Jamahal Hill’s Insight on UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev
Jamahal Hill, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, offered his candid thoughts on the upcoming title bout between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313. Despite his personal bias and past conflicts with Ankalaev, Hill believes that Magomed has the edge in this tight contest. He anticipates a close fight but ultimately expects Magomed to emerge victorious.
Hill’s Personal Stance and Prediction
Hill, who narrowly lost to Pereira in 2024, broke down the championship contest on his YouTube channel and shared his expectations. "I’m gonna get hate for this one — but I get hate anyway, f*ck y’all," he said. "I’m probably going to go with Magomed. I just got a feeling that he has more tools to win. Obviously Alex has that one-hit wonder. If he catches you, he can put you away, but I believe Magomed also has that. He has his speed, the patience, the counter. He’s been in this position before and he let the title slip out of his hands once before, and I believe he’ll be a lot more focused, locked in for this. I believe he just has more more ways to win. I’m gonna go with Magomed Ankalaev."
Background and Context
Ankalaev fought Jan Blachowicz for the vacant title in 2022, but the bout ended in a draw. Hill won the title from Pereira’s friend, Glover Teixeira, in Brazil in 2023 but had to vacate it due to an injury. Pereira then captured the belt and defended it three times with knockouts the following year. Hill acknowledged his dislike for Ankalaev but still thinks he was unfairly passed over for a title shot against Khalil Rountree in 2024. His decision to return to the octagon early after an Achilles injury was partly motivated by his desire to face Ankalaev before Pereira did, as he recognized the lucrative nature of the matchup.
Pereira’s Strengths and Challenges
Hill gave a detailed analysis of Alex Pereira’s strengths and the challenges he faces. "He’s new to MMA and he’s fallen in love with learning the sport of MMA, so it’s all new to him. He’s always working, he’s always grinding, he’s always going out getting work with new guys, getting different looks and things like that, and I believe that’s put him in a really, really good place, and at a high level so early in his MMA career. He’s a workaholic. From what I can tell, he’s always in good shape and all those things. He don’t really get too far distracted or off to the wayside with the wrong stuff. That’s something that I believe works really, really well for him."
Pereira’s power, pressure inside the cage, and his unique striking techniques, including his low kicks and fast check kicks, make him a formidable opponent. Hill emphasized Pereira’s polished striking skills, noting that he is one of the most polished strikers not just in MMA but in kickboxing of all time.
Ankalaev’s Underappreciated Skills
Despite Pereira’s strengths, Hill believes that Ankalaev’s striking is being undersold. "Magomed’s striking is seriously being slept on here. It’s seriously, seriously being slept on here," he said. Ankalaev has scored knockouts in six of his 11 UFC wins, including notable stoppages of Johnny Walker, Anthony Smith, Ion Cutelaba, and Marcin Prachnio. Hill highlighted Ankalaev’s proficiency as a counter-striker, his ability to mix up his punches, and his effective use of combinations and footwork.
Tactical Advice and Predictions
Hill advised Pereira to be cautious with his power shots and to consider using low kicks and body jabs to force Ankalaev to make mistakes. He also suggested that Pereira should use combinations rather than waiting for the one-shot knockout. In clinch situations, Pereira should use knees to damage Ankalaev, as engaging in wrestling could be too challenging.
"I believe the wrestling will play a huge factor. Whenever Alex tries to corner him, because Alex wants to get you up against the cage, he wants to corner you and then he wants to let those big shots go and hit you with that power and kind of put you away there. I believe Magomed should sit back, be patient and be ready for those counters," Hill explained. He sees a scenario where Magomed could counter and knock out Pereira, or control the fight with distance and range, potentially wearing Pereira down over the rounds.
Conclusion
In summary, while Hill acknowledges Pereira’s formidable skills, he believes that Magomed Ankalaev has a more diverse set of tools and a better strategic approach for the UFC 313 title bout. Hill’s analysis suggests that Magomed’s patience, counter-striking abilities, and experience in high-stakes fights will give him the edge over the powerful but potentially predictable Alex Pereira.
