, it’s clear that “BJP” has his sights set on a third opportunity to defeat Pereira.
Jamahal Hill appears to be in good spirits following UFC 311 this past weekend where he was defeated by Jiří Procházka in a fantastic light heavyweight contest. The former champion is currently coming off of back-to-back defeats for the first time in his career after facing two of the most dangerous knockout artists in the sport in consecutive outings.
“Sweet Dreams” certainly had his moments in the fight, specifically in the second round where he appeared to swing the momentum back in his favor by starting to land more effective strikes on his opponent. After seemingly being hurt to the body in that round, Procházka bounced back in the third and was able to finish Hill to get himself back in the win column.
Whilst there are certainly positives for Hill to take from this fight, this was a big moment for him in his career but he isn’t letting that keep him down for too long. There was tension between the two men in the build-up to the fight following some comments that Hill made but this has since been put to rest in the aftermath of their long-awaited fight.
The Chicago native posted a video on his Instagram which shows the two men sharing a drink with one another in Los Angeles after putting on a great back-and-forth battle for the fans inside the Intuit Dome. The mutual respect shown in this video was also echoed by Hill in the caption as he reflected on the fight for the first time.
He gave props to his opponent whilst being grateful for the position he’s in right now with plenty of hunger to get back to winning ways in the near future.
“First of congratulations to @jirkaprochazka you made great adjustments and gave me a hell of a fight!!! I want to thank everybody that reached out with love and support I truly appreciate you all!!! My fire has never burned hotter or brighter for my future and growth!! Fighting against the elite of the elite is an honor and blessing that I don’t take for granted and yes it comes with some hard lessons but this is my journey and I’m going to set the course back right!!! Negative and hate are from those that know where they stand beneath you and want to bring you down to their level!! My head is high my heart is full and I can’t wait for my time to shine again Sweet Dreams Nation we move forward and onward!!!”
With plenty of anticipation around their fight, Jiří Procházka managed to come out on top in a battle of former UFC light heavyweight champions, defeating Jamahal Hill at UFC 311.
After feints and feeling out on both sides, Hill started to work combinations, but Procházka soon found his rhythm and landed power shots, one of which dropped his opponent. The two traded throughout the later portion of the opening frame, but it appeared that the American was tiring from loading up, reaching, and missing his punches.
“Denisa” and “Sweet Dreams” each had their moments in the second round, landing inside and connecting with powerful single punches and combinations, momentum swinging both ways.
But the Czech fan favorite caught Hill at the right moment during the third round, dropping him with a one-two combination, punctuated with a right hand, before finishing things with some ground-and-pound.
Jiří Procházka KOs Jamahal Hill In Back & Forth War At UFC 311
Both of these men came into this fight off unsuccessful title shots against Alex Pereira last year. They are also both former light heavyweight champions who didn’t lose their title in the Octagon.
Procházka defeated Glover Teixeira at UFC 275 to win the 205-pound championship but vacated due to injury. He lost to Pereira twice (at UFC 295 and UFC 303), with a win over Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 300 sandwiched in between.
Hill, meanwhile, defeated Teixeira for the vacated title at UFC 283 but had to relinquish the gold himself due to injury. He lost to Pereira at UFC 300 last April.
UFC 311 takes place on Saturday night, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!
The upcoming pay-per-view event at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California provides a chance for UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev to record his fourth successful title defense.
While that was initially set to come in the form of a rematch opposite top contender Arman Tsarukyan, a back injury sustained during his weight cut forced the planned challenger to withdraw. Stepping in on 24 hours’ notice will be Renato Moicano, who was originally slated to share the cage with Beneil Dariush on Saturday’s main card.
The stakes will also be high in the co-main event, which will see undefeated bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili look to complete his ascent to the top by unseating current kingpin Merab Dvalishvili in his first defense.
Elsewhere on the UFC 311 card, a pair of former light heavyweight champs in Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill collide, the always entertaining Kevin Holland meets ex-ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder, and Jailton Almeida and Serghei Spivac battle to establish themselves in the heavyweight title picture.
Jamahal Hill is set to face fellow former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka this weekend at UFC 311. Hill has made it clear that he believes a victory would solidify his claim to the next title shot.
Hill’s rivalry with current 205-pound kingpin Alex Pereira has added extra intrigue to his journey back to the top. The two were involved in a controversial altercation at the UFC Performance Institute last month, a situation that drew criticism toward “Sweet Dreams.” This incident has further motivated him to prove his worthiness for another championship opportunity.
For Procházka, the focus remains firmly on the task at hand. He has warned his opponent that overlooking him in favor of thoughts about a title shot or Pereira would be a costly mistake.
