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JRE MMA Show #136 with Jamahal Hill

Joe sits down with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jamahal Hill. https://www.ufc.com/athlete/jamahal-hill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe RoganhostJamahal Hillguest
Jun 27, 20242h 55mWatch on YouTube ↗

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  1. 0:002:13

    Setting the stage: short-notice title shot vs Glover in Brazil

    1. NA

      (drum beat plays) Joe Rogan podcast. Check it out. The Joe Rogan Experience.

    2. Train by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night. All day. (rock music plays)

    3. JR

      We're up. What's up, champ?

    4. JH

      What's going on, brother?

    5. JR

      Pleasure to do this. Pleasure to have you in here, man.

    6. JH

      Yeah, thank you for having me, man. I appreciate it.

    7. JR

      That was a phenomenal performance in Brazil against Glover Teixeira in his hometown. Last minute, like, I mean, how much time did you have to prep for that?

    8. JH

      Uh, I had about six weeks.

    9. JR

      Oh, you did have six weeks.

    10. JH

      Yeah, six weeks.

    11. JR

      But it was-

    12. JH

      Well-

    13. JR

      ... bla- but you knew that it was a three ... it was supposed to be three rounds, and then they changed it to the title for five rounds, right?

    14. JH

      No.

    15. JR

      No. So, they-

    16. JH

      It was-

    17. JR

      ... they-

    18. JH

      It was the title right away.

    19. JR

      Oh, that was right after Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz.

    20. JH

      Right, right.

    21. JR

      So, right from there-

    22. JH

      Like, they legitimately called me while they were still ...

    23. JR

      Wow.

    24. JH

      Yeah, while they were still in the cage.

    25. JR

      If you wanted a full camp for a five-round fight, though, what would you, what would you prefer? Like, how much time do you really need?

    26. JH

      Uh, I'd prefer maybe, uh, like, eight weeks. Eight to about eight to 10 weeks.

    27. JR

      So, slightly abbreviated, but t- your per- f- performance was phenomenal, man. I mean, it was ... it was amazing.

    28. JH

      Thank you.

    29. JR

      To see you pick apart Glover like that, and to do so well on the ground too, I mean, tha- that was a big victory.

    30. JH

      Yeah, I mean, uh, a lot of people thought that I couldn't do it. I kind of ... no, I couldn't ... well, that was just a general assumption, was that I couldn't, I couldn't grapple on the ground and things like that when that's definitely-

  2. 2:133:33

    Proving the doubters wrong: grappling, kicks, and complete MMA

    1. JR

      What did it feel like when they strapped that thing around your waist?

    2. JH

      Man, it's just ... It's a hard thing to describe. It was just like, like, almost like unreal, like almost like living, like almost like, like in a dream, like-

    3. JR

      Yeah.

    4. JH

      ... one of the dreams that I've had. You know, and it was just like ... I don't know. It was just crazy, just the weight of everything that I did and been through and everything was just ... It was a lot.

    5. JR

      Yeah, it seemed like a lot. I mean, it's a lot for everybody. I mean, that's a moment that very few human beings will ever achieve. There y- there's, there's it right now.

    6. JH

      Yeah, that was ... He ... Like, that's when he told me that he was about to retire.

    7. JR

      I mean, it's-

    8. JH

      And ...

    9. JR

      ... amazing how long that dude has hung in there.

    10. JH

      Yeah.

    11. JR

      He was the Boogeyman for six years, you know. For six years, Glover lived in Brazil-

    12. JH

      Right.

    13. JR

      ... and he couldn't get a visa. And this was like e- in the early days, like when Chuck Liddell was the UFC light heavyweight champion. That's how far back Glover goes.

    14. JH

      Right. I heard something about like he went, he went pro in 2001? 2000?

    15. JR

      Yeah. Crazy, right? Crazy.

    16. JH

      Yeah, that's wild.

    17. JR

      22 years later, and then-

    18. JH

      And still fighting for the world championship.

    19. JR

      And, you know, having ... That fight with Jiri Prochazka where he lost the title, I mean, that was a crazy close fight-

    20. JH

      Yeah.

    21. JR

      ... until he got caught in that choke. He was ahead.

    22. JH

      I think he was.

    23. JR

      Yeah, he was ahead in that fight.

    24. JH

      I believe he was.

