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UFC star Jamahal Hill is sidelined with an Achilles heel injury sustained during a basketball game, but promises that he will return to the octagon in the future. After the injury the light heavyweight fighter had to relinquish his title, the star announced on July 13.
Hill revealed to TMZ that he didn’t know the exact extent of the injury, nor aware of how long it would keep him from the octagon, though it is reported that he underwent surgery to determine the extent of his injury and the necessary steps for recovery. The fighter is currently in Los Angeles undergoing treatment. The typical time taken to recover from an Achilles tear is anywhere from eight to twelve months. The American tore his Achilles during a basketball game with Daniel Cormier.
About the circumstances around his injury, Hill said, “"I've been using basketball to work out, stay in shape with cardio and s*** since I've been [fighting]. I wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary, out of the regular. It's not an easy injury to come back from, but I do s*** that's not easy all the time.”
UFC light heavyweight division in limbo after Hill’s injury
The 32-year-old was scheduled to fight former champion Jiri Prochzaka later this year for the light heavyweight title, though plans have been changed. The light heavyweight division is left in a bit of a limbo as the fight cannot go ahead.
Hill beat Glover Texeira in January to become the 205-pound champion after earning the shot after Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev fought to a draw at UFC 282 with a vacant light heavyweight title on the line. He said that the UFC has been supportive of his injury and has assured him a title shot is waiting for him after his recovery.
“The show must go on and I’m not exempt from that,” Hill said. “I’ve been promised that I will fight for my title immediately as soon as I am able as well as the other things that come with that. It’s just part of the story. No matter what it is, history is going to be written. It’s just part of that history now. It’s just a test. I’m being tested and I will stand up to the challenge as a man and as a champion.”
