LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 13: Jamahal Hill prepares to face Alex Pereira of Brazil in the UFC light … [+] heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
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The UFC presents its first pay-per-view card on the promotion’s 2025 schedule, UFC 311, on Saturday, January 18. The event takes place at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Two title fights headline the event. In the main event, Islam Makhachev puts his title on the line against Arman Tsarukyan in a rematch. While in the UFC 311 co-main event, bantamweight titleholder Merab Dvalishvili defends his belt against Umar Nurmagomedov. Before those fights take place, two former UFC light heavyweight champions, Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill face off on the PPV portion of the UFC 311 fight card. We look at the betting odds for that fight and offer our preview, picks, and predictions for the bout.
UFC 311 Fight Card Preview: Jiri Prochazka Vs. Jamahal Hill
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 29: Jiri Prochazka of the Czech Republic looks on during a light … [+] heavyweight championship bout during UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
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Jiri Prochazka (30-5-1) entered the UFC in 2020 with a 26-3-1 record. At the time, he was coming off a knockout win over former UFC fighter C.B. Dollaway, which earned him the Rizin light heavyweight title.
Prochazka was riding a 10-fight winning streak ahead of his UFC debut, with nine knockout wins.
The former Rizin champ announced himself to UFC fans with a second-round knockout of former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 251. The UFC awarded Prochazka a “Performance of the Night” bonus for that knockout. He followed that stoppage with another knockout, decking another ex-UFC title challenger, Dominick Reyes, in the second round of their UFC on ESPN main event matchup.
The UFC, sensing it had something special in Prochazka, then booked him for a title shot. That fight came in June 2022 against reigning champ Glover Teixeira. That fight was a spirited affair, but Prochazka once again scored a stoppage victory when he picked up his first submission in more than nine years, winning the scrap in the fifth round via rear-naked choke.
Prochazka’s title reign was short-lived. A nasty shoulder injury forced him to withdraw from a scheduled rematch against Teixeira, and he vacated the title at that time.
Prochazka made his return to the UFC Octagon in November 2023 against former UFC middleweight champ Alex Pereira. Their UFC 295 headlining bout was for the vacant light heavyweight crown. Pereira claimed the belt with a second-round knockout win, handing Prochazka his first loss since ex-Strikeforce light heavyweight kingpin Muhammed Lawal decked him in late 2015.
Prochazka bounced back from that defeat with a “Performance of the Night” bonus-winning knockout of Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 300.
That win earned Prochazka another shot at Pereira and his title. That bout headlined UFC 303 in June 2024. Pereira retained his belt with a second-round knockout win.
The 32-year-old Prochazka has 25 career knockout wins, three submission victories and, one decision nod. His losses have come by way of knockout (four), and submission (one). Prochazka is currently the No. 2 ranked fighter in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 13: Jamahal Hill enters the Octagon in the UFC light heavyweight … [+] championship fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Jamahal Hill (12-2-0-1) had a 5-0 record when he appeared on a Dana White Contender Series card in July 2019. He won that fight against Alexander Poppeck by TKO in the third round. The victory earned him a UFC contract.
Hill made his official UFC debut in January 2020, winning a decision over Darko Stosic on the main card of an ESPN+ event at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. He then faced Klidson Abreu in May 2020. He initially won that bout by first-round TKO, but the result was later overturned to a no-contest because Hill tested positive for marijuana
He followed that fight with a December 2020 TKO over former interim light heavyweight title challenger Ovince Saint Preux.
Hill’s unbeaten streak ended in his next trip to the Octagon, when Paul Craig ended their June 2021 fight in under two minutes by TKO.
Hill bounced back from that loss by rattling off three straight “Performance of the Night” bonus-winning knockouts. That run earned him a shot at then-champion Glover Teixeira. Hill put on a striking clinic in that fight, battering Teixeira over five rounds to earn a one-sided decision win and the UFC 205-pound crown. That fight headlined UFC 283 in January 2023.
Misfortune ended Hill’s title reign. In July 2023, he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during a UFC fighter basketball game. He relinquished the title and underwent surgery to repair the injury.
Hill returned at UFC 300 in a matchup against UFC light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira. Pereira ended that fight via knockout at the 3:14 mark of the first round. Hill has not competed since that April 2024 setback.
Hill, the No. 3 ranked UFC light heavyweight, has seven wins by knockout and five decision victories. Both his losses have come via knockout.
UFC 311 Fight Card Preview: Jiri Prochazka Vs. Jamahal Hill Betting Odds
When the betting odds were released for this matchup, Jiri Prochazka was a +110 underdog to Hill, who checked in as the -130 betting favorite. Today, Prochazka is +105 and Hill is listed at -125.
UFC 311 Fight Card Preview: Jiri Prochazka Vs. Jamahal Hill Significant Stats
Don’t expect grappling to come into play in this light heavyweight scrap. As such, we will only look at striking stats for the competitors.
Prochazka lands 5.38 significant strikes per minute with a 55 percent landing rate. He gets hit with a fairly high 5.59 significant strikes per minute, and his defensive striking stands at 39 percent.
Hill averages 7.18 significant strikes landed per minute, and he lands with 54 percent accuracy. Hill absorbs 3.51 significant strikes per minute and has a defensive rate of 46 percent.
UFC 311 Fight Card Preview: Jiri Prochazka Vs. Jamahal Hill Prediction And Pick
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 13: Jamahal Hill warms up prior to his fight during the UFC 300 event at … [+] T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Both of these men are focused on their offense, so a knockout either way is the likely result of this matchup. The thing that stands out is the striking differentials. Hill lands a UFC light heavyweight record 3.40 significant strikes more per minute than his opponents, while Prochazka has a negative striking differential. That’s a hard thing to ignore when making a pick.
The betting pick is that Hill will be the one to end the fight and get his hand raised.
UFC 311 Fight Card Date
Saturday, January 18, 2025
UFC 311 Fight Card Location
Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California
UFC 311 Fight Card Time And How To Watch And Stream
Early prelims: 6:00 p.m. ET – ESPN+
Prelims: 8:00 p.m. ET – ESPNews
PPV Card: 10 p.m. ET – ESPN+ PPV
The UFC 311 fight card is the first pay-per-view even on the 2025 UFC schedule. Stay tuned for more coverage from UFC 311, as well as results, reactions, recaps on fight night.
