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 more than a year ago.
Jamal Hill is looking to leave the light heavyweight division behind and make his debut at heavyweight, with the former 205-pound champion publicly calling out third-ranked contender Sergei Pavlovich as his desired first opponent in the new weight class.
Hill has been out of action for more than a year since dropping the light heavyweight title he once held to Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC Baku. Rountree, now ranked seventh at 205 pounds, is a 36-year-old southpaw standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach. He lands 3.88 significant strikes per minute at 40 percent accuracy, and the knockout win over Hill represented a career-defining moment for the veteran striker.
Pavlovich, the man Hill wants to face in his heavyweight debut, enters the picture as one of the most dangerous punchers in the division. The 34-year-old Russian out of Eagles MMA carries a 20-3 record and sits third in the heavyweight rankings. Standing six-foot-three with an 84-inch reach, he lands 4.43 significant strikes per minute at 44 percent accuracy, making him one of the more prolific volume strikers among heavyweight contenders.
Why it matters
- Hill moving up would mark a significant divisional shift, potentially removing a former champion from the light heavyweight picture entirely.
- A win over Pavlovich, currently ranked third at heavyweight, would immediately position Hill as a title contender in his new division.
- The stylistic matchup pits two aggressive, high-output strikers against each other, with Pavlovich holding notable size and reach advantages over any natural light heavyweight stepping up.
- Hill's extended inactivity adds urgency to the move, as over a year on the sidelines has likely affected his standing at 205 pounds.