“I would just say that it is a big mistake when you are not focused on what’s before you, and you’re looking at another opponent — it will cost you a lot,” Procházka said during the UFC 311 media day. “So, it’s just about staying humble and focused on what’s before you. I don’t speak about other opponents, about who will be the next. Even if I did say I want to fight Alex Pereira for a third time because I believe in myself and the changes in my style.
“No, this is not the time or place right now. There is Jamahal Hill this Saturday, and I want to win,” he continued. “And I’m going to win this fight. Then we can talk about others.”
UFC 311 takes place tomorrow night, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!
After staging fights at Las Vegas’ Apex facility to kick off 2025, the mixed martial arts leader will host its first pay-per-view of the new year from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
Two titles will be on the line at the top of the card, with Islam Makhachev defending his lightweight belt against familiar foe Arman Tsarukyan in the main event. Co-headlining, meanwhile, will be a first-time clash between reigning bantamweight kingpin Merab Dvalishvili and undefeated challenger Umar Nurmagomedov.
Also on the main card will be returns for ex-light heavyweight champions Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill, as well as charging 155-pound contender Renato Moicano and the always entertaining Kevin Holland.
UFC 311: Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2 Weigh-In Results
UFC 311 takes place Saturday, January 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
See above for a replay of the UFC 311 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below.
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship: Islam Makhachev (154.5lbs) vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Bantamweight Championship: Merab Dvalishvili (134lbs) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (135lbs)
Light Heavyweight: Jiří Procházka (204.5lbs) vs. Jamahal Hill (204.5lbs)
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush (155lbs) vs. Renato Moicano (155lbs)
Middleweight: Kevin Holland (183.5lbs) vs. Reinier de Ridder (184.5lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott (135.5lbs) vs. Raoni Barcelos (135.5lbs)
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida (235lbs) vs. Serghei Spivac (233lbs)
Light Heavyweight: Bogdan Guskov (205.5lbs) vs. Billy Elekana (200lbs)
Lightweight: Grant Dawson (156lbs) vs. Diego Ferreira (156lbs)
Early Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Zachary Reese (185.5lbs) vs. Azamat Bekoev (185.5lbs)
Women’s Bantamweight: Karol Rosa (135.5lbs) vs. Ailín Pérez (135lbs)
Bantamweight: Rinya Nakamura (135.5lbs) vs. Muin Gafarov (136lbs)
Bantamweight: Ricky Turcios (136lbs) vs. Benardo Sopaj (135lbs)
Flyweight: Tagir Ulanbekov (125.5lbs) vs. Clayton Carpenter (125.5lbs)
Jamahal Hill believes he has earned the right to be back in the title conversation in the UFC light heavyweight division, believing a victory in his next fight will guarantee him a shot at reclaiming the championship.
Hill is set to face fellow former 205-pound kingpin Jiří Procházka on Jan. 18 at UFC 311. Hill, no stranger to championship glory, captured the vacant title at UFC 283 by defeating Glover Teixeira via decision. However, in July 2023, he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during a basketball game at the UFC’s International Fight Week, forcing him to relinquish the belt.
The American’s road back to the top has been challenging. He faced Alex Pereira for the gold in the main event of UFC 300 last April but suffered a first-round knockout loss. Despite this setback, “Sweet Dreams” is determined to work his way back to the title.
“Yeah, 100 percent,” he said at UFC 311 media day when asked about earning the next title shot. “I feel a win here, especially a dominant, impressive win, next fight is title. Next is the championship. I don’t see why it wouldn’t be. Ankalaev fought No. 5, No. 4 or something like that last, then that just says title? So, I’m fighting No. 2 in the world. I don’t see me going backward from that.”
Hill’s rivalry with Alex Pereira extends beyond the Octagon, as they were involved in a controversial altercation at the UFC Performance Institute last month.
That incident has only added fuel to his determination to prove himself worthy of another championship opportunity.
The main event will see lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev defend his title for the fourth time since capturing it at the expense of Charles Oliveira over two years ago. To continue his reign, the Dagestani is tasked with spoiling the ambitions of a familiar foe in Arman Tsarukyan.
Co-headlining will be another champ in Merab Dvalishvili, who will look to maintain his status as bantamweight kingpin by blemishing the currently perfect record of Umar Nurmagomedov.
Ahead of Saturday’s UFC 311 event, Ryan Jarrell, Thomas Albano, Pranav Pandey, and Aakrit Sharma have provided their picks for the five matchups set for the main card.
A leaderboard will track the team’s scores throughout the year following the opening PPV of 2025 in Los Angeles.
