Final Preventing Championship (UFC) Gentle Heavyweight finishers Jiri Prochazka vs. Jamahal Hill will battle this weekend (Sat., Jan. 18, 2025) at UFC 311 from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
There are a couple of methods to have a look at this most important card match up. A pessimist may view it because the battle of Alex Pereira’s leftovers. An optimist may argue that it is a championship bout in a non-”Poatan” world. I’ll cut up the distinction and argue it’s an absolute banger between hard-hitting former champions who may very probably regain gold when Pereira retires or loses his strap.
Prochazka hasn’t misplaced to anybody aside from Pereira in a few decade. Hill is likely one of the quickest to rise from Contenders Sequence to UFC gold and clearly has nice pure preventing instincts. The forecast requires violence, so finest strap in!
Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at the betting odds and strategic keys for every athlete:
Prochazka vs. Hill Betting Odds
Jiri Prochazka victory: -105
Jiri Prochazka through TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
Jiri Prochazka through submission: TBD
Jiri Prochazka through choice: TBD
Jamahal Hill victory: -115
Jamahal Hill through TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
Jamahal Hill through submission: TBD
Jamahal Hill through choice: TBD
Odds through DraftKings Sportsbook
How Prochazka Wins
Prochazka is a madman with a system. His sport is to trigger chaos and fatigue, and few are higher at touchdown haymakers underneath such circumstances. There are a ton of neat tips to his method, which is why he’s been in a position to construct such an unimaginable report in his a few years of fight.
On this bout, Prochazka doesn’t need to get stranded on the kicking vary. That’s been an issue for him just lately towards Pereira and Aleksandar Rakic: his opponents attempt to blast his legs, hold him away, and depart him strolling into counter pictures. Admittedly, these are two of the perfect low kickers within the division, and that’s not Hill’s sport typically, however I might nonetheless anticipate the Southpaw to be firing his left leg and on the lookout for counters.
Strain is the answer — clever strain, ideally. Prochazka is at his finest when feinting loosely on the skin and shifting stances behind snap kicks, utilizing his motion to cover the blitz. When Prochazka does interact, he needs to be cautious of the test hook counter that Hill is understood for. If he can weave beneath it and are available up firing, nonetheless, he’ll possible be in place to do critical injury.
How Hill Wins
Hill doesn’t do something too fancy. As a 6’4” Southpaw with pure energy and conditioning, he doesn’t actually should! “Candy Desires” is harmful at each vary and decidedly tough to carry down, making him a tough match up for many.
I alluded to the possible Hill sport plan above of holding Prochazka again with kicks then countering him on the way in which in. A key distinction between Hill and Pereira/Rakic is that Hill is a leftie, which means the calf kick gained’t be practically as obtainable. He’ll should take his left leg to the interior thigh, physique, or head, which is usually a bit harder and will depart him open to counters if thrown bare.
For Hill, the large adjustment to make is an emphasis on entrance kicks. Prochazka’s stance-shifting model typically leaves him sq., which means his abdomen/photo voltaic plexus/chest makes a big goal. Hill kicks exhausting, and snap kicks up the center don’t really feel good even for one as powerful as “BJP.” A number of exhausting kicks up the center will persuade Prochazka to push ahead. With a little bit of endurance, Hill can then look to line up his counter punches, although ensuring to exit after firing must be a precedence as effectively.
Prochazka vs. Hill Prediction
There are many similarities between these two. Each thrive of their division on the virtues of dimension and athleticism. Whereas Hill capitalizes on Southpaw fundamentals — a confirmed recipe for MMA success if there ever was one! — Prochazka has his personal distinctive method that has its faults however has labored far, far as a rule.
The last word query is whether or not or not you imagine Hill can hold Prochazka off him for a very long time or cease him early with a counter. I don’t really feel assured in both scenario. Pereira is the heaviest hitter within the sport, and it nonetheless took him a number of kill pictures to complete “The Czech Samurai.” His unimaginable sturdiness and can to win ought to permit him to (finally) get his personal licks in, and Prochazka is a spectacular finisher as soon as momentum shifts into his nook.
A part of my reasoning can be that we’ve by no means actually seen Hill in a brawl with a major slugger. Beating up Glover Teixeira was a great win, however that bout got here after Prochazka dragged him into deep waters in probably the greatest fights ever. Outdoors of that bout, Hill has solely slugged it out with … Johnny Walker? Submit-knee damage Thiago Santos? No one on his resume is sort of as harmful, younger, and sturdy as Prochazka, and I don’t imagine Hill has sufficient of a way edge to make up the distinction.
It’ll be tough and bloody, however “BJP” will get the job accomplished within the regular style.
Prediction: Prochazka through knockout
Do not forget that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of the whole UFC 311 battle card proper right here, beginning with the ESPN+/ESPNEWS “Prelims” matches on-line, that are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET, earlier than the principle card begin time at 10 p.m. ET (additionally on ESPN+).
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