Khalil Rountree shrugs off Jamahal Hill's disparaging remarks before UFC Baku
Khalil Rountree shrugs off Jamahal Hill's disparaging remarks before UFC Baku
Khalil Rountree isn't taking Jamahal Hill's disparaging remarks ahead of their UFC on ABC 8 fight too seriously.
Rountree (13-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) takes on former light heavyweight champion Hill (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) in Saturday's UFC on ABC 8 (ABC, ESPN, ESPN+) headliner at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Hill told MMA Junkie that he plans on showing that Rountree isn't on his level, but the former title challenger doesn't take it as a personal attack. He explains why.
"I think that's a mixture of a lot of things, but it's also not the first time that I've heard this," Rountree told MMA Junkie. "I heard it against Alex (Pereira), we've heard it against Jiri (Prochazka). 'Alex is not on my level, Jiri is not on my level, Khalil Rountree is not on my level.' So, I'm just going to leave it at that (laughs). I'm prepared."
Rountree hasn't competed since falling short in a valiant effort against Alex Pereira in their title fight at UFC 307. Light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev and Pereira are expected to run things back, and Rountree hopes to find himself in the title picture again with a win over Hill.
"It's so hard to say with guys' decisions and choosing to fight who and this and that," Rountree said. "So, I really don't know what to expect, who's going to fight who, but all I know is that by the end of the year, I would love to be right there fighting for the belt again. Whether it would be Alex or whoever else. I don't care who's there, it's about the belt and my biggest dream is I would love for it to be in Vegas. I would love to fight for the belt in Vegas, at home, and get a chance to win it at home."
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