Jamahal Hill announces move to heavyweight after year layoff

Former UFC heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill will move to heavyweight when he returns from a knee injury that has kept him out since June 2025.

Hill revealed the weight class change on his YouTube channel Wednesday, saying he has been adding muscle for several months to prepare for the jump. "I'm going to go ahead and say it now: I'm going to heavyweight," Hill said, per Sherdog. "Yeah, wouldn't it be better if I came back and went and won the heavyweight title? I think that means more than winning the light heavyweight title again. They both mean a lot. I think double champ is better than two-time champ, though. I like the way it sounds."

Hill targets Madison Square Garden return

The 35-year-old has not competed since dropping a unanimous decision to Khalil Rountree at UFC on ABC 8, his third consecutive defeat. That skid also included losses to Jiri Prochazka and a first-round knockout at the hands of Alex Pereira at UFC 300, where Hill challenged for the belt he had been forced to vacate after tearing his Achilles tendon in a basketball game.

Hill captured the vacant 205-pound title with a decision win over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in January 2023. He has floated Josh Hokit — who recently stopped Derrick Lewis at the UFC White House event — as a potential first opponent at heavyweight.

Hill said he hopes to fight at Madison Square Garden later this year or headline a card before 2026 ends, though he hedged on committing to a firm date. If that timeline does not work out, he added, early 2027 remains the target for his heavyweight debut.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Former UFC champ announces change in weight class