Jamahal Hill after his win over Johnny Walker (Credits: MMA Junkie)
Jamahal Hill Slams “Snake” Ariel Helwani for Manipulating Fighters and Serving His Own Agenda
In a heated exchange, Jamahal Hill, the former light heavyweight champion, launched a scathing attack on renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani. Hill accused Helwani of gaslighting Jiri Prochazka and creating problems between them. The verbal onslaught occurred during the Champ Chat podcast, where Hill expressed his disdain for Helwani’s tactics.
As the host of The MMA Hour podcast, Helwani has built a reputation as a platform where fighters can candidly share their dreams and emotions. However, Hill believes that Helwani exploits these vulnerabilities for personal gain, causing emotional harm to the fighters who trust him with their innermost thoughts.
Hill specifically pointed to an incident involving Jiri Prochazka, another prominent light heavyweight fighter. Helwani allegedly misrepresented Hill’s words about Prochazka on several occasions, creating unnecessary tension and animosity between the two fighters. Hill claimed that Prochazka, on the other hand, treated him with class and even wished for his speedy recovery when he suffered an Achilles injury.
The accusation against Helwani struck a chord with Hill, leading to a passionate verbal assault. He didn’t mince words, calling Helwani a “snake” and labeling him as weak and pathetic. Hill expressed his frustration at Helwani’s manipulation, accusing him of using fighters’ vulnerability and trust to further his own interests.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Hill stated:
“I’m gonna be real. I’m just gonna say it like this like Ariel. You did what you did bro I don’t f*ck with you at all. You a snake, I think you’re really a b*tch bro. You weak and you’re really pathetic bro like people come on trying to share, try to share like their dreams, true feelings or raw things like that with you and you take that time to try to serve your own agenda. It’s like, bro, you know what you really losing in the process all that? Do you care?”
The exchange has ignited a heated debate within the MMA community about the role of journalists and their ethical responsibilities. Many have questioned whether Helwani’s approach is acceptable or if it crosses the line into exploiting fighters’ personal struggles for sensationalism.
In a no-holds-barred critique, Jamahal Hill didn’t shy away from expressing his thoughts on Alex Pereira’s recent light heavyweight debut at UFC 291. The Brazilian fighter faced former champion Jan Blachowicz in a highly anticipated showdown that ended in a split decision victory for Pereira. However, Hill, known for his candid commentary, wasn’t impressed with what he saw in Pereira’s performance.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, ‘Sweet Dreams’ shared his analysis of the fight, acknowledging Blachowicz’s grappling advantage but commending Pereira’s strength and power. Hill believes that the strength displayed by Pereira posed problems for Blachowicz, who had to exert more energy to execute his grappling strategy against the Brazilian newcomer. Hill stated:
“Welcome to the division. Me personally, I wasn’t impressed with what I saw. I saw a lot of things that would be a short night for him against me. But you know, luckily for him, it’s not me that he’ll be facing. He’ll be facing Jiri Prochazka, from what I heard. That fight will probably take place in Abu Dhabi. I’m locked in for it. I’m a fan of it right now. I’m just on the sidelines watching.”
Despite Pereira’s victory, Hill remains unimpressed and doesn’t see him as a formidable opponent. He confidently stated that he saw several weaknesses in Pereira’s game that he believes would lead to a short night for the Brazilian if they were to face off in the Octagon. However, Hill acknowledges that he won’t be the one fighting Pereira, as the Brazilian is rumored to be squaring off against Jiri Prochazka in an upcoming bout in Abu Dhabi.
While Hill may not be the one stepping into the cage with Pereira, his commentary adds fuel to the anticipation for the potential showdown between Pereira and Prochazka. As fans await official confirmation of the matchup, they can’t help but wonder if Pereira will prove his critics wrong and continue to make waves in the light heavyweight division.
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