And with that, it’s time for their predictions for UFC 311.
Middleweight: Kevin Holland vs. Reinier de Ridder
Images: Chris Unger & Jeff Bottari/UFC/Zuffa LLC
Thomas Albano: This one’s the fight that gives me the most trouble. I love the accomplishments Reinier de Ridder had while dominating the ONE Championship scene. But he had some struggles against Gerald Meerschaert, and he’s probably going to struggle against Kevin Holland too.
Holland himself isn’t in the best of all momentum places, with losses in five of his last eight fights, but what he does bring is some power that can certainly rock “The Dutch Knight.” De Ridder’s grappling abilities and his grit may very well get him a late victory, like what happened in his UFC debut. But if he doesn’t show strides in this outing, win or lose, that doesn’t smell good for his UFC tenure if he gets placed up against tougher competition. (Prediction: Reinier de Ridder)
Ryan Jarrell: De Ridder flashed moments of extreme talent in his UFC debut, but I think it’s safe to say his performance wasn’t what his team wanted or expected. He better bring his best against Holland because the American has pop on the feet and a very dangerous ground game. This is a very close fight to pick, but if you are forcing me to lean one way, give me the guy who has 23 UFC fights on his résumé. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Pranav Pandey: This matchup leaves me scratching my head, and I’m unsure of exactly what to make of it. RDR has a submission game that’s as smooth as it is dangerous. But don’t sleep on his striking either; the man’s well-rounded skill set is what has made him a two-division champion in ONE Championship. With only two losses on his record, both at the hands of Anatoly Malykhin, it’s clear that de Ridder is a tough riddle to solve.
“Trailblazer”, however, enters with his own set of advantages. While “The Dutch Knight” made quick work of Meerschaert in his UFC debut, it’s worth noting that he was getting clipped early in that fight. This is where I think Holland’s high-paced, dynamic striking could create some serious problems for de Ridder, especially if he can force the pace early. While it’s true Holland has experienced a few setbacks in recent bouts, I still think his striking style could catch the Dutchman off guard.
That said, I’m torn on this one. De Ridder has the tools to neutralize Holland’s striking and dictate the fight, but I’m leaning toward Holland here. He’s the more unpredictable of the two, and that could be the key to pulling off a win. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Aakrit Sharma: I just can’t bet against Holland. Even though he’s 5-5 in his last 10 fights, “Trailblazer” has the tools to knock out or submit some of the best fighters in the world on a good day. De Ridder’s run in ONE Championship was impressive, but the competition he’s faced so far cannot be compared to the UFC middleweight division. Submitting Meerschaert was a good start, but Holland should be a tougher opponent because of his toughness and creative arsenal.
At middleweight, “Trailblazer”, who’s also just 32, boasts more power and has a higher chance to survive the striking exchanges because the opponents are slower than welterweights. De Ridder’s path to victory is his submission and grappling game, but Holland has been to the ground with the likes of Michael Chiesa, Derek Brunson, and Khamzat Chimaev, so he definitely won’t be overwhelmed. As bad and risky this could be for my prediction record, I once again pick Holland to get a finish. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Consensus: 3-1 Kevin Holland
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
Images: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: Entering 2023 off a win over Mateusz Gamrot, Beneil Dariush appeared to be on the doorstep of challenging for the UFC lightweight championship. But that year ended up being arguably Dariush’s worst. While getting finished by Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan is nothing to sneeze at, he didn’t look the greatest in either fight. And while he’s faced top-level competition, that could smell trouble when taking on a rising name like Renato “Money” Moicano.
Despite being sidelined for a while through injury, Moicano’s name has continued to rise since his famous money post-fight promo. The pair of fights he had last year against Jalin Turner and Benoît Saint Denis brought me some trepidation on how he’d be able to come out of both of those fights with his hand raised. Not only did he win both of those fights, but he also got finishes in both. Moicano is continuing to evolve, and if Dariush is not careful and can’t use his jiu-jitsu experience to dictate this fight, it’s going to be a painful defeat. (Prediction: Renato Moicano)
Ryan Jarrell: Moicano continues to impress me more and more each time he enters the UFC octagon. Dariush is a worthy adversary, but after seeing what the Brazilian did to Saint Denis, it’s going to be very difficult to pick against him unless he’s fighting someone closer to the top of the division. Dariush is a crafty veteran, so it may take a couple of rounds for Moicano to figure him out. But he will find a way to win this fight, whether it’s a finish or goes to the judges. (Prediction: Renato Moicano)
Pranav Pandey: Dariush vs. Moicano could be an all-out brawl, with the makings of a true dogfight. Dariush was on a tear before his recent setbacks, having delivered back-to-back standout performances against some of the most formidable contenders in the lightweight division. He’s demonstrated remarkable resilience and toughness in high-pressure situations. However, my concern for him lies in the aftermath of consecutive knockout defeats, compounded by an extended hiatus of over a year. Has this time away slowed him down, or has he used it to evolve and refine his skills? Only time will tell.
