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What Is Jamahal Hill’s Fighting Style? Is the Ex-UFC Champ a BJJ Black Belt?

Published 04/04/2024, 6:37 AM EDT

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UFC 300 is just a few days away, and Jamahal Hill is all ready to make a comeback. The 32-year-old will look to win back his belt against Alex Pereira when he steps inside the Octagon on April 13. However, he must be at his best to dethrone the Brazilian superstar.

Hill currently holds a record of 12-1-0, 1NC, and is a former UFC light heavyweight champion. Of the 12 wins, 7 came via KO/TKO. This confirms how much of a threat the Michigan native is on his feet. Before the much-anticipated battle at UFC 300, let us delve into the complete details of his fighting style.

Jamahal Hill’s unique fighting style

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‘Sweet Dreams’ was last seen inside the Octagon at UFC 283 when he defeated Glover Teixeira to win the light heavyweight title. The fight went the full distance and Hill won the fight via a unanimous decision. He dominated the fight from start to finish and was able to maintain his distance from Teixeira. Despite failing to finish the 44-year-old Brazilian, Hill set a divisional record with a staggering 232 significant strikes!

Hill’s reign at the top was very short-lived as he had to vacate the belt because of an injury shortly before his first title defense. He tore his Achilles tendon in a pickup basketball game in July 2023. The injury needed surgery and hence came a long layoff in his career.

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However, the former champion is now all geared up to go for the title against the current champion Alex Pereira. ‘Poatan’ is arguably the most lethal striker in the division and is fresh off a victory in his last fight. It will be interesting to see whether Hill can sustain the champion’s sneaky calf kicks, all the while avoiding that devastating left hook. But Hill just might have something in his quiver for ‘Poatan.

Hill’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of his biggest strengths and his 0 submission loss record is proof of the same. But is he a black belt? Let us find out.

What BJJ belt does Jamahal Hill Hold?

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32-year Jamahal Hill recently received his brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. ‘Sweet Dreams’ has been practicing BJJ for 13 years now and is just one step away from gaining the Black Belt. His BJJ skills could help him counter the hard-hitting Brazilian Alex Pereira.

However, the fight is poised to be a striking battle since both superstars excel in the department. Any grappling, if at all, could purely be precautionary, or to halt the other guy’s momentum.

Alex Pereira’s grappling had come under severe scrutiny in his early UFC fights. However, the former GLORY Kickboxing two-division champion seems to be improving at an exceptional rate. He was able to fend off the grappling offense from Jan Blachowicz and Jiri Prochazka during his last two outings highlighting his growth in the attribute. But at the same time, it stands to Hill’s advantage that one of the two losses on Pereira’s MMA record came via submission.

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Both fighters are coming off wins from their previous fights and will look to put on a show for the fans. With UFC 300 just around the corner, the fans have already started dropping their predictions. Give us yours in the comments below.

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Written by:

Anirban Chatterjee

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Anirban Chatterjee is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. Anirban holds an MBA in Sports Management and is an athlete himself. After stints in notable organizations as a professional writer, Anirban pivoted to covering UFC, ONE Championship, and other premiere MMA promoters.
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Edited by:

Yeswanth Praveen