NFL
By: Julio Olmo
Contenders Jamahal Hill (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) and Thiago Santos (22-10 MMA, 14-9 UFC) will go toe-to-toe in a five-round bout atop the UFC Fight Night event scheduled for August 6th.
Hill is coming off arguably the best win of his career in his first UFC headliner when he flattened Johnny Walker with a violent right hand. The win put his streak at two, joining a 48-second knockout win over Jimmy Crute in December. His only career win came via TKO due to injury against Paul Craig in June 2021.
As for Santos, a former UFC title challenger, he’ll look to bounce back from a unanimous decision loss to Magomed Ankalaev in March. The defeat was his fourth in five fights. The lone win in that stretch was a unanimous decision over the aforementioned Walker in October. Despite his recent struggles to win, Santos has continued to prove to be a tough outing for any of his fellow contenders.
Rising star Hill looks to continue his climb up the 205-pound ladder with another explosive knockout win.
The Dana White’s Contender Series signee has delivered stellar finishes against Johnny Walker, Jimmy Crute, and Ovince Saint Preux in his short time spent in the Octagon. Ready to make a statement against a true veteran of the sport, Hill is determined to take Santos’ spot in the rankings and prove that a new title challenger is on the horizon.
However Santos is a very dangerous striker and will be determined on his return to the Octagon to take down the new rising contender.
A knockout artist and former title challenger with 15 KOs, Santos holds impressive victories over former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, Anthony Smith, and Jack Hermansson.
Santos is now aiming to deliver another signature finish against Hill and make his way back into the title picture.