On the other hand, we have “Money” Moicano, who made a statement in his last outing against Saint Denis, showing that he’s a force to be reckoned with, capable of landing serious damage. But let’s not forget that Moicano’s black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu is just as dangerous as his striking power, as he’s made a habit of submitting opponents who dare engage him on the ground. His consistent activity inside the cage should give him an edge over Dariush, who may look to take the fight into deeper waters. Ultimately, I think Moicano’s pace and versatility will grind Dariush down. (Prediction: Renato Moicano)
Aakrit Sharma: Dariush going on an eight-fight win streak and defeating Tony Ferguson and Mateusz Gamrot left him as easily one of the best lightweights in the world. However, now he’s 35 and coming off two consecutive first-round KO losses, and I believe that his best days are behind him. The defeats to Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan obviously aren’t a bad look on anyone’s record, and I still believe Dariush possesses the raw skills and IQ to beat Moicano. He simply doesn’t seem like an athlete who can withstand the natural decline that comes with age.
Moicano, also 35, has generated a ton of momentum and fans by looking great in all his last four victories. Although his striking still needs improvement, he’s showcased solid grappling, resilience, and pace against a variety of highly skilled lightweights. I wasn’t sold on his latest run until he outclassed Saint Denis. So, I pick Moicano to win this fight, hoping he then finally gets a big name like Paddy Pimblett. (Prediction: Renato Moicano)
Consensus: 4-0 Renato Moicano
Light Heavyweight: Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill
Images: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: If you want variety in your MMA card, look no further than UFC 311. While the title fights are filled with grappling specialists, this fight presents a battle of former UFC light heavyweight champions (neither of whom lost their title in the cage, but both of whom have come up short against Alex Pereira) who could turn the other’s lights off at any second. That said, I feel much safer picking Jiří Procházka to do that in this one.
This isn’t to knock Hill’s rise from Dana White’s Contender Series to the UFC, but when you look at the names Procházka has faced since entering the UFC in mid-2020, and the performances and hype surrounding his fights since then, I find myself questioning how Hill is going to be able to get that damaging, finishing blow on “BJP.” The Czech star is the pure definition of a warrior in our modern MMA world, and I can see him continuing to come forward, despite Hill’s best efforts, until he gets another highlight finish. (Prediction: Jiří Procházka)
Ryan Jarrell: This is such an interesting fight and an important one for both men. There has to be a nasty taste in both of their mouths from what Pereira did to each of them in their last fights. I think this comes down to which guy is in the better head space, and based on what we’ve seen from Hill at the UFC Performance Institute, I believe that man is Procházka right now. This will be a competitive fight and both men will have their moments. But I believe the Czech star will have the more meaningful moments and will catch “Sweet Dreams” at some point with a shot he won’t recover from. (Prediction: Jiří Procházka)
Pranav Pandey: Procházka vs. Hill has all the ingredients for a no-holds-barred showdown, and I can’t help but anticipate a wild ride. Both former champions have built reputations for their fearless, all-out fighting styles, often throwing caution to the wind in pursuit of a finish. While it’s easy to joke about the reckless nature of their approach, the reality is this clash promises to be an electrifying showdown that fans won’t want to miss.
“Sweet Dreams” possesses remarkable knockout power, which perfectly complements his solid striking arsenal. However, from what I’ve observed, his striking can occasionally look a bit awkward, especially when it comes to his footwork. There’s also the lingering question about his takedown defense, as it haven’t been truly tested at the highest level just yet. On the flip side, we have the enigmatic Procházka, whose striking style can often seem like organized chaos — unorthodox and unpredictable, but undeniably effective. His wild technique has proven to be a nightmare for opponents, and he’s no slouch when it comes to submissions either.
If “Denisa” can maintain distance and avoid the brute force of Hill’s strikes, I believe the Czech star will find himself in a position to dictate the pace and possibly even dominate this matchup. (Prediction: Jiří Procházka)
Aakrit Sharma: UFC 311 is full of evenly matched fights and this is one of them. While Procházka only has two losses (both to Pereira) in the last 10 years and looked great in his last outing, Hill is coming off a self-proclaimed controversial loss to “Poatan.” Both Procházka and Hill are crafty strikers and it would be surprising if either goes into the fight with a grappling-heavy gameplan. Hill, I think, is the more conventional striker, while his Czech opponent just walks into chaos and hopes to land the finishing strike first.