  3. 3:339:12

    Glover’s legacy and Jiri’s "I’m coming" moment

    1. JR

      That video that you made-

    2. JH

      (laughs)

    3. JR

      ... to Jiri was hilarious. We played it on the podcast. (laughs)

    4. JH

      Yeah, man. You can't, you can't let it slide, but like-

    5. JR

      "That's what she said." (laughs)

    6. JH

      "That's what she said." That was the first thing that came to my head whenever he said it. (laughs) "I'm coming" (laughs) Now, for ... Now, I can't-

    7. JR

      (laughs)

    8. JH

      Like, bro, it's, it's ... He's ruined the, he's ruined the phrase for me now-

    9. JR

      (laughs)

    10. JH

      ... 'cause now I can't say it at all, no matter what. Somebody can call me and be like, "Oh, I'm coming." Like, goddamn.

    11. JR

      (laughs) I'm coming.

    12. JH

      Like, just ...

    13. JR

      He's an odd duck.

    14. JH

      Yeah.

    15. JR

      That dude's an odd duck. He's strange. He's very-

    16. JH

      Yeah.

    17. JR

      ... very different. Do you see-

    18. JH

      Yeah.

    19. JR

      ... like when he was fighting Glover, and Glover was beating him up? He was like, "Good job, good job."

    20. JH

      Yeah, like, tapping him on the ... Yeah.

    21. JR

      I thought it ... It was like, well, you can't do that, man. It looks like-

    22. JH

      Yeah, it looks like-

    23. JR

      ... you're tapping.

    24. JH

      ... he's tapping.

    25. JR

      Like, what are you doing? He's like, "Good job, good job."

    26. JH

      Mm-hmm.

    27. JR

      He's, but he's saying "good job" and I, I think it ... Was, was it Marc Goddard who was the referee? I think it was Marc Goddard. Whoever it was was warning him. It was like, "Hey, don't fucking slapping him and say good job. You can't do that." Just-

    28. JH

      Right.

    29. JR

      ... what a weird thing to do. Guy's on top of you, raining blows down you, like, "Good job, good job."

    30. JH

      Right.

  4. 9:129:25

    Jiri vacates the belt, shoulder damage, and the business/legacy debate

    1. JR

      Did you think he's next? Have they had any conversations with you about who, who's gonna be your first title defense?

    2. JH

      Uh...

    3. JR

      As the champion of the fucking world? Woo!

    4. JH

      Sounds good, yo.

    5. JR

      Sounds good, right?

    6. JH

      Sounds real fucking good, yo.

    7. JR

      And you earned the fuck out of that too.

  5. 9:2519:15

    Fight breakdown: Glover’s toughness, hill’s setups, and takedown defense

    1. JH

      Yeah, man. It was, uh... Yeah, bro, Glover was, Glover was tough, man. Like-

    2. JR

      Oh, he's so tough.

    3. JH

      Like, like, y'all said that, right? I think we need to put a little bit more emphasis on it, because like, it's not just that he's tough. He's tough, he's tough, and while he's being tough, he's still fighting intelligently.

    4. JR

      Mm.

    5. JH

      You get what I'm saying?

    6. JR

      Yeah.

    7. JH

      So like, for, for not one second did I hit him with something and it was like, "Oh, shit." And like, "Oh, I don't wanna get hit with whatever's next."

    8. JR

      Right.

    9. JH

      Cover up. Like, you know what I mean? Like that, that, that one like-

    10. JR

      Mm-hmm.

    11. JH

      ... "Oh, I need to, I need to find," like protection type.

    12. JR

      Right.

    13. JH

      He never did that.

    14. JR

      Mm.

    15. JH

      You know? And I was just like crazy, 'cause it was one sequence, like I think it was like in the third where I hit him with right hand, right hand, elbow, left hand.

    16. JR

      Mm-hmm.

    17. JH

      It's like, at no point was he like, "Oh, shit. I need to cover up."

    18. JR

      Right.

    19. JH

      Or anything, 'cause like, I mean, I finished you at that point.

    20. JR

      Right.

    21. JH

      But it's like, bro...

    22. JR

      That was in the ground and pound sequence.

    23. JH

      Mm-hmm.

    24. JR

      Yeah, when you're on top of him.

    25. JH

      Yeah.

    26. JR

      You, that was so close. A lot of referees would've stopped it. A lot of referees would've stopped it there.

    27. JH

      Yeah.

