Jamahal Hill became the UFC’s new light-heavyweight champion tonight at UFC 283 with a convincing unanimous decision victory over Glover Teixeira.
Round One:
The main event fight for the vacant light-heavyweight title is underway in Rio!
Teixeira feints a takedown straight away. A brief pause and then he goes for another, working for it against the cage, but it doesn’t pay off. Hill with a knee strike to the body before they break away.
Hill threatening with the uppercut. Teixeira tries again for the takedown and again it’s stuffed.
Jab lands for Hill. Nice one-two for Teixeira. leg kick for Hill. Single-leg attempt from Teixeira doesn’t work out.
Solid kick from Hill. Teixeira goes for the leg again but doesn’t commit to it. Hill with some heavier punches now upstairs.
Overhand right for Teixeira lands. Hill kicks the legs and lands a front kick to the body too.
Jab for Teixeira. Both men swing wild at close range but don’t land. Nice uppercut from Hill. Eyepoke from Teixeira forces a brief stoppage.
Single leg attempt from Teixeira and almost is able to get something going there from that but Hill does well to stay upright.
Hill lands to the head and kicks to the leg. Another leg kick from him. Left hand for Teixeira and Hill tries to get that back with punches of his own.
Round Two:
Teixeira looking to punch to the body and Hill comes close with a counter. Inside leg kicks from Hill and then one to the outside.
Knee to the body from Hill and then Teixeira receives an eyepoke and gets a brief break.
Leg kick from Teixeira. Now a head kick attempt from him. Hill fires back with one of his own that Teixeira only barely got is defense up in time to block. However Hill then throws another and hurts him, then goes for it again.
Teixeira in trouble as Hill looks for punches and lands a couple of times significantly. Teixeira hanging on in there now though and now starting to press forward. Now it’s Teixeira who lands a hard punch and leaves a deep cut under Hill’s right eye.
Hill going for another head kick attempt. The action continues and now Teixeira goes for a takedown and finally that strategy pays off for him as he lands it.
Hill trying to get up quickly, but Teixeira manages to keep him down and looks to move to the back. Back on top again he almost looked to set up an arm triangle but Hill adjusted and then does well to get to his feet soon after.
Teixeira marching forward as Hill is still looking to strike. Teixeira with a left hand. Hill lands a counter while in reverse. Hill with another couple of jabs and a straight at the end of the round. Both men going back to their corners bloodied.
Round Three:
Jab for Hill. Teixeira working an early takedown attempt against the cage and Hill spits his stance wide as he defends and then turns into him.
Punch to the body from Hill. He backs up slightly. Multiple jabs from Hill. More of that rangey jab and then a right hand. Teixeira steps into a punch. Another jab for Hill and Teixeira is bleeding even more.
Head kick from Hill and Teixeira is wobbled. Teixeira falls under pressure and is now in survival mode. On his knees Teixeira is moving his head side-to-side. He goes to his back. Hill landing a few punches, but not going all out for the finish. Teixeira kicks him away but isn’t able to get back up.
Hill standing over him and now drops into guard landing punches. Hill stands up and backs off to get the fight back to striking range.
Teixeira tries for a takedown but easily shrugged aside. Right hand gets through for Hill as Teixeira tries to pressure.
Jab for Teixeira and misses on the straight behind it and Hill lands instead. Teixeira swiping at his bleeding left eye.
Teixeira pressing forward with hooks. One-two for Hill. Winging punches from Hill. Hooks from Teixeira. He lands a left hand. Nice jabs repeatedly connect for Teixeira.
One-two for Hill. Overhand from Teixeira. Hill with two punches and a good knee to end the round.
Round Four:
Teixeira looking worse for wear with multiple cuts as we head into the championship rounds.
Body kick from Hill. Another lands. He’s pumping out the jab too. Head kick from Hill threatens again. Teixeira goes into the clinch as Hill is working a knee. Teixeira marches him over to the cage and tries to work a takedown, but Hill spins away.
Jab for Hill. Overhand right from Teixeira grazes the target. Another kick upstairs from Hill. He goes to that again. Big right hands for Hill now too.
JAb for Hill. Teixeira barrels into range swinging for the fences but doesn’t find the mark.
Punch from Hill and Teixeira almost walks away for a moment and swats at his bloodied face. However, then he fires back with two heavy punches.
Hill more patient behind the jab as Teixeira marches forward looking to change the momentum. Hill trying for the kick upstairs again. Teixeira punches to the body.
Hill with straight punches and Teixeira is backing up and looking like the end might be near. Ref is warning Teixeira to fight back as more punches land, but then he does respond to that with punches of his own.
Hill racking up the punches here. Big strikes land for him in the final seconds and Teixeira shouldn’t be allowed to take much more punishment.
Round Five:
The doctor takes a close look at Teixeira before the final round, but Teixeira looks determined to continue.
jab for Hill. He lands it again. Teixeira goes from a single to a double and after not landing it first he does manage to bring Hill down close to the center of the Octagon.
Hill looking to sweep, but Teixeira has half guard. Now he manages to pass to side control. HIll tries to stand and Teixeira adjusts to keep him grounded.
Big opportunity for Teixeira here, but can he make it count? He’s got three minutes left as he looks to pass guard and gets to full mount.
Hill scrambling with all his energy and is able to sneak out and ends up on top. Huge for Hill. He’s in half-guard now and looking to lands a few punches.
Now Hill works for side control and makes it. One minute remaining and Teixeira gets free and the fight goes back to the feet.
Head kick attempt from Hill is blocked. Missed overhand from Teixeira. Teixeira wades in again throwing with as much energy as he can muster but doesn’t connect.
Teixeira waving Hill on, but he wisely keeps his distance, and that’s it, we’re headed to the scorecards.
Decision:
Hill dealt with the former champion very well tonight, fending off his early takedowns and then gradually punishing him on the feet with big kicks and punches, while also acquitting himself well when he was finally taken down at important moments in the fight.
Teixeira showed incredible toughness, especially for a man of his age, but in the end there’s no doubt who was the winner here, with Hill becoming the new light-heavyweight champion courtesy of a unanimous decision verdict (50-44 x3).
After the fight Teixeira admitted he might be too tough for his own good and told fans that it was now time for him to retire.
