Daniel Cormier is gushing over newly crowned light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill after UFC 283.
Daniel Cormier was on hand at the UFC 283 event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He had a cage side seat for the light heavyweight title fight between Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill. Cormier was so close to the action that he was splattered with blood from the messy back-and-forth war between these two fighters. In the end, it was Hill who was able to win the belt and was awarded the unanimous decision victory over the former champ Teixeira.
Cormier spoke following the event about the bloody nature of the bout and how he saw Hill overcoming adversity to become the new champion at 205 pounds. He spoke about this and more on his YouTube channel.
“New UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill, this guy said, I had to fight to have a chance. If that doesn’t resonate with you and really make you recognize and understand what this young man went through to be where he is today, I don’t know what to tell you. But he pitched an absolute shutout against Glover Teixeira,” he said. “I mean, Glover came here tonight to fight. He wasn’t out here just to try and wrestle. He had to stand up and deal with so much adversity. When I was in the Octagon the cuts that Glover had over his eyes were nasty as hell. Look, guys, look at my microphone, look at my notes. This all came from the Glover Teixeira. Blood was flying from inside the Octagon onto our stuff. If you want to talk about what the UFC is and what these fighters go through to try to become champions.”
Daniel Cormier believes that Jamahal Hill gained confidence in that fight which will benefit him going forward
Cormier thinks that Hill handled the veteran Teixeira very well. He fought hard and played his game plan out perfectly. Cormier remembers a point in his own career where he feels he came into his own, now he thinks that moment has happened for Hill as well.
“Now the entire light heavyweight division should be on notice. Because the guy has that confidence going into his first championship fight will only carry more confidence into his career now as the champion, once you put that belt on the person, they almost level up immediately,” he said. “That is what these guys are gonna have to deal with now in Jamahal Hill. If he wasn’t scary enough, but Glover Teixeira made him level up and Glover Teixeira made him become the man that, we all have it, I had with Josh Barnett where I felt like that was a night I became a man who can fight anybody. Tonight Jamahal Hill realizes that no matter who they close the door behind him with he will be able to compete, if not beat them every single time.”
Hill is now poised to take on all competition at light heavyweight and he has already received his first call-out. Former champion Jiří Procházka is on the mend from a shoulder injury and has requested to be the first defense for Hill.
