ufc 311

Former UFC Champ Sees Weakness In Ji?í Procházka, Backs Jamahal Hill For UFC 311 Fight

Ji?í Procházka doesn’t have what it takes to defeat Jamahal Hill in their upcoming bout, claims a former UFC middleweight champion. Procházka and Hill are set to collide in a crucial matchup on the main card of UFC 311, scheduled for Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Both former UFC light heavyweight […]

Ji?í Procházka doesn’t have what it takes to defeat Jamahal Hill in their upcoming bout, claims a former UFC middleweight champion.

Procházka and Hill are set to collide in a crucial matchup on the main card of UFC 311, scheduled for Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

Both former UFC light heavyweight champions are coming off crushing knockout losses to reigning divisional kingpin Alex Pereira in their most recent Octagon appearances. In fact, “Denisa” experienced his first UFC defeat at the hands of Pereira when they fought for the then-vacant 205-pound title at UFC 295 in November 2023.

Procházka’s unorthodox fighting style has made it difficult for his past opponents to decipher, but Luke Rockhold believes that this very uniqueness also exposes significant vulnerabilities — especially when facing someone like Hill.

During a recent appearance on the JAXXON PODCAST, Rockhold lambasted Procházka’s tactics in his rematch against “Poatan” this past June, asserting that the Czech fighter lacked any coherent strategy in the bout.

“I didn’t like the way that Ji?í fought his last time out versus Pereira,” Rockhold said. “He just didn’t look like he would follow the game plan. Like, what were you doing? I don’t know. To think you could stand with him and play this karate style, Kung Fu game. You can’t fight like that, a guy that he’s so dangerous, you can’t fight with your hands down and you got to go for takedowns. You identified his weakness, but you didn’t even try to exploit it.”

The former UFC middleweight champion went on to assert that “Sweet Dreams” holds a distinct tactical advantage over Procházka and is more than capable of getting the job done at UFC 311.

“Jamahal Hill’s more dangerous. He’s got pop, he’s got power, he goes for the kill and Jamahal’s got funky — he’s weirdly athletic sometimes. He’s hard to take down. You’ve seen in the Glover [Teixeira] fight, he was able to get up and get his way and funks his way through a lot of things and he ends up finding his shot, the kill shot. But, like I said, this is a rebuilding process for both of them and you don’t know, but I don’t know. I might favor Jamahal in this one.”

Read More: Ji?í Procházka Shrugs Off Jamahal Hill’s Trash Talk Ahead Of UFC 311: ‘My Actions Will Talk’

No Fair! Merab Dvalishvili Questions Umar Nurmagomedov’s Quick Route to UFC Title Fight

No Fair! Merab Dvalishvili Questions Umar Nurmagomedov's Quick Route to UFC Title Fight Merab Dvalishvili really doesn’t want to fight Umar Nurmagomedov. From the moment the UFC bantamweight title was wrapped around…

Merab Dvalishvili really doesn’t want to fight Umar Nurmagomedov.

From the moment the UFC bantamweight title was wrapped around his waist in September, Dvalishvili has been very vocal about his disdain for the undefeated Dagestani standout and his lack of wins against ranked opponents.

Regardless, Nurmagomedov will have an opportunity to claim his first world title when he challenges ‘The Machine’ at UFC 311 on January 18.

Nurmagomedov, 18-0, earned his spot with a dominant decision win over Cory Sandhagen in August that skyrocketed him from the bottom of the top 15 to the No. 2 spot.

While it was undoubtedly the biggest win of Nurmagomedov’s career thus far, it wasn’t enough to convince Dvalishvili that he was worthy of a shot at the 135-pound crown.

“Umar is a good fighter. It’s a big challenge, but he don’t earn it like the rest of us,” Dvalishvili told ESPN. “We all know we work hard to get here, I don’t get anything easy, but somehow gets easy. He just complains all the time that nobody wants to fight him, but there are so many good fighters. There’s (Mario) Bautista, there are other fighters that are killers.

“But yeah, he fought only (Cory) Sandhagen (with) no wrestling, and he’s using that excuse that he beat the No. 2 guy, and now he’s here. It’s a big challenge, but the only thing I hate is that he don’t earn it how UFC fighters should earn it, and he’s just cocky. He should be humble at least, and he just disrespects me and lying, and that’s not what real men should do. That’s it.”

Merab Dvalishvili knows he’s in for a tough test against Umar Nurmagomedov

Dvalishvili may not approve of the path Nurmagomedov has taken, but he can’t deny that the Dagestani is a highly skilled opponent who presents a tough challenge.

“The fight will be really tough and this is a big, big challenge for me because it’s a new face and yeah, he’s a good fighter,” Dvalishvili said. “He’s good at kicking, striking, wrestling, and it’s a new challenge.”

It will be Dvalishvili’s first time defending the bantamweight title since taking it off ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 in September.

No Fair! Merab Dvalishvili Questions Umar Nurmagomedov’s Quick Route to UFC Title Fight

Merab Dvalishvili really doesn’t want to fight Umar Nurmagomedov. From the moment the UFC bantamweight title was wrapped around…

Merab Dvalishvili really doesn’t want to fight Umar Nurmagomedov.

Regardless, Nurmagomedov will have an opportunity to claim his first world title when he challenges ‘The Machine’ at UFC 311 on January 18.

Nurmagomedov, 18-0, earned his spot with a dominant decision win over Cory Sandhagen in August that skyrocketed him from the bottom of the top 15 to the No. 2 spot.

