Jamahal Hill believes that the injury he received in his first MMA loss was due to his disrespect of the sport.
Jamahal Hill is a rising star in the UFC light heavyweight division. He is ranked in the top fifteen and he has proven that he can hold his own with the best in the sport. Hill is coming off his first career loss when he had his arm dislocated by Paul Craig. The loss and injury sustained in June may be healing, but looking back at the fight, Hill has it figured out where he went wrong.
“Me losing is nothing short of me paying for disrespecting the game,” Hill told MMA Junkie. “I disrespected the game in a way that, anybody who loves this game and strives in this game – which is most of the top guys – they don’t do. If you want to be one of those top guys you don’t do what I did. I felt like all I had to do is show up. I truly, truly felt like all I had to do it show up. Any concerns or anything I might have been unsure of or any narratives, I filled it with arrogance. There’s a difference between confidence and arrogance. It was just flat-out arrogance. I was taught a lesson and I can’t be that way.”
Hill is looking to learn from this mistake as he eyes his next opponent. He is slated to take on Jimmy Crute. The bout originally scheduled for October has been pushed back to December, as Hill continues to heal up from the injury. Getting back in there against Crute is also a way to heal mentally in a way as well.
“In a way (being undefeated) was a pressure that I wanted,” Hill said. “It was a goal, a dream of mine to stay undefeated for the entirety of my career, but it was a pressure. … Jimmy Crute beat Paul Craig. In a way, it’s kind of like a way for me to get something back.”
Crute is ranked just ahead of Hill at number 14. The fight will take place on December 4, location to yet determined.
What do you think of Hill’s theory that his injury was sustained due to not taking the fight seriously?
