Jamahal Hill, UFC’s former Light Heavyweight Champion, reacts strongly to the mixed responses surrounding UFC 300’s headliner announcement.
He’s set to face current champion Alex Pereira at UFC 300 taking place on Apr. 13, which marks Hill’s second title fight. Hill won the title at UFC 283 but had to give it up due to an injury.
Fans expected different headliners like Conor McGregor or Israel Adesanya at UFC 300. Hill finds this backlash surprising, given the event’s high-caliber lineup. He told MMAKnockout.com, “The main card has a champion or former champion in every fight. Each prelim could be a main event.”
Despite three title fights, fans feel let down. Hill defends Dana White, saying he aimed to meet ‘unreal expectations’. He believes White always tries to deliver something extraordinary. “He did overstep with some comments. But, he intended to deliver on those,” Hill said.
Hill doesn’t understand the problem, considering his match with Pereira is a ‘striker’s delight’ with significant title implications. He finds it funny that even matchups like Conor McGregor versus Jesus wouldn’t satisfy fans. “You could’ve got anything, and you wouldn’t have been happy,” he joked.
Addressing the criticism, Hill said the fight is high stakes and skills. “Whenever you pay for a fight, you want high-level skills and the capability of a knockout. You got that in this fight,” he stated.
Hill believes his match with Pereira surpasses UFC 200’s main events in terms of skill and entertainment. “Me and Alex are leaps and bounds better,” he added. “Whenever I step in the cage, it’s must-see TV. We both have shown who we are through blood, sweat, and tears.”
Hill assures fans they will get a memorable fight. “The true fans, which I believe run deep, know exactly what they’re getting in this fight,” he concluded.
