Jamahal Hill Eyes Future Move to Heavyweight, Puts Tom Aspinall on Notice

Newly-crowned interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall caught Jamahal Hill’s attention with a first-round knockout win over Sergei Pavlovich in the co-main event at UFC 295.

Aspinall stepped up on less than three weeks’ notice, battled through crippling back pain and showed up to knock out the surging Russian, who was on a six-fight, first-round finishing streak. The Brit’s performance has Hill considering a move up to heavyweight in the future to test himself against the latest sensation.

“I think Tom is a stud, I think Tom is like the new prototype of what heavyweights are,” Hill told TNT Sports. “I definitely wanna do my thing at 205 and then go up and eventually see him too. So, Tom, get ready for me baby, someday. I think he has great movement. I think his coaches focus on a lot of good things, the right things to give him an edge in this game. A lot of them have the same philosophy as my coaches have and employ with me and things like that. I think he’s definitely built the right way; the way fighters should be built. It’s exciting. I’m game. I’m always game. Any time I see somebody exciting or new or they’re bringing something fresh to the cage, I wanna test myself against that.”

Following his title win over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in January, Hill had to vacate his title in July after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during a pickup basketball game. “Sweet Dreams” expects to get back to training in early 2024 with his return targeted for the second quarter of the year. The 32-year-old also claims to have been guaranteed a title shot on his return, which would pit him against newly crowned champ Alex Pereira unless “Poatan” decides to defend his strap before that.