At UFC 283, which took place on the 21st of last month, “Sweet Dreams” achieved a significant professional accomplishment by prevailing over Glover Teixeira to win the light heavyweight championship of the UFC.
Since longtime champion Jon Jones abandoned the division in February 2020 to pursue glory in the Heavyweight class, the title has been at the center of a dramatic struggle. Hill still has his sights set on a confrontation in the future with “Bones,” despite the fact that Jones’ transition will become official on March 4, 2023.
When asked about a potential battle with Jones, Hill said to James Lynch, “It’s never stopped crossing my mind, one thousand percent.”
“I still got some building to do, right? I still have defenses I have to make and things like that. But is that a challenge I want for the future? Yes, it is.”
Jones’s decision to relinquish his title resulted in a succession of champions, beginning with Jan Blachowicz. Since Jones won the 205-pound championship for the first time in 2011 against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, there have been a total of four other fighters who have held the gold, including the Pol. This is twice as many champions as there have been since 2011 when Jones first won the title.
Despite the fact that Jones will be making his Heavyweight debut against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, Hill does not believe that a contender of Jones’ caliber will have any trouble adjusting to the size difference between the two divisions.
“Jon knows, he’s been in the gym. He’s not just going with small guys, he’s had some Heavyweight looks and things like that,” Hill said.
“So, he knows the power and the strength and those things he’s dealing with, he knows that. Jon’s not stupid. I think he’s already simulated that and accounted for that. But a fight is a fight still. As far as things like that, I don’t apply things like that to Jon.”