I wanted to give Procházka an edge because of his experience, but to be fair, he hardly makes use of it and ends up brawling after a point like Michael Chandler. This should work to Hill’s advantage as I consider him to be a smarter fighter between the two. It’s hard to bet against someone as likable and dynamic as Procházka, but I believe “Sweet Dreams” is severely underrated and the loss to Pereira has motivated him to gain the respect of the community back. If he lands constantly and shows the great chin he’s usually had, this should be a tough but very feasible win for him at UFC 311. (Prediction: Jamahal Hill)
Consensus: 3-1 Jiří Procházka
UFC Bantamweight Title: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Images: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: “The Machine” is such a perfect nickname for Merab Dvalishvili. After losing his first two UFC fights, he has since shown just how dominant of a takedown artist and wrestler he can be. He has made fights which looked even and interesting on paper not even close. Just look at the way he handled Sean O’Malley in his last fight to win the bantamweight championship. The Georgian has been an excellent source of talent and entertainment at 135 pounds…but so too has his challenger at UFC 311 – Umar Nurmagomedov.
Since joining the UFC in 2021, Nurmagomedov – cousin to Khabib and older brother of Usman – has enjoyed a fairly quick rise toward the top of the bantamweight rankings. Something the combat sambo specialist and champion possesses is striking that is continuing to develop well with every appearance he makes in the Octagon. The way he performed against Cory Sandhagen was a masterclass. While Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov can certainly hang with each other, this feels like a fun fight to go along for a potential “and new” ride. (Prediction: Umar Nurmagomedov)
Ryan Jarrell: I am a big fan of Dvalishvili’s fighting style and how he constantly moves forward when inside the Octagon. Having said that, he may need to change things up a bit in the fight from a stylistic standpoint. Nurmagomedov is undefeated for a reason, and his wrestling and grappling is extremely elite. The Georgian clearly has the better overall résumé and has shared the cage with the more dangerous fighters, so I don’t expect him to be overwhelmed or outclassed. But when you have an undefeated guy with the last name Nurmagomedov, the smart thing is to predict he stays undefeated. (Prediction: Umar Nurmagomedov)
Pranav Pandey: I think this bout seems to be another captivating tactical battle on the UFC 311 card, with both fighters bringing their own brand of grappling artistry to the Octagon. it’s easy to see why many might favor the undefeated Dagestani, as he seemingly possesses all the tools required to stifle Dvalishvili’s relentless takedown game. Nurmagomedov’s grappling prowess is renowned, but it’s his striking that has truly set him apart at bantamweight — many believe he’s evolved into a well-rounded threat who can dictate the pace with his superior striking, all while maintaining a solid grappling foundation to neutralize the champ’s onslaught.
Still, I can’t help but feel that there’s a certain underestimation of “The Machine” at play here, both from fans and oddsmakers. The nickname speaks for itself — Dvalishvili is an unstoppable force, a man whose work ethic and unyielding style have broken many before him. In my opinion, there’s nothing that Nurmagomedov brings to the table that Dvalishvili hasn’t already encountered and overcome. Just look at how the Georgian bulldozed through opponents on his path to the title. It’s clear that while “The Young Eagle” may show plenty of promise, it won’t be enough to dethrone “The Machine” in this clash. (Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili)
Aakrit Sharma: It has been a trend to only appreciate fast-paced MMA when strikers like Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway, Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler and Edson Barboza showcase it. It’s great that someone like Dvalishvili, who can somehow wrestle for five rounds straight, has finally gained the recognition of fans worldwide. I believe Petr Yan, Jose Aldo, and Henry Cejudo might have been superior to “The Machine” in terms of pure skill. However, the UFC bantamweight champion seems exceptionally powerful for the division, and his ability to never back down in a fight and maintain the same energy throughout the five rounds has helped him develop an invincible aura lately.
Nurmagomedov, like the champ’s past opponents, is undeniably skilled, but he doesn’t always go for the kill and boasts a lower finish rate than Makhachev, Usman Nurmagomedov, and Khabib Nurmagomedov. With such a style, I see him winning a round or two in the beginning but losing momentum as the fight goes into the championship rounds. Dvalishvili, on the other hand, will likely struggle to dominate Nurmagomedov entirely because the undefeated prospect will be able to get up and land punches as well as kicks. Having said that, the Georgian fighter’s cardio and chin should again carry him to victory.
