January 1, 2025 8:00 am ET
Luke Rockhold supplied his perception on the large upcoming gentle heavyweight conflict at UFC 311.
Jiri Prochazka (30-5-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) and Jamahal Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) sq. off in a key divisional matchup on Jan. 18 at Inuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The occasion streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Each fighters will look to rebound from knockout losses to UFC gentle heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, however former UFC and Strikeforce titleholder Rockhold is extra involved with Prochazka’s psychological state heading into the struggle.
“That’s a really powerful struggle man,” Rockhold mentioned on the “JAXXON Podcast.” “You simply don’t know the place Jiri’s at. His head and his thoughts. Each of them, they’re coming off unhealthy losses to Pereira. Jiri, two unhealthy losses. He simply didn’t look himself. He knew what he wanted to do, and he went on the market and fought blindly. I didn’t like the way in which that Jiri fought his final outing vs. Pereira.
“He simply didn’t appear like he would comply with the sport plan. Like, what have been you doing? I don’t know. To suppose you possibly can stand with him and play this karate model, kung fu recreation? You may’t struggle like that, a man that he’s so harmful. You may’t struggle along with your arms down and you bought to go for takedowns. You recognized his weak spot, however you didn’t even attempt to exploit it.” Rockhold charges Hill because the sharper striker going into the potential title eliminator at UFC 311, and offers him the sting over Prochazka.
“Jamahal Hill’s extra harmful,” Rockhold mentioned. “He’s received pop, he’s received energy, he goes for the kill and Jamahal’s received funky – he’s weirdly athletic generally. He’s arduous to take down. You’ve seen within the Glover struggle, he was in a position to stand up and get his approach and funks his approach by means of a number of issues, and he finally ends up discovering his shot, the kill shot. However, like I mentioned, it is a rebuilding course of for each of them and also you don’t know, however I don’t know. I would favor Jamahal on this one.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 311.
Make sure you go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of combined martial arts.
