The UFC will touch down in Azerbaijan for the very first time, with Baku’s Crystal Hall providing a decadent arena for the landmark event.
Headlining UFC Baku will be an undeniably exciting encounter between two light heavyweights looking to get back on the winning trail for different reasons. The in-form Khalil Rountree Jr. will face former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill.
Rountree had a five-match winning streak brought to a halt last October by Alex Pereira. The fight was unquestionably the biggest of Rountree’s career, with the light heavyweight title on the line. He gave ‘Poatan’ a run for his money before falling to a TKO in the fourth round.
In contrast, Hill has endured a torrid time since winning the light heavyweight title in 2023. Just six months after winning the title, he was forced to vacate after rupturing his Achilles tendon. Additionally, an arrest for an alleged assault on his brother in November 2023 rounded out a terrible second half of the year. Just under a year on from his title vacation, Hill contested for the vacant title at UFC 300, also losing to Pereira.
Previously, Hill’s most recent fight, a January clash with #2 Jirí Procházka, ended in another KO loss. Prior to his serious injury, Hill had lost just once in 14 fights. It remains to be seen as to whether Hill has recovered the qualities that led him to his UFC title. Despite the loss to Pereira last time out, Rountree remains in the form of his life and will re-begin the process of climbing the title contender ladder in Baku.
Hill vs Rountree Jr.: Preview
Whatever happens in the main event, expect a hard-hitting affair that will more than likely end with a devastating finish. Furthermore, Hill has landed a KO in seven of his 12 wins. Meanwhile, Rountree has a slightly better finish rate, recording nine KOs from his 13 victories.
Both Hill and Rountree, ranked #4 and #7, respectively, have not faced many of the higher-ranked fighters in their division. Consequently, a victory for either here could begin a new push toward a title fight.
Significantly, Rountree’s aggressive press and Hill’s adept countering, the fight could prove to be a serious clash of fighting styles. And with both possessing power and robust striking ability, the strong possibility of a finish from either makes this fight a tough one to call, even if betting odds have Rountree marked as the slight favorite for the UFC Baku main event.
So whether you’re Baku-bound or watching stateside in this all-American clash, it’s time to set those alarms wherever you’re watching from.
Start Times
• USA: Preliminary Card: 12:00 PM, Main Card: 3:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 5:45 PM (June 21) (ET Time)
• Canada: Preliminary Card: 12:00 PM, Main Card: 3:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 5:45 PM (June 21)
• Mexico: Preliminary Card: 11:00 AM, Main Card: 2:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 4:45 PM (June 21)
• Brazil: Preliminary Card: 2:00 PM, Main Card: 5:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 7:45 PM (June 21)
• Argentina: Preliminary Card: 2:00 PM, Main Card: 5:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 7:45 PM (June 21)
• UK: Preliminary Card: 5:00 PM, Main Card: 8:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 10:45 PM (June 21)
• Ireland: Preliminary Card: 5:00 PM, Main Card: 8:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 10:45 PM (June 21)
• Spain: Preliminary Card: 6:00 PM, Main Card: 9:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 11:45 PM (June 21)
• Italy: Preliminary Card: 6:00 PM, Main Card: 9:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 11:45 PM (June 21)
• France: Preliminary Card: 6:00 PM, Main Card: 9:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 11:45 PM (June 21)
• Georgia: Preliminary Card: 8:00 PM, Main Card: 11:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 1:45 AM (June 22)
• Russia: Preliminary Card: 7:00 PM, Main Card: 10:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 12:45 AM (June 22)
• Japan: Preliminary Card: 1:00 AM, Main Card: 4:00 AM, Hill vs Rountree: 6:45 AM (June 22)
• China: Preliminary Card: 12:00 AM, Main Card: 3:00 AM, Hill vs Rountree: 5:45 AM (June 22)
• India: Preliminary Card: 9:30 PM, Main Card: 12:30 AM, Hill vs Rountree: 3:15 AM (June 22)
• South Korea: Preliminary Card: 1:00 AM, Main Card: 4:00 AM, Hill vs Rountree: 6:45 AM (June 22)
• UAE: Preliminary Card: 7:00 PM, Main Card: 10:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 12:45 AM (June 22)
• Saudi Arabia: Preliminary Card: 6:00 PM, Main Card: 9:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 11:45 PM (June 21)
• South Africa: Preliminary Card: 7:00 PM, Main Card: 10:00 PM, Hill vs Rountree: 12:45 AM (June 22)
• Australia: Preliminary Card: 3:00 AM, Main Card: 6:00 AM, Hill vs Rountree: 8:45 AM (June 22)
• New Zealand: Preliminary Card: 5:00 AM, Main Card: 8:00 AM, Hill vs Rountree: 10:45 AM (June 22)
Please note that the start times for the main event mentioned are estimates and not the exact time the main event will take place.
Streaming Details
The main card kicks off at 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT, streaming on ESPN+ and ABC. Prelims start earlier at 12 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT on ESPN2 and ESPN+. To catch every punch and takedown, make sure your ESPN+ subscription is active, and head over to the ESPN+ app or website to purchase the PPV.
UFC Baku Fight Card
Main Card
Light Heavyweight bout: Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Lightweight bout: Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes
Heavyweight bout: Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev
Lightweight bout: Tofiq Musayev vs. Myktybek Orolbai
Lightweight bout: Nazim Sadykhov vs. Nikolas Motta
Featherweight bout: Muhammad Naimov vs. Bogdan Grad
Preliminaries
Welterweight bout: Seokhyeon Ko vs. Oban Elliott
Middleweight bout: Ismail Naurdiev vs. Park Jun-yong
Women’s bantamweight bout: Melissa Mullins vs. Daria Zheleznyakova
Women’s bantamweight bout: Irina Alekseeva vs. Klaudia Syguła
Flyweight bout: Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Azat Maksum
Heavyweight bout: Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Mohammed Usman
