When Jamahal Hill captured the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 283 by defeating Glover Teixeira, fans believed a new era was dawning in the division. Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Just six months later, the 34-year-old was forced to vacate the belt after suffering a ruptured Achilles during a basketball game. After a long recovery, Hill finally returned to action in April 2024, but his comeback hasn’t gone as planned.
The former champion has endured a nightmare stretch, struggling to regain his old form and recently suffering another setback at UFC Baku. Now, Hill has revealed that he will be facing an extended layoff from competition once again, having already undergone major surgical procedures, with more surgeries scheduled in the coming days.
Jamahal Hill Reveals His Knee Cartilage Was Practically Non-Existent Before Surgery
Jamahal Hill’s comeback trail has been anything but smooth since returning to the Octagon in April 2024. His return fight saw him get brutally knocked out by Alex Pereira at UFC 300 in a battle for the light heavyweight title. It is safe to say that things didn’t improve afterward.
At UFC 311 in January 2025, Hill suffered another stoppage loss, this time to former champion Jiri Prochazka. Most recently, at UFC Baku, Hill endured his third straight defeat, as Khalil Rountree Jr. dominated him over five rounds, scoring multiple knockdowns in a one-sided beating.
In a recent conversation with James Lynch of Home of Fight, the former champion discussed his future, a potential rematch with Prochazka, and his ongoing health struggles. Hill revealed that his knees are in severe condition, disclosing that he recently underwent a cartilage transplant after doctors discovered that the cartilage in one of his knees was completely worn out.
🚨🦵 Jamahal Hill is out until late 2026 due to knee surgery. He revealed that he had no cartilage in his knee, which affected his ability to throw kicks, bounce, and move in the Octagon:
“Apparently the cartilage in my knee was basically non-existent. There were some pretty bad… pic.twitter.com/AMRlClqnzy
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 25, 2025
The #6-ranked light heavyweight is now targeting a return at the end of 2026, hoping to come back fully healthy. Another medical procedure is also scheduled in the coming days.
Hill explained, “With this getting done, it’s something I’ve been trying to avoid because I wanted to get my belt back.”
He further added, “I lost it while I was at the top from injury, and I just wanted to get back and get it back as soon as possible. I tried to be conservative with some things that needed a more aggressive approach to them.”
It’s been nearly a week since Hill underwent the surgery, which he confirmed with an Instagram post featuring a picture of his leg and the caption, “Road back to gold, taking the time needed to recover and be at my best!!!”
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Lynch also shared an update on social media, writing, “Just spoke to Jamahal Hill, who tells me after his latest procedure on his knee, the former UFC light heavyweight champion will be out at least a year.”
Jamahal Hill Denies Retirement Talk After Surgery and Third Straight Defeat
With three consecutive losses and a major injury setback, fans have begun to question whether Hill might consider walking away from the sport. However, the former 205lbs champion was quick to shut down any talk of retirement.
He made his stance clear, saying, “I ain’t really worried about it, bro. I’m gonna be able to perform at the level I’m gonna be able to perform to. My skills and the performer that I am whenever I step in there has already spoke for itself. So, you already know what you gonna get whenever I go in there.”
He concluded with, “As long as I’m able to go in there and do that to the best of my ability, I believe I still have value and I believe the UFC still sees that value.”
Back in July, Hill had already admitted on his YouTube channel that he was nowhere near his prime and reflected on how his Achilles tear was a career-threatening injury. He also noted that his comeback had been far more challenging than most people realized.
Now, with his extended layoff confirmed, fans will be eager to see whether ‘Sweet Dreams’ can make a full recovery and return to his best form, potentially in 2027.
