Khalil Rountree Jr. outclasses Jamahal Hill at UFC Fight Night in Baku
UFC light heavyweight
title challenger
Khalil Rountree Jr.
delivered a commanding performance in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Azerbaijan, earning a dominant unanimous decision victory over former champion
Jamahal Hill
.
Rountree controlled the pace and dictated the action throughout the bout, securing scorecards of 49-46, 50-45, and 50-45 from the judges.
Rountree (15-6 MMA) showcased his striking prowess with effective leg kicks and multiple knockdowns of the former light heavyweight champion.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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— ufc (@ufc)
Meanwhile, Hill (12-4 MMA) has now dropped three consecutive fights and is still looking to recapture the form , with his last victory dating back to January 2023.
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Rountree remains open to several possibilities for his next bout, stressing his desire to stay in the title mix.
"I didn't come in here underestimating Jamahal," Rountree said after the fight.
— ufc (@ufc)
In the co-main event, local lightweight
Rafael Fiziev
(13-4 MMA) secured a unanimous decision victory against Ignacio Bahamondes, with all judges scoring 30-27. This marked Fiziev's first win since July 2022, with his superior striking proving decisive against Bahamondes (17-6 MMA), who suffered his first defeat since August 2023. As the No. 11-ranked fighter, Fiziev remained open regarding his next opponent.
Curtis Blaydes
emerged victorious in the heavyweight contest, earning a split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) over newcomer Rizvan Kuniev. Blaydes (19-5 MMA) rebounded from his loss to interim champion Tom Aspinall at UFC 304 last July. Post-fight, he expressed interest in facing Ciryl Gane in 'October or November', while nursing an MCL injury. Kuniev (12-3-1 MMA), who joined the Dana White Contender Series last August, experienced his first loss since August 2015.
At 165-pound catchweight, Myktybek Orolbai (14-2-1 MMA) submitted
Tofiq Musayev
via kimura at 4:35 of Round 1. This victory marked Orolbai's fifth win in six bouts, whilst ending Musayev's (22-6 MMA) two-fight winning streak in his UFC debut.
Lightweight Nazim Sadykhov delivered a remarkable performance, securing a TKO victory at 4:17 of Round 2 against Nikolas Motta. Despite nearly being finished in the first round, Sadykhov (11-1-1 MMA) rallied back, ultimately landing a 75-punch combination for the finish. Motta (15-6 MMA) recorded his first defeat since June 2023.
The main card began with featherweight Muhammad Naimov securing a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) over Bogdan Grad, marking the 13th consecutive decision since the previous Saturday's Atlanta event. Naimov (13-3 MMA) improved his UFC record to 4-1, while Grad (15-3 MMA) saw his four-fight winning streak end, moving to 1-1 in the promotion.
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