Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamal Hill is planning a move to heavyweight and has expressed interest in fighting Sergei Pavlovich. Hill has been inactive since losing to Khalil Rountree at UFC Baku over a year ago.
Jamal Hill has set his sights on the heavyweight division, publicly calling out third-ranked contender Sergei Pavlovich as his preferred opponent for a debut at 265 pounds. The former light heavyweight champion has been on the sidelines for more than a year following his loss to Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC Baku, and a divisional move would mark a significant new chapter in his career.
Hill, a former 205-pound titleholder, has not competed since that defeat to Rountree, who currently sits seventh in the light heavyweight rankings at 15-7-0. Rountree, a 36-year-old southpaw standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, is one of the division's more dangerous strikers, landing 3.88 significant strikes per minute at 40 percent accuracy.
Pavlovich, the man Hill wants to welcome him to heavyweight, is firmly established as one of the most feared finishers in the division. The 34-year-old Russian, fighting out of Eagles MMA, carries a 20-3-0 record and is ranked third among heavyweight contenders. Standing six-foot-three with an 84-inch reach, the southpaw is a volume striker who lands 4.43 significant strikes per minute at 44 percent accuracy, making him a formidable test for any newcomer to the weight class.
Why it matters
- Hill moving up would bring a former champion's profile and drawing power into the heavyweight picture
- A win over Pavlovich, currently ranked third, could immediately position Hill as a title contender at heavyweight
- The stylistic matchup pits two southpaw strikers with finishing instincts against each other, with Pavlovich holding a notable size and reach advantage at 84 inches versus Hill's light heavyweight frame