    28. JR

      I mean, you were dropping bombs on him, but yeah, he kept moving, kept moving. He kept trying to-

    29. JH

      K-

    30. JR

      ... he's, there's no quit button to that dude.

  6. 19:1520:41

    After the belt: celebration night, Brazil experience, and BJJ roots

    1. JR

      What was your experience like in Brazil? Did you like it there?

    2. JH

      Yeah. Yeah, I actually, I actually had a great time.

    3. JR

      Beautiful, right?

    4. JH

      Yeah, it was beautiful.

    5. JR

      Nice fucking people.

    6. JH

      Nice people. Great weather. Beautiful sights.

    7. JR

      Great food.

    8. JH

      Great food.

    9. JR

      Beautiful sites, yeah.

    10. JH

      Beautiful sights.

    11. JR

      All kinds of sites, right?

    12. JH

      (laughs)

    13. JR

      (laughs)

    14. JH

      Different kinds of sites there.

    15. JR

      Makes y- makes you, makes you look at sites a little different, you know? Mm-hmm.

    16. JH

      Yeah. Like, "Wow, there's some genetics down here."

    17. JR

      (laughs)

    18. JH

      No. What? That's crazy.

    19. JR

      You know?

    20. JH

      Beautiful.

    21. JR

      Yeah. Beautiful.

    22. JH

      Beautiful.

    23. JR

      Beautiful. Great people, man. It's-

    24. JH

      Yeah.

    25. JR

      It's a w- a wild place to be, too, because when you think about, you know, Brazil and the UFC and jujitsu, it's a- all from there. I mean, without Brazil, the UFC would not be what it is. I mean-

    26. JH

      Yeah.

    27. JR

      ... who knows if it would have ever even happened, or if it happened way, way later. And if it wasn't for Rorion Gracie, it wasn't for the Gracie family, and wasn't for Brazilian jujitsu, we wouldn't be here.

    28. JH

      Yeah, nah, man.

    29. JR

      It's crazy.

    30. JH

      Crazy.

  7. 20:4127:20

    Origin story: discovering UFC, early fights, and learning through inspiration

    1. JR

      When did you... What was the first UFC that you saw? How old were you?

    2. JH

      The first UFC I saw was the Anderson Silva verse Forrest Griffin. I think I was like 19.

    3. JR

      Oh, wow.

    4. JH

      I, I was 18. I was 18. Yeah.

    5. JR

      That was a good one to see 'cause Anderson was a wizard back then.

    6. JH

      Man, that-

    7. JR

      He was a wizard.

    8. JH

      That's what got me, that's what got me hooked. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's what really, that's really what, what started the path towards-

    9. JR

      Mm-hmm.

    10. JH

      ... towards all of this, because like... So, I've been in a lot of fights growing up, right? So like, I'm like... Growing up, I've been in a lot... I've been in a different... I've fought big, small, short, fast, all, like all these dudes, right? And, um, sitting there watching that and seeing what he did to him, it was like, (clicks tongue) "Okay. Can I do that?" (laughs)

    11. JR

      (laughs)

    12. JH

      And if I... And right now, while I, while I can't do that, I definitely don't wanna run into somebody that can do that.

    13. JR

      Right, right.

    14. JH

      You know what I'm saying? (laughs)

    15. JR

      Right. Yeah.

    16. JH

      I was like, I, I think I should probably become one of those guys that can do that.

    17. JR

      You know, when people talk about GOATs, you know, and I do think Jon Jones is a, a great argument for the greatest of all time (clears throat) just based on his record. But I feel like there's moments in guys' careers, and those moments kinda get diluted when you see later performances that aren't as good, maybe when they're older. (clears throat) But when Anderson was in his prime, uh, I, he was a magician. There was something about him, man. He, he was like uns- he had this unstoppable aura. He was so at peace and so calm, and he would smile at guys.

    18. JH

      Yeah.

    19. JR

      And you knew he was fucking them up.

    20. JH

      Yeah.

    21. JR

      He was fucking everybody up, and it wa- it was the way he was doing it. He was doing it like it was magic. You know, when- when he knocked out Forrest-

    22. JH

      Impressive.

    23. JR

      ... it was like the... Forrest didn't have a chance in the world of hitting him.

    24. JH

      Yeah.

    25. JR

      He was just waiting for the spot, ba-bink. Moving backwards.

    26. JH

      Yeah, man. That was... It was... (laughs) I never seen anything like it, just the whoop whoop.

