UFC 311 Results: Prochazka knocks out Hill in early fight-of-the-year contender

Jiri Prochazka delivered a thrilling third-round knockout against Jamahal Hill in a high-energy clash of former light heavyweight champions at UFC 311. The bout headlined Saturday night's card at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, with the crowd firmly supporting Prochazka.

From the outset, Hill faced an uphill battle, drawing boos during his walkout to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” Once inside the cage, Prochazka (31-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) quickly established himself, landing a hard left hand in the first round that knocked Hill (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) to the canvas. Hill’s nose bled, and his eye swelled as Prochazka pressed the pace.

The second round saw both fighters trade eye pokes, briefly halting the action. Following a pause to recover from an eye poke, Prochazka returned with sharp movement, bouncing and feinting to find openings. Hill, however, kept up a gritty defense, managing to bloody Prochazka’s nose by the round's end.

The final frame opened with a powerful right hand from Prochazka that stunned Hill and set the tone for the finish. A crushing punch dropped Hill, and Prochazka swarmed with follow-up strikes, prompting the referee to stop the fight.

In his post-fight interview, Jiri dedicated his victory to Ashley, a cancer survivor whose story inspired Prochazka.

The victory marks a return to form for Prochazka, reinforcing his reputation as one of the most dynamic fighters in the light heavyweight division. Speaking with Megan Olivi, Jiri remained hopeful of a potential trilogy fight with current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira. Pereira currently leads the series 2-0.