Jamahal Hill took exception to sideline reporter Megan Olivi referring to him as the interim light heavyweight champion during Saturday’s UFC Charlotte broadcast.
In the main event, rising contender Johnny Walker scored a brilliant unanimous decision victory over perennial contender Anthony ‘Lionheart’ Smith, moving him one step closer to a potential title opportunity. Speaking with Olivi following his win, Olivi referred to the reigning 205-pound champ as an interim titleholder. Though accidental, the slight was enough to get Hill’s attention prompting him to call out Olivi on social media.
“Interim Champ? @MeganOlivi that’s how you feel?” Hill wrote in a now-deleted tweet.
Unfortunately, Hill overlooked the part of the interview where Olivi quickly corrected herself. Getting wind of Hill’s response on Twitter, she immediately apologized for the slip-up and let it be known that she had corrected herself quickly.
“I immediately corrected myself! I’m so sorry, you know I have nothing but respect for you!” Olivi tweeted in response.
It didn’t take long for trigger-happy UFC fans to chime in on the situation, many of them disparaging Megan Olivi in some fairly foul ways. Hill politely asked fans to cut Olivi some slack, acknowledging that he made a mistake in missing her correction on-air and confirmed that the pair have nothing, but respect for one another.
“Y’all chill on @MeganOlivi I was getting on a plane a didn’t listen close enough to the clip!!! She made a mistake and immediately corrected herself!! It’s always been nothing but love and respect between us!!!” Hill said.
Y’all chill on @MeganOlivi I was getting on a plane a didn’t listen close enough to the clip!!! She made a mistake and immediately corrected herself!! It’s always been nothing but love and respect between us!!!
— Jamahal Hill (@JamahalH) May 14, 2023
Fans Turn on Jamahal Hill in a Series of NSFW Tweets
Of course, much of that meant little to MMA Twitter who continued to trash both Megan Olivi and Jamahal Hill in a barrage of NSFW responses. Many suggested that Olivi’s mistake was a Freudian slip, claiming that Hill had not yet earned the right to be called a UFC champion as the title was vacated by Jiri Prochazka while he continues to recover from shoulder surgery.
Hill was thrust into the main event spotlight at UFC 283 in January, competing against former champion Glover Teixeira for the vacant championship. Hill delivered a brilliant 25-minute performance to earn a unanimous decision while simultaneously sending Teixeira into retirement. Apparently, that wasn’t enough for some fans to buy Hill as a legitimate world champion.
You can see some of the more animated responses on Twitter below while the full thread can be found here.
Ur losing the title next fight anyway sooooooo
— Baby G (@ojbxng) May 15, 2023
she right you a paper champ holding jiri’s belt
— DoBronxs (@DoBronxsCharles) May 15, 2023
Ur a paper champ, literally no one sees u as the legitimate champ. Only reason u got the belt is through Jiri vacating and u fighting his leftovers.
— John_Doe (@JohnDoe32507951) May 15, 2023
Lowlife Jamahal makes the UFC look like Bellator
— IAMTHEAMERICANDREAM (@IAMLIFEPOLYMATH) May 14, 2023
she right you a paper champ holding jiri’s belt
— DoBronxs (@DoBronxsCharles) May 15, 2023
You're not the real champion shut up and go away like you will the minute Jiri touches that chin
— Gino the Nose (@TheSchmattaKid) May 15, 2023
You're not the real champion shut up and go away like you will the minute Jiri touches that chin
— Gino the Nose (@TheSchmattaKid) May 15, 2023
Thank you. Please consider donating the the GoFundMe I started to get her breast implants.
— Jason Diaz (@mrSDcity) May 15, 2023
Thank you. Please consider donating the the GoFundMe I started to get her breast implants.
— Jason Diaz (@mrSDcity) May 15, 2023
You are 12-1 and only the champion because Jiri vacated. You should consider yourself an interim champion. What a weirdo.
— Anona Miss (@Femanonymously) May 14, 2023
You are 12-1 and only the champion because Jiri vacated. You should consider yourself an interim champion. What a weirdo.
— Anona Miss (@Femanonymously) May 14, 2023
She should be doing makeup tutorials not talking about fighting
— RonDeTrumpis (@DeTrumpis) May 14, 2023
She should be doing makeup tutorials not talking about fighting
— RonDeTrumpis (@DeTrumpis) May 14, 2023