While it was undoubtedly the biggest win of Nurmagomedov’s career thus far, it wasn’t enough to convince Dvalishvili that he was worthy of a shot at the 135-pound crown.

“Umar is a good fighter. It’s a big challenge, but he don’t earn it like the rest of us,” Dvalishvili told ESPN. “We all know we work hard to get here, I don’t get anything easy, but somehow gets easy. He just complains all the time that nobody wants to fight him, but there are so many good fighters. There’s (Mario) Bautista, there are other fighters that are killers.

“But yeah, he fought only (Cory) Sandhagen (with) no wrestling, and he’s using that excuse that he beat the No. 2 guy, and now he’s here. It’s a big challenge, but the only thing I hate is that he don’t earn it how UFC fighters should earn it, and he’s just cocky. He should be humble at least, and he just disrespects me and lying, and that’s not what real men should do. That’s it.”

Merab Dvalishvili knows he’s in for a tough test against Umar Nurmagomedov

Dvalishvili may not approve of the path Nurmagomedov has taken, but he can’t deny that the Dagestani is a highly skilled opponent who presents a tough challenge.

“The fight will be really tough and this is a big, big challenge for me because it’s a new face and yeah, he’s a good fighter,” Dvalishvili said. “He’s good at kicking, striking, wrestling, and it’s a new challenge.”

It will be Dvalishvili’s first time defending the bantamweight title since taking it off ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 in September.

Coach Khabib Nurmagomedov Leads the Charge as Trainer Coming into UFC 311

The undefeated former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has taken over as the main coach at the AKA gym….

The undefeated former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has taken over as the main coach at the AKA gym. The Dagestanit fighter was known for his dominant career in the UFC and has transitioned from competition to coaching, with impressive success. His coaching career will be tested in two championship matches at UFC 311.

Coach Khabib Nurmagomedov

AKA head coach Javier Mendez explained Khabib’s journey into coaching in a recent interview with Helen Yee, stating, “To be honest with you, when he stopped fighting—that’s when I think he really took it over. But he was always showing indications that he liked coaching his brothers.”

Even during his fighting career, Khabib showed his passion for coaching. After his own sparring sessions, he would stay and assist his teammates, including his cousin Umar Nurmagomedov and childhood friend Islam Makhachev. His dedication to coaching has been a consistent part of his career. “So, he’s been doing this forever. Yeah, well, he is very passionate.” Mendez added.

Khabib retired from MMA after his victory over Justin Gaethje in October 2020, with an undefeated record of 29-0. Since then, he has focused on coaching at the AKA gym, working alongside Mendez and mentoring several fighters. His influence has been key in the success of fighters like Makhachev, who credits Khabib for enhancing his strategy and skill set in striking and wrestling.

Makhachev, who is the current UFC Lightweight Champion, has praised Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coaching, describing him as “someone who nobody can control” in the gym. Khabib’s intensity and commitment to his fighters’ development have been integral to their success in the UFC.

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coaching style continues to shape the future of MMA as he guides the next generation of champions, including Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov, who are both set in title matches at UFC 311.

Coach Khabib Nurmagomedov Leads the Charge as Trainer Coming into UFC 311

The undefeated former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has taken over as the main coach at the AKA gym….

Coach Khabib Nurmagomedov

UFC 311

Khabib Nurmagomedov Is Going to Be a Ball Of Nerves Come UFC 311: ‘He’s going to Be a Wreck’ Says Coach

UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov is going to have his work cut out for him on January 18. While ‘The…

UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov is going to have his work cut out for him on January 18.

While ‘The Eagle’ no longer competes inside the Octagon, fight fans can regularly find him cornering the likes of reigning lightweight world champion Islam Makhachev and his cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov, both of whom will be competing on the same night when the UFC returns to pay-per-view in 2025.

Emanating from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the main event of the evening will see Makhachev put his 155-pound crown on the line against the division’s top-ranked contender, Arman Tsarukyan.

Just before Makhachev enters the cage for his fourth lightweight title defense, Umar Nurmagomedov will challenge bantamweight titleholder Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event. It will be the Georgian’s first time defending the 135-pound belt since claiming it via a dominant decision win over ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley in September.

During a recent interview with The Schmo, longtime Khabib Nurmagomedov coach and American Kickboxing Academy founder Javier Mendez expects it to be a mentally draining weekend for ‘The Eagle’ as he looks to lead both his fighters to the biggest wins of their respective careers.

“It’s going to be really busy for him mentally because he has to deal with, you know, two of his brothers that he loves to death—one is his cousin, and one is Islam, who he’s been training with since childhood,” Mendez said. “So for him, it’s going to be a ball of nerves.

“For me, it’s not that bad at all because I’m used to it now. I can go right through it—no problem. He’s going to be a wreck, though.”

Mendez says everything is ‘on point’ ahead of makhachev and nurmagomedov’s big night

Offering some insight into Makhachev and Nurmagomedov’s training ahead of UFC 311, Mendez added:

“But things are great, things are fantastic. The training is fantastic. We’re on point, we’re on point. We have three more weeks of hard training, and then we’re off to Los Angeles. We’ll see what happens.”

While Makhachev is already acquainted with the bright lights of a five-round title fight, it will be an unfamiliar feeling for Umar Nurmagomedov. The undefeated star secured his first shot at UFC gold with an impressive showing against Cory Sandhagen over the summer. The win jumped him all the way up to the No. 2 spot in the rankings, setting the stage for his showdown with ‘The Machine.’

Combined, Makhachev and Nurmagomedov have won their last 32 fights.