He’s beat the best strikers and wrestlers out there, so Nurmagomedov would really have to bring something never seen before to surprise the champion. (Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili)
Consensus: 2-2
UFC Lightweight Title: Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan 2
Image: @ufc/X
Thomas Albano: The first time that these two faced off, it was a grappler’s paradise. They put on a display that showcased the true beauty of this side of MMA, and the two got a well-deserved Fight of the Night honor. Since then, Arman Tsarukyan has continued to improve his game in all manners of competition. There’s just one problem – Islam Makhachev has continued to improve his game, too, so much so that he is now the world champion and has racked off several excellent displays against ever-evolving, tough competition consistently over the last few years.
Tsarukyan will still most likely try to be on the front foot and bring the pressure early on in this contest. But the more this bout goes on, the more it’s going to be in Makhachev’s favor, showing why he is the top dog in the UFC at 155 pounds. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Ryan Jarrell: This highly anticipated rematch goes all the way back to 2019 when Makachev beat Tsarukyan via unanimous decision in a three-round bout. Obviously, both men have improved dramatically since their first fight. With how action-packed I expect this fight to be, I’m intrigued to see who has the better gas tank if we hit championship rounds. The challenger is absolutely ripped heading into this fight, and definitely is a live dog. Tsarukyan has all the tools to be a champion, but can he actually beat Makhachev? I won’t believe until I see it, so give me the champion to retain his title and move up to 170 pounds to try and collect a second belt. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Pranav Pandey: The rematch has all the makings of one of the most riveting and fiercely competitive showdowns the UFC has witnessed in recent years. It feels like a truly exceptional clash, where both fighters exhibit an uncanny parity across nearly every dimension of the game. Whether it’s striking, grappling, or wrestling, Makhachev and Tsarukyan operate nearly on the same elite wavelength. Makhachev has emerged as a relentless force in the lightweight division since his close friend and mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, bid farewell to the UFC. The reigning champion has systematically dismantled every challenger with dominant, one-sided performances.
While his matchups with Alexander Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier pushed him in unique ways, it was his first encounter with Tsarukyan that, in my opinion, presented the most formidable grappling challenge of his career — a challenge the Dagestani ultimately overcame. If you believe that Makhachev can still overpower “Ahalkalakets” as he did before, you’re in for a surprise. Tsarukyan has made significant strides in his game since their initial meeting, proving he is more than capable of matching Makhachev’s prowess. In my opinion, this showdown will go down as a blend of high-level grappling exchanges and fiery stand-up action.
This is the kind of fight where logic leans toward Makhachev, but there’s an undeniable allure in rooting for Tsarukyan. However, when it comes to making a choice, I’d side with Makhachev. I think he holds an edge in experience, skill, and even grit, which makes him the likely victor. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Aakrit Sharma: Tsarukyan could easily be a top five pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC right now. However, I can’t imagine anyone dethroning Makhachev from top spot anytime soon. I agree with the sentiment that Tsarukyan’s grappling and wrestling prowess can trouble the champ more than anyone in the lightweight division, and he has also significantly improved his cardio and athleticism since the first fight. On the other end, though, Makhachev has evolved into one of the best strikers in the lightweight division, which surprisingly should be his path to victory this time around.
MMA math doesn’t work but comparing Tsarukyan’s and Makhachev’s performances against Oliveira seems fair due to the styles of these matchups. If the fight goes to the ground and Tsarukyan gets into troublesome positions like he did against the Brazilian, Makhachev won’t give him the room to slip out of his shorts and escape. Tsarukyan has displayed knockout potential, too, but having seen the champ comfortably trade in the pocket with Poirier in his last defense, it seems unlikely that the Armenian would be an equal, if not a bigger threat.
This definitely has Fight of the Night written all over it, and as talented and gifted as “Ahalkalakets” is, Makhachev looks like he’s leagues above the rest for now. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Consensus: 4-0 Islam Makhachev
That’ll do it for our UFC 311 staff picks! What do you think? Do your predictions look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the full UFC 311 card below.
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship: Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Bantamweight Championship: Merab Dvalishvili (C) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Light Heavyweight: Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
Middleweight: Kevin Holland vs. Reinier de Ridder
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott vs. Raoni Barcelos
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac
Light Heavyweight: Bogdan Guskov vs. Billy Elekana
Lightweight: Grant Dawson vs. Diego Ferreira
Early Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Zachary Reese vs. Azamat Bekoev
Women’s Bantamweight: Karol Rosa vs. Ailín Pérez
Bantamweight: Rinya Nakamura vs. Muin Gafarov
Bantamweight: Ricky Turcios vs. Benardo Sopaj
Flyweight: Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Clayton Carpenter
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 311!
