Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamal Hill has put on weight and is targeting a debut in the heavyweight division. Hill has called out Sergei Pavlovich as his desired opponent for the move.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamal Hill is making a bold move up the weight classes, publicly announcing his intention to compete at heavyweight and calling out ranked contender Sergei Pavlovich as the man he wants to welcome him to the division.
Hill, a former 205-pound title holder, has indicated he has been putting on mass in preparation for the jump to heavyweight. The callout of Pavlovich signals that Hill has no interest in easing his way into the heavier division, going straight after one of its most dangerous names.
Pavlovich enters the picture as the number-three ranked heavyweight in the UFC at 34 years old. The Russian fighter, who trains out of Eagles MMA, stands six-foot-three with an extraordinary 84-inch reach and competes out of a southpaw stance. He carries a professional record of 20-3 and has built his reputation as one of the most feared strikers in the division, landing 4.43 significant strikes per minute at 44 percent accuracy. He offers almost nothing on the ground in terms of submission attempts, making him a pure stand-and-bang threat.
Why it matters
- A win over a top-three heavyweight would immediately establish Hill as a legitimate force in the new division.
- Pavlovich's elite striking output and Hill's championship pedigree creates a high-profile stylistic collision.
- The matchup carries divisional ranking implications, as a victory for either fighter could push them closer to a heavyweight title shot.
- Hill's transition also thins the light heavyweight division, potentially reshaping the landscape at 205 pounds.
No official booking has been announced, and it remains to be seen whether the UFC and Pavlovich's camp will accept the challenge.
