Jamahal Hill certainly made the most of his first main event, closing UFC Vegas 48 with a brutal ‘Knockout of the Year’ candidate to finish Johnny Walker.
The end came after Hill lunged into an exchange and clubbed Walker with a devastating right hand that seemingly knocked the Brazilian out on his feet, sending Walker tumbling backwards to the canvas. Hill followed up with another punch as referee Jason Herzog rushed in to stop the carnage, with the end coming at just 2:55 of the first round.
“I timed that one coming forward,” Hill said of the finish. “I just threw and it landed and it landed clean. Because if that one didn’t land, I had another one coming right behind it. It was good.”
DID THAT JUST HAPPEN!??
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) February 20, 2022
JAMAHAL HILL STUNS JOHNNY WALKER!! #UFCVegas48 pic.twitter.com/xmusGS7N3f
When the fight started, it was Walker showcasing his typical flashy moves, as he fired off head kicks in succession. In return, Hill was patient with his own strikes as he marched forward while looking to set up his left hand from the southpaw position.
The repeated kicks from Walker were blocked, but he was doing damage as Hill’s forearms began to swell, however the American continued to press the action. Hill also noticed that he was struggling to connect with his left hand, which forced him to switch to an orthodox stance — and that’s what helped him connect with the punch that ended the fight.
As soon as he stepped into his combination. Hill uncorked a right hand over the top that blasted Walker near the temple of his head — and it was as if a switch was flipped, as Walker immediately went out on his feet. Like a tree falling in a forest, the Brazilian just toppled backwards as he hit the ground with his head smashed against the canvas.
Nothing sweet about these dreams #UFCVegas48 pic.twitter.com/eUdU0ltZnJ
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 20, 2022
The follow-up punch was just an exclamation point as Hill cemented the win, which moved him to 4-1 with one no contest since joining the UFC roster. With three knockouts in those four wins, Hill is ready to show the light heavyweight division that a new threat has arrived as he seeks to take a step forward in his competition after Saturday night.
“I’m feeling great,” Hill said. “I just wanted to come out here and show myself again and show what I can do. Stop doubting, start believing.
“I’m ready to come for that [title]. Right now, we’re going to see. I’m going to get with the head bosses and see what makes sense.”
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