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill has no desire to secure respect from the MMA masses.
Hill marks one of the top names set to feature on the undercard of this weekend’s UFC 311 pay-per-view, as he and fellow ex-titleholder Jiří Procházka set the stage for two championship headliners inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.
Ahead of it, “Sweet Dreams” certainly isn’t short of detractors. Be it due to his ongoing excuses following a knockout loss to Alex Pereira last April at UFC 300, his heated altercation with “Poatan” at the UFC Performance Institute last month, or the fiery responses he sends on social media, plenty have developed a negative perception of Hill.
The #3-ranked light heavyweight contender, however, could not care less.
“As far as everything for the stuff online, it’s just people talking,” Hill said during UFC 311 media day. “I understand, I understand that it’s hard to watch other people do things that maybe you wish that you could do, or maybe that you would want to do, or maybe you don’t have the courage to do, and then you want to spit out some venom and try to bring them down to a certain level of maybe where you are, or maybe you feel about yourself. So I just don’t really focus on that.
“It’s more the fact that the guys that are actually in here, that take the same risk as me and do it, and they respect it and they understand what I’m putting into this. That means a lot more than any weirdo sitting in his mom’s basement, talking with Cheeto dust and sh*t,” Hill added.
While he doesn’t seek respect from his haters, Hill will no doubt be looking to make a statement en route to proving them wrong come fight night in Los Angeles on Jan. 18.
And should he stall his Czech opponent’s plans for a third dance with Pereira, perhaps “Sweet Dreams” will be in the conversation for a rematch of his own with the Brazilian, whose expected clash with Magomed Ankalaev this year remains unofficial.
Former UFC light heavyweight champions Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill had a respectful interaction days out from their showdown in Los Angeles this weekend.
And among the most intriguing and high-stakes bouts on the undercard is the clash between Procházka and Hill, both of whom are looking to reinsert themselves into the title picture at 205 pounds after defeats to Alex Pereira in 2024.
In the build-up, “Sweet Dreams” hasn’t shied away from some strong talk, which has made him a polarizing figure among MMA fans.
The contest between “BJP” and “Sweet Dreams” will mark the third bout on the main card, setting the stage for title defenses in the bantamweight and lightweight divisions.
After Merab Dvalishvili battles the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev will renew hostilities with a familiar foe in Arman Tsarukyan to close out the show inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.
Both former UFC light heavyweight champions are coming off crushing knockout losses to reigning divisional kingpin Alex Pereira in their most recent Octagon appearances. In fact, “Denisa” experienced his first UFC defeat at the hands of Pereira when they fought for the then-vacant 205-pound title at UFC 295 in November 2023.
Procházka’s unorthodox fighting style has made it difficult for his past opponents to decipher, but Luke Rockhold believes that this very uniqueness also exposes significant vulnerabilities — especially when facing someone like Hill.
During a recent appearance on the JAXXON PODCAST, Rockhold lambasted Procházka’s tactics in his rematch against “Poatan” this past June, asserting that the Czech fighter lacked any coherent strategy in the bout.
“I didn’t like the way that Jiří fought his last time out versus Pereira,” Rockhold said. “He just didn’t look like he would follow the game plan. Like, what were you doing? I don’t know. To think you could stand with him and play this karate style, Kung Fu game. You can’t fight like that, a guy that he’s so dangerous, you can’t fight with your hands down and you got to go for takedowns. You identified his weakness, but you didn’t even try to exploit it.”
The former UFC middleweight champion went on to assert that “Sweet Dreams” holds a distinct tactical advantage over Procházka and is more than capable of getting the job done at UFC 311.
“Jamahal Hill’s more dangerous. He’s got pop, he’s got power, he goes for the kill and Jamahal’s got funky — he’s weirdly athletic sometimes. He’s hard to take down. You’ve seen in the Glover [Teixeira] fight, he was able to get up and get his way and funks his way through a lot of things and he ends up finding his shot, the kill shot. But, like I said, this is a rebuilding process for both of them and you don’t know, but I don’t know. I might favor Jamahal in this one.”
Both Procházka and Hill are coming off devastating knockout defeats at the hands of reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira in their last Octagon appearances. Since their bout was booked, “Sweet Dreams” has made some bold comments about the Czech fighter’s style. Hill went so far as to compare their losses to Pereira, claiming that while he was caught accidentally at UFC 300, Procházka was “done bad” at UFC 303.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, “Denisa” mentioned that he’s aware of Hill badmouthing him but has no intention of responding in kind to the American’s antics.
