It took a series of bizarre circumstances before Jamahal Hill got the opportunity to fight for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. On Saturday night, Hill made the most of the opportunity, beating Glover Teixeira over five rounds to win the title via a wide unanimous decision in UFC 283’s main event.
Hill wasted little time in showing that he would pose serious problems for Teixeira. Hill used a sharp jab and combinations of power punches to land big kicks in the former champion’s body and head. More important in the early rounds, however, was Hill’s takedown defense. After being defeated multiple times in his previous fight, a TKO of former title challenger Thiago Santos, Hill easily fended off all of Teixeira’s first-round takedown attempts.
Hill hit Teixeira with a headbutt in the second round that put Teixeira on rubber legs, but Teixeira eventually managed to get his first takedown of the fight. Hill was able to survive being down with Teixeira and would headbutt him again in the third round.
However, it was a hill spin in the fourth round that came closest to ending the fight as he crushed Teixeira with punches and sent Teixeira to the canvas. Hill would continue shooting, with the referee about to step in to stop the fight at several points before the round was over.
In the fifth round, Teixeira had grotesque lacerations over both eyes, but the doctor let the fight see the final round. Teixeira was able to get an early takedown in the final frame, but Hill again managed to survive and reverse position, ending Teixeira’s last hope of pulling out a Hail Mary and winning the fight.
Going the full distance while taking as much damage as Teixeira was something of a morale win, but toughness isn’t enough to win a fight, and Hill had clearly won all five rounds, which showed in the final scorecards reflected, the 50-44 each were in Hill’s favour.
“Where I’m from to get here is unreal,” an emotional Hill said after the fight. “Everything is possible. Hard work, dedication, responsibility. Don’t let anyone tell you anything. Too many people said I couldn’t do that, it was impossible, I have to win in one round, I couldn’t go five. What the hell do you have to say now?”
After the fight, Teixeira praised Hill’s toughness before putting his gloves in the ring and announcing his retirement just hours after fellow MMA legend Mauricio “Shogun” Rua fought the final fight of his own career.
“The truth is I think I’m too hard for my own good and too hard for my own health. … It’s an honor to take off the gloves on the same night as [Rua].”
CBS Sports was with you all the way on Saturday, bringing you all the results and highlights from UFC 283 below.
UFC 283 Map and Results
- Defeated Jamahal Hill. Glover Teixeira by unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44)
- Brandon Moreno (ic) defeated. Deiveson Figueiredo (c) via third-round TKO (doctor’s stop)
- Gilbert Burns defeated. Neil Magny on first round submission (arm triangle)
- Defeated Jessica Andrade. Lauren Murphy by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26)
- Defeated Johnny Walker. Paul Craig on first round TKO (punches)
- Ihor Potieria def. Mauricio Rua via TKO in the first round (punches)
- Bruno Ferreira defeated. Gregory Rodrigues via first-round knockout (punch)
- Thiago defeated Moises. Melquizael Costa on Second Round Submission (Neck Crank)
- Gabriel Bonfim defeated. Mounir Lazzez on first round submission (guillotine choke)
- Defeated Jailton Almeida. Shamil Abdurakhimov via TKO in the second round (punches)
- Cody Staman defeated. Luan Luiz Lacerda by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Ishmael Bonfim defeated. Terrance McKinney via second round knockout (knee)
- Nicolas Dalby defeated. Warlley Alves by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Josiane Nunes defeated. Zarah Fairn by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Daniel Marcos defeated. Saimon Oliveira via second round knockout (Strikes)