Jamahal Hill gets arguably his biggest win yet, finishing former title challenger Thiago Santos in the UFC Vegas 59 main event

It wasn't pretty and took some struggle, but Jamahal Hill has made a statement and can now be solidified as a UFC light heavyweight contender in the title picture, putting away former title challenger Thiago Santos in the main event of UFC Vegas 59.

Hill, who entered at No. 10 in the UFC light heavyweight rankings, has now won 11 of his 13 MMA fights, while Santos has now dropped five of his last six.

Hill attempted to pressure Santos early on and force him to back up, but Santos was able to use his kicks, targeting the body and legs, while doing so. Santos attempted to get a takedown of Hill against the cage, but Hill was able to use his striking and fend off Santos's attempts.

UFC Vegas 59: Jamahal Hill battles through grappling of Thiago Santos, gets fourth-round TKO

Santos went for the takedown again early in the second round, and he briefly had Hill down. His takedown efforts, however, also resulted in a left hook from Hill landing on his chin and stunning him. Both men, especially Santos, swung wildly in the second round. Santos appeared to be tired and took more damage.

Santos went in for a takedown yet again in the third, and he eventually got Hill down for a little bit. As Hill got back to his feet, Santos continued to pursue keeping the fight on the ground. Most of the round saw Santos pinning Hill against the cage and land brief takedowns on him, which added up despite how short he was on the ground each time.

Hill's response was to bring the pressure to Santos again early in the fourth. And this time, the power continued to build up, with Santos unable to answer and getting rocked. The damage eventually became too much for Santos, who was knocked down and finished with ground-and-pound.

UFC Vegas 59: Thiago Santos vs. Jamahal Hill took place on Aug. 6, 2022, live from the UFC APEX. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your live results and highlights.