In a recent momentous UFC 295 fight, freshly declared interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall emerged victorious after gaining Jamahal Hill’s attention with a first-round knockout win over Sergei Pavlovich. Despite stepping in on less than three weeks’ notice and battling debilitating back pain, Aspinall managed to overpower the rising Russian fighter, successfully halting his impressive six-fight, first-round finishing streak. As a result of Aspinall’s performance, Hill is now contemplating stepping up to the heavyweight class to challenge the latest sensation in the future.
In an interview with TNT Sports, Hill expressed his admiration for Aspinall saying, “I think Tom is a stud, I think Tom is like the new prototype of what heavyweights are.” Hill further added that he intends to “do his thing at 205 and then go up and eventually see him too.” He praised Aspinall’s movement and his coaches’ focus on the right training strategies. Emphasizing the similarities between Aspinall’s training approach and that of his own coaches, Hill said, “I think he’s definitely built the right way; the way fighters should be built.” Always keen to challenge himself, Hill expressed his eagerness to come up against Aspinall in the cage someday.
Highlighting his own impressive track record, Hill mentioned his title win over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in January. However, he had to relinquish his title in July due to a torn Achilles tendon sustained during a pickup basketball game. Despite the setback, the 32-year-old nicknamed “Sweet Dreams” plans to resume training in early 2024, targeting a return to the ring in the second quarter of the same year. Adding to his future plans, Hill stated he has been promised a title shot upon his return, potentially against the newly crowned champ Alex Pereira, unless Pereira chooses to defend his title beforehand.