Daniel Cormier broke down what’s next for the UFC light heavyweight division using his insider information.
Jamahal Hill left a void in the 205-pound division after vacating his title due to a ruptured Achilles. As a result, the MMA community has debated who should fight for the vacant throne. There were rumors about Jan Blachowicz and Alex Pereira receiving the opportunity in their upcoming fight on July 29, but UFC officials claimed that wasn’t true.
During an episode of DC & RC, Cormier revealed a potential plan for the UFC light heavyweight division by saying:
“Jan Blachowicz and Alex Pereira, I thought maybe you make that title because that’s what happened with Glover [Teixeira] and Jamahal [Hill]… I call Mick Maynard, Mick goes, ‘It doesn’t make any sense.’”
Cormier continued:
“Jiri [Prochazka] was supposed to fight for the belt. He was gonna fight Jamahal when he came back. He goes, now, you’re gonna make an interim championship fight for what? They’re just still the number-one contender to fight for a vacant championship when Jiri comes back… The winner of that fight [Blachowicz vs. Pereira] will fight Jiri Prochazka when he returns for a championship opportunity.”
Jiri Prochazka vacated the UFC light heavyweight title in 2022, leading to Hill becoming champion. ‘Denisa’ is expected to make his Octagon return later this year, and he will likely fight for the vacant 205-pound strap. Therefore, Blachowicz and Pereira are expected to determine Prochazka’s next opponent.
Daniel Cormier discusses how the light heavyweight division could play out once Jamahal Hill returns
It’s unclear when Jamahal Hill will return to the Octagon. Once he fights in the UFC again, he’s expected to receive the same respect as Jiri Prochazka and be awarded an immediate title shot. Hill’s injury is now another wild card affecting the future of the UFC light heavyweight division.
During the same episode of DC&RC, Daniel Cormier discussed who Hill could fight in his first Octagon appearance after recovering:
“You hope whoever wins that fight [Prochazka vs. Blachowicz/Pereira becomes the champ, they can hold on to the title or defend it, so that when Jamahal Hill comes back, he’s been promised a title fight when he returns.”
Cormier continued:
“It’s a weird situation where down the line, maybe, a champion has a defense or you get a champion when those two guys fight and then that person loses again, and then Jamahal fights a completely different person. It is a wide-open weight class.”
Before rupturing his Achilles, ‘Sweet Dreams’ showcased an impressive four-fight run, with wins against Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker, Thiago Santos, and Glover Teixeira. He must now wait to continue silencing the doubters with wins against top-tier light heavyweights.
