Jamahal Hill has finally come clean after his third consecutive loss at UFC Baku, acknowledging what the rest of us have been shouting at our tellies for months – his performance has been lacking to say it mildly. The 34-year-old American had the audacity to claim Khalil Rountree “wasn’t on his level” before their bout, only to get outworked by a man who stuck to the most basic game plan imaginable.

The Achilles Excuse Wears Thin

Hill’s gone on record blaming his Achilles injury for his poor form, which is fair enough – rupturing your Achilles playing basketball isn’t the best idea when you’re a professional fighte, but here’s the thing: if you’re not ready, don’t bloody well fight. The man’s been making excuses whilst cashing cheques and disappointing fans who expected the killer instinct that earned him the title.

His reign as light heavyweight champion lasted all of six months before that basketball mishap. Since returning at UFC 300, he’s looked like a shadow of his former self, getting sparked by Alex Pereira and then sleepwalking through two more defeats. The pattern is clear – Hill’s been fighting hurt, fighting scared, and fighting without the fire that made him champion.

Rountree’s Boring Brilliance

Credit where credit’s due, Khalil Rountree executed his game plan to perfection; the South African-American stuck to leg kicks and conservative striking, never once engaging in the kind of firefight that would have suited Hill’s style. It was tactically sound but aesthetically painful.

Hill seemed genuinely shocked by the 50-45 scorecards, which suggests he’s either delusional about his own performance or simply out of touch with how fights are scored these days. The fact that he expected Rountree to come forward and bang with him shows a fundamental misunderstanding of modern MMA – nobody owes you a slugfest, especially when you’re coming off two losses.

The Long Road Back

Hill’s decision to take time off is sensible, though it should have happened months ago. The man admits he hasn’t run since his injury – imagine trying to compete at the highest level of combat sports when you can’t even manage a morning jog. It’s like trying to conduct an orchestra when you’ve forgotten how to read music.

The light heavyweight division will move on without him, and rightfully so. Rountree’s now in the top five, positioning himself for another title shot, whilst Hill retreats to lick his wounds and hopefully rediscover what made him special in the first place. The question is whether that magic is still there, or if we’ve already seen the best of Jamahal Hill.

At 34, time isn’t on his side, and the 205-pound division is as brutal as it’s ever been. Hill’s honesty about his struggles is refreshing in a sport full of bluster and false bravado, but acknowledgment is only the first step. The real test will be whether he can transform this moment of clarity into meaningful action, or if this is simply the beginning of a longer, more painful decline.

What do you reckon – will he make a comeback? Let us know in the comments below.