Latest news with #JamahalHill
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ABC 8 poster released for Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. in Azerbaijan
UFC on ABC 8 poster released for Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. in Azerbaijan The UFC makes its first-ever trip to Azerbaijan this summer. The promotion heads to the capital city of Baku for UFC on ABC 8, which features a light heavyweight matchup between former champion Jamahal Hill and former title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. in the main event. The event takes place at Baku Crystal Hall. Both Hill (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) and Rountree Jr. (13-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) will look to return to the win column to get back on the path toward another shot at the 205-pound title. The promotion has released an official poster for the event, which highlights the main event matchup with a faceoff between Hill and Rountree Jr. inside a double blue frame. Check out the poster below, as well as the latest UFC on ABC lineup (via X): Current UFC on ABC 8 lineup
USA Today
09-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jamahal Hill details 'weird' interaction with Khalil Rountree ahead of UFC Azerbaijan
Jamahal Hill details 'weird' interaction with Khalil Rountree ahead of UFC Azerbaijan Jamahal Hill's only recent interaction with opponent Khalil Rountree was an awkward one. Light heavyweights Hill (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) and Rountree (13-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) square off June 21 in the UFC on ABC 8 headliner at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku. The former title challengers had a recent run-in at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas which threw off Hill. "The only time that we did have an interaction, it was weird – but we don't really talk," Hill told The Schmo. "I was in the PI. I say what's up to anybody. I'll say hi to anybody. Then I walked into the locker room and he's just like, 'Man, you really don't like me, do you?' I was like, what? 'You really don't like me?' I was like, 'I don't even know you. We haven't even had a conversation.' "We haven't had anything. It's almost like he's got to build me up as this villain or this person that he hates in his head to fight, which is fine with me. But whenever you start putting the energy off to the UFC staff and sh*t like that, like, 'Oh, we can't be around each other or something's going to happen,' you're not going to do sh*t. So what's the point of that? It's weird to me." Both fighters will look to rebound from stoppage losses. Hill was finished by Jiri Prochazka via TKO at UFC 311 in January, whereas Rountree is coming off a TKO to Alex Pereira in their title fight at UFC 307 last October.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Former UFC champion Jamahal Hill shares an unusual interaction with upcoming rival Khalil Rountree Jr. - 'It's weird to me'
Jamahal Hill with The Schmo. Image via The Schmo/YouTube (screengrab) Former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill Khalil Rountree Jr Jamahal Hill details the weird interaction with Khalil Rountree Jr, tags Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria bout as the best possible matchup for IFW Jamahal Hill Details 'Weird" Locker Room Encounter with Khalil Rountree, Alex Pereira Title Rematch will face light heavyweight contender. in Azerbaijan on June 21, 2025. The fighters were supposed to face each other earlier at UFC Kansas City, which got replaced by the Ian Machado Garry vs. Carlos Prates bout. Both Hill and Rountree are looking for redemption following the previous losses faced by the fighters. In a recent interview, Hill deep dives into the relationship he shares with Rountree while talking about the possible main card event of the upcoming International Fight and awkward conversations between fighters are quite common in the world of combat sports. And former UFC champion Jamahal Hill is not new to the experience. The fighter has had such interaction with other athletes like Alex Pereira ahead of Pereira's bout against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313. Hill's recent confrontation involves his upcoming opponent for UFC Azerbaijan, Khalil Rountree Jr. Both fighters are currently training for their upcoming bout in Las Vegas, specifically at the UFC Performance Institute , a place that facilitates innovation, research and training for the athletes and members of the MMA in his recent interview with the Schmo, shares an awkward incident that the fighter had to face while confronting his rival Rountree in the locker I was in the UFC PI, walked into the locker room, and I'll say 'What's up' to anybody. And I walked into the locker room and he's like, 'Man, you really don't like me do you?'…and I was like what? And he was like 'You really don't like me, do you?'', The statement took Hill by surprise and he continued, 'I was like 'I don't even know you, we haven't even had a conversation'.It's almost like he's gotta build me up as this villain or this person that he hates, which is fine with me.'Hill further explained the possible repercussions of such an attitude, 'But whenever you start putting the energy off the UFC staff and sh*t like that like we can't be around each other, or something's going to happen, you're not going to do sh*t. So what's the point of that? It's weird to me.'When Hill was asked about what he is most prepared for in context of his rival, the fighter talked about the consistency that Rountree showcases within the Octagon, 'He is able to take damage and still have a game to throw and deal it out. So you got to be ready for that. He's got some fast twitches on some of his strikes into his game. So you got to be ready for that as well.'Towards the end of the 10-minute-long interview, Hill puts his opinion in on the possible main card event of the International Fight Week, 'I am hearing Islam and Topuria, but who knows man!' The fighter continued, 'If they want to make a lot of noise about it, I don't see too many other fights outside of that, you know.'Also read: 'I want to fight asap' - UFC Middleweight contender Bo Nickal opens up on future plans following the first loss of his pro-MMA career Both Hill and Rountree faced defeats in their previous matchups and are looking for a redemption towards the next title shot of the division. After losing the belt to Pereria, Hill lost another bout against Jiří Procházka and is aiming to bounce back and claim the light heavyweight championship belt.