    27. JR

      Yeah.

    28. JH

      Then, bang.

    29. JR

      Yeah. When he was on, when he was at his best, like the Vitor Belfort fight, during those times in his prime, man, he... Like, when he first got into the UFC, when he lit up Ch- Chris Leben, I was like, "Oh, boy, everybody's fucked. Everybody in this division is fucked." And it was just-

    30. JH

      Yeah.

  8. 27:2042:33

    Building a complete style: mixing martial arts, belief, and weight classes

    1. JR

      Did you ... You started your training with just MMA. Is that the first training-

    2. JH

      Yeah.

    3. JR

      ... you'd ever done?

    4. JH

      Well, we had-

    5. JR

      Did you have done any karate or anything when you were younger?

    6. JH

      When I was a kid, I did Taekwondo. I did like s- a little Taekwondo whenever I was a kid. But most of it was just like, like stuff my dad showed me, like, you know what I mean? Just about like how to, how to, how, how to hold tight and how to roll with punches and things like that. And then, uh, like my uncles, like my uncle showed me things. Like I was always into martial arts, you know. So, um, my brother, the, uh, that I, uh, that passed away before I, uh, before I, before I went pro, he, he was into martial arts like I was. You know, so like, you know, he would, he would, he would hear some things and he was really smart, you know. So he'd hear some things, he's see some techniques that he showed me, and we'd just kind of dialogue about things. You know, then like, you know, you had like movies like The Matrix and stuff like that. So like, you obviously like ... Obviously the stuff wasn't real, right? But like you s- ... But even in, even in like some of that like, they, they mimic certain real martial arts.

    7. JR

      Mm-hmm.

    8. JH

      You know, like Wing Chun is a real thing, maybe not like the most effective thing, but parts of it are effective.

    9. JR

      Mm-hmm.

    10. JH

      You know, and that's kind of like our thing. Like all right, what parts of what martial arts are effective? So we was already like essentially kind of in ... playing with martial arts without even like really like knowing.

    11. JR

      Mm.

    12. JH

      You know, so, um, it was just an interest though.

    13. JR

      Tony Ferguson uses Wing Chun. You see, he does a lot of Wing Chun dummies.

    14. JH

      Mm-hmm.

    15. JR

      You know, he de- he practices with the dummy, but you see it in fights sometimes, like he'll catch, he'll catch a wrist and use an elbow or he'll catch a wrist and come with a punch.

    16. JH

      Yeah.

    17. JR

      It's ... It is something to it.

    18. JH

      I mean, there's some. There's certain parts of every martial art that can be effective.

    19. JR

      Yeah.

    20. JH

      You know?

    21. JR

      As long as you combine them with the stuff that we know is effective.

    22. JH

      Right.

    23. JR

      Yeah.

    24. JH

      Right. They're just some that are more effective, like boxing-

    25. JR

      Yeah.

    26. JH

      ... wrestling, kickboxing.

    27. JR

      Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

    28. JH

      You know? Um, but if you can have strong fundamentals in those and then be able to sprinkle in some of the things, like some people do it, that's why, that's why you get the crazy spinning attacks from some dudes and things.

    29. JR

      Like the, like Yair Rodriguez-

    30. JH

      It's just different-

  9. 42:3355:14

    Lessons from adversity: Paul Craig armbar, MMA math, and dangerous matchups

    1. JR

      Um, when you look back at fights, like, that, that you had in the Octagon and you learned from, does any fight, like, where you, like, made a big leap, does any fight, like, stand out for you?

    2. JH

      Um-

    3. JR

      Like, what about the Paul Craig fight?

    4. JH

      Yeah. Well, the Paul Craig fight, honestly, the, the thing that came from that is realization that you're not better than the, you're not better than the game. You're not invincible. Respect, you know what I mean, respect the craft and respect what you're doing. 'Cause that's what that was in that fight. It was, I don't, it was basically, "I don't care what you do, regardless, and I'm not worried about nothing. All I gotta do is show up and I'll win."

    5. JR

      Mm.

    6. JH

      That's really how I felt. I felt like all I had to do was show up and I was gonna win. And I paid for that, you know. Um, I went, I, like, he didn't, he didn't pull me down. I went down with him willingly, you know, with him already having my arm locked and everything like that. Then I'm like, "All right, watch this. Start working the legs, start..." But that was the one way he had to win.

