Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill has put fellow 205lb contender Magomed Ankalaev on blast after the Russian didn’t take too kindly to his reaction to the promotion’s booking of Alex Pereira vs Khalil Rountree Jr.
Last week prior to the promotion’s blockbuster UFC 305 event, CEO Dana White announced that light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira would defend his title against Khalil Rountree Jr next.
The news came as a huge surprise considering ‘War Horse’ is currently ranked number eight in the division, and number two ranked contender, Magomed Ankalaev got snubbed.
Jamahal Hill gives his reaction to surprising title fight booking, Ankalaev responds
Former UFC light heavyweight champion, Jamahal Hill was scheduled to fight Rountree Jr at UFC 303 this past July, but Rountree Jr was removed from the event after a failed drug test.
The 34-year-old blamed the failed test on the supplement company and has seemingly since had it cleared.
Hill shared his frustration following the news, questioning how Rountree Jr was favored with a title shot considering his recent history.
“He’s coming off tainted drug tests, tainted supplement, whatever. He’s coming off that where he was set to fight me in a light heavyweight contender fight to where now he gets to bypass that and now it’s straight to a title fight,” Hill said in a video on his YouTube channel.
“It’s a wild wild turn of events, man. It’s crazy. I don’t know if it’s ever happened before where a fighter has been removed from a bout cause of tainted substances or whatever and then receive a title shot over a number of other contenders,” he continued.
Hill did mention Ankalaev as one of the fighters that have been bypassed, stating that ‘the UFC just don’t like you bro’.
“Why is Jamahal Hill crying? Pereira just made you sleep, get back in the like and work your way up or be ready for Abu Dhabi because Rakic may pull out,” Ankalaev posted on X.
- SPARRING STORY: Kamaru Usman recollects sparring ‘not the sharpest’ Dricus Du Plessis and talks about the improvements he’s made
Jamahal Hill rips into ‘clout chaser’ Ankalaev following his response
The Russian contender is set to take on Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308 in October, with a win surely earning him his well-deserved title shot.
Having said that, Ankalaev has speculated that Rakic may pull out of the bout, urging that Hill remains ready to step in and settle their online feud.
Responding to Ankalaev, Hill said: “This dude just can’t stop trying to clout chase in whatever way he can bro… For you to say I’m crying because I spoke on an obvious fact of the game that affects everybody in our weight class, I see what you’re trying to do.
“You see that the whole fanbase are kind of against me, they want to try throw s*** on me, you think you can get some cool points by jumping on that bandwagon and call me out, stop it bro. You’re talking this fly out to Abu Dhabi this and that, if you want to fight me, I’m the former champion.
“If I decide to give you a chance we’ll do it on some s*** on my terms… If my phone rings and they need someone to come step in and handle you, you’re light work for me.”