Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill: UFC 283 Odds, Prediction

Payton Matthews
January 18, 2023

Hill is a -130 favourite on the MMA odds with Teixeira +100. It should start around 11:45 p.m. ET.

Jamahal Hill -145
Glover Teixeira +115

Glover Teixeira UFC 283 Odds

Jiri Prochazka was the most recent light heavyweight champion but had to relinquish the belt after suffering a shoulder injury ahead of a UFC 282 title defence and rematch against Teixeira that will reportedly keep Prochazka out for at least a year. Teixeira refused a replacement fight against Magomed Ankalaev, so the UFC scheduled Ankalaev to face former champion Jan Blachowicz for the title at UFC 282, but they battled to a split draw so it’s still vacant. Immediately after the fight, Blachowicz appeared to raise Ankalaev’s hand as if conceding defeat.

The 43-year-old Teixeira is from Brazil (now lives in Connecticut) and is 33-8 in his legendary career. He’s ranked No. 2 in the division and has fought for this title a few times. At UFC 172 in April 2014, he lost via unanimous decision to arguably the best MMA fighter of all time in Jon Jones. Teixeira got another shot at the title in October 2021 vs. Blachowicz and won via second-round submission (rear-naked choke). It made Teixeira the oldest first-time champion in UFC history at 42.

Teixeira’s first title defence was last June against Prochazka, who won by fifth-round submission (rear-naked choke) in a terrific fight. Teixeira probably would have won by decision if he had lasted just 30 more seconds.

The 6-foot-2 Teixeira has a reach of 76 inches and his fights average 9:46. He lands 3.80 significant strikes per minutes with 50 per cent accuracy and absorbs 3.93 with 52 per cent defence. Teixeira’s takedown average is 2.20 per 15 minutes with 37 per cent accuracy, and his takedown defence is 60 per cent. He has 18 wins by KO/TKO, 10 by submission and five by decision. Four of his eight losses are via the judges.

Teixeira’s 16 victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Jones (20). Teixeira’s 13 stoppage victories are most in divisional history as are his seven submission wins. His six knockout victories are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Chuck Liddell (nine) and Mauricio Rua (eight). This will be Teixeira’s 23rd UFC light heavyweight bout, tied with Ovince Saint Preux for the most appearances in divisional history.

Jamahal Hill UFC 283 Odds

The 31-year-old Hill was born in Chicago but now fights out of Grand Rapids, Mich., also home to boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. Hill is ranked seventh in the division and is 11-1 in a career that dates to 2017. Hill’s lone loss was via first-round TKO (elbows and punches) to Paul Craig at UFC 263. Hill’s arm had been dislocated at the elbow by an armbar just seconds earlier yet he didn’t tap out.

“Sweet Dreams” has won three in a row since and comes off a fourth-round TKO victory (punches and elbows) last August against another Brazilian in Thiago Santos. Hill was scheduled to face Anthony Smith in March at UFC Fight Night 221 but was pulled from the card to fight Teixeira.

Hill will be only the third fighter signed from Dana White’s Contender Series to appear in a title fight, joining Alex Perez (men’s flyweight title fight in 2020) and Taila Santos (women’s flyweight title fight in 2022). Neither of the previous two won the belt.

The 6-foot-4 Hill is a southpaw with a reach of 79 inches and his fights average 7:16. He lands 6.46 significant strikes per minute with 52 per cent accuracy and absorbs 3.51 with 45 per cent defence. His takedown average per 15 minute is literally zero, and his takedown defence is 65 per cent. Seven of Hill’s wins are by KO/TKO and four by decision. Hill’s four knockout victories since 2020 in UFC light heavyweight competition are most in the division.