Las Vegas, NV — For the returning Jamahal Hill, there’s no question that he’s ready to go for UFC 300.
“I’ve been feeling like I was ready to go for a while. But I listened to the team, I listed to the doctors,” said Hill (12-1, 1NC), who couldn’t pinpoint when he started feeling better following a severe Achilles injury, given “I’ve been ready to go since I got hurt.”
Hill was forced to relinquish his 205lb title after that injury, suffered during a basketball game in July 2023. While he’s been away, Alex Pereira defeated Jan Blachowicz, then Jiri Prochazka to claim the vacant light heavyweight championship.
It’s Pereira who Hill throws down with at UFC 300. Despite coming back as a challenger, Hill doesn’t view himself that way. “I just feel like whoever wins Saturday night is the champion. That’s just how I feel about it.”
As for what Hill has learned from the injury and time away, “appreciate the moment,” he stated. “Appreciate the moments. It could have all been over, it really could have all been over for me. There are people, there are athletes who have suffered this same injury who had to call it quits on their hopes and their dreams. And I’m fortunate enough to now be in a time, and was in a position to where the best medicine available was available to me. And I was able to take advantage of that and use the resources to make my way back and come back in a time that people really just can’t seem to believe.”
This is Hill’s fifth time fighting a Brazilian opponent, but it appears Alex Pereira’s fanbase is next level. “The Brazilian audience is different that Alex’s audience. So it’s been a different experience this time, I’ll say,” noted Hill when asked about the reaction from “Poatan” fans online.
As for Pereira himself, Hill gave him plenty of praise but is upbeat about what he’s about to do.
“He’s the two-division GLORY champion, two-division UFC champion, kickboxing great, hands of stone, bad man, just a monster, dangerous, scary dude. He’s all those things. But watch what I do to him.”
Watch the full UFC 300 media day appearance by Jamahal Hill above.
