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JAMAHAL HILL SAYS HE WAS DISRESPECTED IN THE UFC P4P RANKINGS

Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jamahal Hill was never defeated for the title, but he relinquished the gold upon suffering an Achilles injury.

In Hill’s mind, he was disrespected by the UFC when he was champion and he looks at the promotional pound for pound rankings as evidence of that.

“When I won the title, I can’t think of the last time somebody became a champion and they were ranked outside of the top 10 pound-for-pound rankings,” Hill said on the Overdogs Podcast (transcript via Farah Hannoun of MMA Junkie). “Go look at anybody else who’s won a title. Sean O’Malley, it doesn’t matter who it is. They were put in the top 10.

“(Alexandre) Pantoja, they were all put in the top 10. If you win a title, you’re already top of a weight class. They never put me above 12. Jiri (Prochazka) is still on the pound-for-pound list. I was taken off the pound-for-pound list, which is cool, but it’s a way to gauge the respect and the perception.”

There is no word yet on when Hill will return to action, but the fighter says he was promised a title shot upon returning.

Hill also feels that he is disrespected by more than the UFC and he also believes people are sleeping on him.

“I’m disrespected in every aspect,” Hill said. “(It’s) got me f*cked up all over the place, but it is what it is. People look at it like I’m a knockout guy, but I’m a martial artist. I’m a champion for a reason. I didn’t come in one-dimensional. I don’t think I can just go in and punch everybody to sleep. I understand I’m going to have to be versatile in my game and be able to win in different areas to ultimately stay where I want to be, on top of this game in this division. … The proper respect ain’t put to my name.

“People that don’t even mean to, but they’re sleeping and they don’t understand what the f*ck I am and what I’m really doing – which is cool for me. Part of my success is the fact that people have me underestimated and they’ve got me twisted. If you don’t know what to expect, how can you be ready? How do you prepare for it?”