Jamahal Hill moving to heavyweight, calls out Josh Hokit

Former UFC heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill is jumping to heavyweight after 17 fights at 205 pounds, announcing the move on his podcast and immediately calling out rising contender Josh Hokit.

Hill told listeners he has spent months adding muscle to make the division change work. "I'm gonna go ahead and say it now: I'm going to Heavyweight," he said, per MMA Mania. "Wouldn't it be better if I came back and won the Heavyweight title? I think double champ is better than two-time champ. I like the way it sounds."

Hill targets Hokit for heavyweight debut

The Chicago native wants Hokit, who has torn through the heavyweight ranks and may be approaching title contention, as his first opponent at the new weight. "I didn't even really know about him before he fought Curtis Blaydes," Hill said. "But yeah, 100 percent, Josh Hokit is a fight I want as my Heavyweight debut. Why not? Former UFC champion, come on. Come get some."

Whether Hokit accepts that challenge is another question. The surging heavyweight has little incentive to welcome Hill to the division when he could be one or two wins from a title shot. Hill acknowledged he would like to compete at Madison Square Garden or headline a card late in the year, with an early 2027 return as his fallback plan.

Hill has dropped three straight — losses to Khalil Rountree Jr., Jiri Prochazka, and Alex Pereira at UFC 300. The former champion has not fought since June last year at UFC Baku and underwent knee surgery late in the fall. He joins a recent migration north that includes Johnny Walker, Aleksandar Rakic, and Pereira, who moved up and captured the title Hill once held.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Video: Former champion Jamahal Hill moving to Heavyweight, calls out Josh Hokit – ‘Come get some’