A big light-heavyweight matchup will take place tonight on the UFC 311 main card when Jamahal Hill takes on Jiri Prochazka. Prochazka is looking to get back to winning ways, while Hill could put himself in line for a rematch with Alex Pereira.
Here are Hill vs. Prochazka odds and my betting pick.
UFC 311 offers an abundance of matchups with clashing styles, but none are more intriguing than the kickboxing exhibition between Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill. Both fighters bring an extremely dangerous skillset into the octagon, but their approach in how they attack their opponents with strikes couldn’t be more different.
Jamahal Hill vs. Jiri Prochazka Odds
| Hill Odds | -118 |
| Prozchaka Odds | -102 |
| Over/Under | 1.5 (-145/ +114) |
| Location | Intuit Dome, Los Angeles |
| Bout Time | 11:00 p.m. ET |
| TV/Streaming | ESPN+ PPV |
| UFC 311 odds as of Thursday and via FanDuel. Bet on UFC 311 with our FanDuel promo code. | |
Hill vs. Prochazka Tale of the Tape
| Prozchaka | Hill | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 30-5-1 | 12-2 |
| Avg. Fight Time | 10:25 | 8:38 |
| Height | 6'3" | 6'4" |
| Weight (pounds) | 205 lbs. | 205 lbs. |
| Reach (inches) | 80" | 79" |
| Stance | Orthodox | Southpaw |
| Date of birth | 10/14/1992 | 5/19/1991 |
| Sig Strikes Per Min | 5.38 | 7.18 |
| SS Accuracy | 55% | 54% |
| SS Absorbed Per Min | 5.59 | 3.51 |
| SS Defense | 39% | 46% |
| Take Down Avg | 0.72 | 0 |
| TD Acc | 60% | 0% |
| TD Def | 68% | 73% |
| Submission Avg | 0.2 | 0 |
Jamahal Hill, at times, has plodding footwork that borders on clumsiness, but his hands tell a different story. Hill’s boxing is fluid, effortless, and accurate. Hill has answered questions in past fights about his gas tank, and it seems he could land at boxing distance with comfort for however long any fight involving him lasts.
Hill returned from injury last April only to be knocked out quickly by reigning light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. Losing to Pereira is a fate many men have fallen victim to, including Prochazka on two occasions. Hill was very confident heading into the title unification bout at UFC300 back in April and by all accounts he is desperate to get back on track.
His one-dimensional style and sometimes reckless overconfidence in his striking can put him in precarious situations, but he had simply not faced somebody with the ability to put him away until he ran into the current champion.
Jiri Prochazka presents an entirely different challenge for Hill, or any other top fighter in the division. His unorthodox movement along with his varied attacks can undoubtedly cause issues for anyone who tends to move in a straight line like Hill.
However awkward or odd you may find his fighting style, there is no questioning the power this man possesses with all but four of his 30 career victories coming by way of knockout. Prochazka's aggressive style translates to a likely "fight of the night" candidate each time he enters the octagon.
I expect Prochazka to attack Hill with even more kicks than usual, especially in the early going of the bout when both men are gauging distance. Prochazka is the more agile fighter, and he could gain an early advantage if he can attack the legs of the plodding Hill.
The issue for Prochazka lies in his defense. In his UFC career he has absorbed more strikes per minute (5.59) than he has landed (5.38). While he is looking to create angles and openings, he is often leaving himself exposed to precise counters that many of the division's elites have the ability to land.
Hill vs. Prochazka Pick, Prediction
Hill’s ceiling as a fighter is still in question. As time passes, the wins he has racked up have become less and less impressive. At this point, I am not willing to say he has durability concerns, but I am willing to say this is only the second time in his career he'll step into a fight where his opponent is equally as dangerous.
The potential likelihood that Prochazka overextends himself on Saturday night is rather high. Even if both fighters deal with the chaos in a patient and measured manner, the fight could end at a moment’s notice with one strike given the power each man possesses.
Color me surprised if this fight makes it to round 3. Instead of playing under 1.5 rounds, let’s grab the extra 2 and half minutes and attack the ‘time props’ tab on FanDuel under ‘fight to start round 3.’
John's Pick: Fight Does Not Start Round 3 -134 (FanDuel)
