The UFC light heavyweight title is vacant.
Friday morning, in an announcement on his YouTube channel, Jamahal Hill shared that he ruptured his Achilles. That is a significant injury that will require surgery and rehabilitation, and Hill had no other choice but to relinquish the belt.
Carried for so long by Jon Jones, the light heavyweight division has yet to find its footing without him. After Jones vacated the belt in the summer of 2020, Jan Błachowicz defeated Dominick Reyes to become the new champ. He won an odd title defense against Israel Adesanya, basically pinning him down, before losing his next bout to Glover Teixeira. That reign was also short, though it was memorable—Teixeira dropped the belt to Jiří Procházka in an outstanding bout last June. Unfortunately, Procházka has not fought since, dealing with a serious shoulder injury.
Hill won the belt in January, decisively defeating Teixeira for the vacant title (which took place after Błachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev fought to a draw in their bout for the vacant belt). Now, for the second straight time in a row, the lightweight title has been vacated.
An easy solution will be to make the upcoming UFC 291 bout pitting Błachowicz against Alex Pereira into a title bout. Błachowicz is coming off his draw against Ankalaev, a competitive bout that ended in mutual frustration. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Pereira is making his light heavyweight debut after blazing through the middleweight division. He won his first four fights in the Octagon, including defeating Adesanya for the belt, before Adesanya finally exacted a measure of revenge in their bout last past April.
For all his success at middleweight, Pereira consistently struggled to make weight. He could have even more success and longevity at light heavyweight, a frightening thought for the division.
Right now, with no certainties at light heavyweight, Pereira is the exact type of fighter who could reshape the entire division.
Holly Holm primed for run at the bantamweight title
Holly Holm fights Mayra Bueno Silva in the headline bout of Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night.
A victory will take Holm one step closer to a bout for the women’s bantamweight belt, which is now vacant after the retirement of Amanda Nunes.
“I felt I was one fight away from another shot at Nunes,” says Holm (15–6), who lost to Nunes in July 2019. “I wanted another fight against Amanda, I wanted to avenge that loss. Regardless, my eyes are on the belt.”
If Holm can defeat Bueno Silva tomorrow, then she will be among the top candidates to fight for the belt. Bueno Silva (10-2-1) has found success at 135, winning three in a row since her move from featherweight, and a victory here would give Holm victories in four of her past five fights.
The one blemish in Holm’s last four bouts was a split decision defeat to Ketlen Vieira in May of last year, a decision that still infuriates Holm. She responded this past March with an emphatic performance against Yana Santos, employing a more aggressive wrestling approach that led her to victory.
“The Santos fight, I wanted to be dominant and make it clear,” says Holm. “I thought I won the Ketlen fight, but it just wasn’t as dominant. I wanted to make sure there were no questions, and that’s what I did against Santos. I made a statement.”
The potential for a rematch against Ronda Rousey is also not entirely out of the realm of possibility. Rousey has not fought since losing to Nunes in December 2016, making it seem very unlikely she would return. But a bout at UFC 300, especially if the vacant title is on the line, may intrigue the ever-competitive Rousey.
The story line would write itself. Seven years ago, Holm gave Rousey her first defeat in the sport, and this could be Rousey’s chance to go out on top. While Holm would accept that bout, she knows the chances of it are slim.
“It’s a jump to say she’s leaving pro wrestling and going back to MMA,” says Holm. “Ronda has a lot of options. It looks likes she’s enjoying her life. She has a competitive mindset, so I wouldn’t be shocked if she came back, but I don’t think that’s in her future.”
For now, Rousey is not the focus. Holm’s attention belongs to Bueno Silva, and tomorrow’s bout is one she needs to win.
“I’m looking to show something new,” says Holm. “And, like always, I’m going to put it all on the line.”
Alexander Volkanovski was the centerpiece of remarkable UFC 290
Nearly a week removed from UFC 290, it is incredible to think of the dominance of Alexander Volkanovski.
Volkanovski toyed with Yair Rodríguez, one of the best featherweights in the UFC, in their title unification bout at 290. Ilia Topuria makes sense for his next opponent, but this is Volkanovski’s time to take another run at Islam Makhachev—though that comes with a risk.
If Volkanovski loses to Makhachev for a second consecutive time, that will leave a stain on his legacy. And Makhachev will be favored to win that rematch. He is bigger, stronger and will likely be even better prepared after nearly getting upset by Volkanovski last February.
Yet it is a fight worth the risk. If Volkanovski defeats Makhachev and wins the lightweight title, his place as an all-time great will be secure.
The Pick ’Em Section:
UFC Fight Night women’s bantamweight bout: Holly Holm vs. Mayra Bueno Silva
Pick: Holly Holm
UFC Fight Night welterweight bout: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Bassil Hafez
Pick: Jack Della Maddalena
UFC Fight Night lightweight bout: Francisco Prado vs. Ottman Azaitar
Pick: Francisco Prado
UFC Fight Night middleweight bout: Albert Duraev vs. Jun Yong Park
Pick: Jun Yong Park
UFC Fight Night women’s featherweight bout: Norma Dumont vs. Chelsea Chandler
Pick: Norma Dumont
Last week: 4–1
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