USA Today
02-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Khalil Rountree Jr. reacts to Jamahal Hill injury, cancellation of UFC Kansas City main event
Khalil Rountree Jr. was set to headliner the upcoming UFC event in Kansas City, Mo., but his former champion opponent suffered an injury. The fight was set to close the show at UFC on ESPN 66 at T-Mobile Center on April 26, but now, Rountree Jr. (13-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) is left without an opponent due to Jamahal Hill suffering an undisclosed injury. The new main event of the card will be a welterweight showdown between Ian Machado Garry and Carlos Prates. Tuesday evening, Rountree Jr. released a video on his YouTube channel reacting to the news. 'So, I just got off the phone with the UFC, and it appears that Jamahal Hill is injured, not able to fight in Kansas City on the 26th of April,' Rountree Jr. said. 'So, looks like I'm out of a fight, and it's going to be postponed. I don't know when, but it looks like that's the case so far. 'I have no idea what the issue is. All I know is that UFC told me that he had to pull out due to an injury. Usually they don't give too many details as to what the injury is or whatever, but they did tell me that it was an injury and that he needed more time to recover from this injury, which is why they're going to postpone the fight.' The fight was to be Rountree Jr.'s first fight since being stopped in a title fight against then-champion Alex Pereira at UFC 307 in October. Rountree Jr. won five straight fights to get the call to fight for the title, and although he took home part of the Fight of the Night bonus, he did not take home the title. Rountree Jr. hopes the matchup against Hill (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) stays together in order to get back to another shot at the light heavyweight title, which is now held by Magomed Ankalaev. He admits the news is a little upsetting, but he also feels bad for the fans who may have already made travel arrangements to watch his fight in Kansas City.
USA Today
21-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jiri Prochazka open to facing winner of Jan Blachowicz vs. Carlos Ulberg at UFC London
Jiri Prochazka will have his eyes peeled for the UFC Fight Night 255 co-main event. Jan Blachowicz (29-10-1 MMA, 12-7-1 UFC) meets rising contender Carlos Ulberg (12-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) in a pivotal light heavyweight clash Saturday at The O2 (ESPN+). Originally eyeing a title shot next, Prochazka's plans pivoted after all signs are pointing to a title-fight rematch between champion Magomed Ankalaev (21-1-1 MMA, 12-1-1 UFC) and Alex Pereira (12-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC). Prochazka (31-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC), who's coming off a knockout of Jamahal Hill at UFC 311 in January, wants to stay busy and thinks the winner of Blachowicz vs. Ulberg makes sense for him next. 'I'm just looking for a good fight,' Prochazka told The Schmo. 'But after today's information, like Alex and Ankalaev, they're already confirmed their fight. I don't want to just stay and watch them and wait for the winner. Maybe I will fight with one of these guys with the winner from Saturday night. So let's see who will be the winner. Let the better (man) win.' After three title defenses over Jamahal Hill, Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree, Pereira lost his light heavyweight title to Ankalaev by unanimous decision at UFC 313. Prochazka has no issues with 'Poatan' getting an immediate rematch. 'I think for Alex, it's right,' Prochazka said. 'He has to have the first chance to – he deserves that, to fight against the champion right after. But still, I think he needs a little bit of time to refresh himself and take a little bit of time to upgrade his style, upgrade a few things, and win the battle.' For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 255.