“I don’t care what he’s saying because it’s not just primarily about me, it just shows what what is in his head,” Procházka said. “Man, I don’t care about what other people say about me because when you know how this works, how to work the mental of the human body, so how people can speak about others and why they speak about others, especially when he don’t know me personally. He knows just my fighting style and in that, he’s totally out with his commentary.”
Procházka went on to explain why he chooses not to engage in trash talk, stressing that he’s more than willing to settle the score with Hill once the Octagon gates closes.
“So that’s why I don’t care about these trash talks because. Do you know how the true confident man, a real man [looks] like? He don’t know. He don’t need to say some sh*t about others, to speak about his strong sides and about the weaknesses in his opponent because he’s self-confident too much to not do that… I’m going there, I will show my best, and I will show that to all the world that I’m the best, and that’s all. My actions will talk.”
Prior to his latest defeat to Pereira in a short-notice title fight this past June, Procházka secured a second-round finish over Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 300.
Meanwhile, Hill’s loss to “Poatan” marked his return to the Octagon after a memorable title win over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in January 2023. “Sweet Dreams” was forced to vacate his title in July 2023 due to an injury.
At UFC 300, Alex Pereira seemed to produce the definitive statement in his short-lived rivalry with Jamahal Hill after stopping the former light heavyweight champion in the first round and taunting him immediately after. “Sweet Dreams” unsurprisingly didn’t take to this too kindly and with his Octagon return taking place next month at UFC 311, Hill is going to want to run that fight back if he gets his hand raised against Jiří Procházka in California.
It appeared that the two men nearly came to blows during a recent confrontation between them at the UFC PI in Las Vegas during fight week for UFC 310 this month. A video posted on social media showed that Hill approached “Poatan” who was getting some work in with his close team before they started trading words.
Pereira even threw a pair of gloves at Hill at one point in the video and though nothing physical happened between them, it could have been a different story if the champion’s coach, Plinio Cruz, wasn’t there to diffuse the situation and tell his fighter to back up. Hill, however, doesn’t believe that it was a big deal in hindsight.
Whilst he was quite casually walking over to his former opponent, it seemed from his reaction that Pereira did not appreciate Hill’s conduct or comments in the moment. The champion made it pretty clear that if Hill wanted to, they could go a couple rounds right then and there.
He spoke in a recent interview with James Lynch for Bodog Canada where he tried to tell his version of events. Hill said that there was a bit of a breakdown in terms of the communication of what was being said back and forth after Cruz stopped relaying the messages back and forth. Despite this, Hill looks back at the exchange as a positive without it being anything too significant.
”After he [Pereira] said that last part he [translator] kind of stopped translating to me, he kind of stopped translating what he was saying to me. The situation ain’t even that serious bro, it’s a fun interaction, I mean seeing that competitive fire is there, he’s down to go, I’m ready to step up and fight him…as ready to go, to step up and fight.”
Jamahal Hill has his eyes firmly set on UFC 311, where he’ll face Jiří Procházka in a light heavyweight contenders’ match. However, “Sweet Dreams: isn’t just thinking about the Czech star; he’s already envisioning the 205-pound title belt wrapped around his waist.
Hill recently made headlines after nearly getting into a physical altercation with Alex Pereira at the UFC Performance Institute. The incident, which began as a heated exchange, was sparked by their rivalry on social media. The American addressed the confrontation in a YouTube interview with Helen Yee.
“We had an exchange where he said something on Twitter,” Hill explained. “And I just went to go tell him in person, ‘Yo, I’m coming. I’m putting in the work. Don’t run to heavyweight. After I handle this guy, you’re next.’ That was pretty much how it started, and then it went from there.”
The tension escalated quickly, with Hill recounting Pereira’s verbal jab.
“He said, ‘You woke up from UFC 300,’ and I was like, ‘I’m wide awake now and I’m going to put you to sleep for real.’ It was never anything like, ‘Oh, let’s fight right now,’ or nothing like that. It was just competitive talk, and then it went from that to what people saw.”
😳 Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill ran into each other and were ready to throw down pic.twitter.com/tkMgzRO1m9
Reflecting on the altercation, and his decision not to lace the gloves upon Pereira’s invitation, Hill emphasized that he’s motivated by the opportunity to make a statement — and get paid while doing it.
“Like I told him, we don’t need gloves because if we going to fight right here, right now, we just gonna fight. You know what I’m saying? But I get paid. I’m here to make money, and I’mma knock your ass out and I’mma collect a check for it.”
For Hill, a clash with Pereira is the ultimate goal. Frst, he’s determined to handle business at UFC 311 against and make his case for a title shot.