    7. JR

      Yeah.

    8. JH

      And I gave it to him. And-

    9. JR

      He's, he's so dangerous off his back, too. It's such a different level-

    10. JH

      Ye-

    11. JR

      ... off his back. But-

    12. JH

      I, I understand that, but that's the thing, though. I didn't care. I didn't-

    13. JR

      Right.

    14. JH

      ... respect that at all.

    15. JR

      Right, right.

    16. JH

      You know what I'm saying? And that's what, that was what the lesson was for me to learn there. Take from that, respect the game. Give ev- treat everybody like they're the absolute best in the world at what they do at, at everything.

    17. JR

      He's a good guy to learn from, too, because his level on the ground is above and beyond most people's.

    18. JH

      Yeah.

    19. JR

      Above and beyond.

    20. JH

      Yeah.

    21. JR

      His level off his back... I mean, he tapped out Goliath with like one second to go.

    22. JH

      Yeah.

    23. JR

      I mean, he's something special off his back. If you... That guy is one of the best grapplers at 205 in the world.

    24. JH

      Mm-hmm.

    25. JR

      He's so fucking good. Like, I think Paul Craig could... He, I think if he dedicated himself, he could be a world champion at legit, like straight grappling.

    26. JH

      Oh, yeah. 1000, 1000%.

    27. JR

      He's that good, he's that good. When he locks cro- triangles on people, you're like, "Oh, shit."

    28. JH

      Yeah. W-

    29. JR

      "It's a triangle." I mean, it's dangerous.

    30. JH

      When he locked onto my arm, he was strong as shit.

  10. 55:141:34:06

    Title defense landscape, injuries, and UFC rules (gloves, referees, stand-ups)

    1. JR

      When you look at, like, the, the landscape in the light heavyweight division, like, what fights are intriguing for you right now?

    2. JH

      Like ... Intriguing in what way, right?

    3. JR

      Intriguing like, uh, "This-"

    4. JH

      'Cause, like, I wanna-

    5. JR

      "... this is the guy I wanna get in there with."

    6. JH

      All right. Well, that w- in that way, like, pretty much ev- pretty much everybody at the top present different challenges. You know?

    7. JR

      Mm-hmm.

    8. JH

      Everybody's their own different challenge. Like, uh, I think Blachowicz would be a good, uh, good striking and mix-up challenge. Uh, Magomed's a good, um, he's a good, he's a good mix-up challenge, but I think he's gonna come more of a heavier wrestling type, um, type thing. Yuri's a striking challenge, so that'd be fun. A f- a flowing striking challenge at that-

    9. JR

      Mm-hmm.

    10. JH

      ... 'cause he just flows.

    11. JR

      Yeah.

    12. JH

      You know, and I'm good, I'm good with flowing. I like to be creative and do things and flow too.

    13. JR

      He's so herky-jerky. It's a very unusual way he moves.

    14. JH

      Yeah.

    15. JR

      He's like, everything's like his hands are down, he's switching stances. He's like-

    16. JH

      Yeah, he's doing that, but I understand that, though.

    17. JR

      Mm-hmm.

    18. JH

      I understand that movement. I understand that, that type of, that type of fighting. You know, just trying to be loose to be fast.

    19. JR

      Mm-hmm.

    20. JH

      To be fast. Be, it's like water. Be the, be water.

    21. JR

      Yeah.

    22. JH

      And the whole thing, like, be water, he's just trying to flow and crash. You know, just be f- loose, loose, loose, and then bang! Crash and hit.

    23. JR

      Yeah.

    24. JH

      You know? That's, that's essentially the da- same thing that I'm doing. You know? Um, it's just, I'm a little more technical. You know, I try to stay a little more tight and I try to, uh, I try to keep more options open for myself.

    25. JR

      Hmm.

    26. JH

      You know what I mean? If that makes sense.

    27. JR

      So has the UFC given you some sort of a timeline on when your first defense would be?

    28. JH

      Hmm, no. There's, I think it's kinda hard for them to do that at the time, right?

    29. JR

      Right.

    30. JH

      Just because Yuri's hurt. Magomed and Yan fought to a draw, so they don't f- like, they don't even... I don't really see them giving the title shot to one over the other. Um, Rakic is still hurt, I believe. Uh, you got, you got Smith, who, uh, who hurt his leg, and, well, technically, uh, kind of lost.

Episode duration: 2:55:58

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