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USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 320 bout
Jiri Prochazka will look to get one more step closer to reclaiming UFC light heavyweight gold when he takes on former title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 320. Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. preview Prochazka (31-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) is back on the hunt for the light heavyweight title. In his first appearance of 2025, he stopped fellow former champ Jamahal Hill in the third round on the main card of UFC 311. The result put Prochazka back into the win column after a title challenge loss to Alex Pereira in a rematch at UFC 303 last June. Prochazka won the UFC title by submitting Glover Teixeira at UFC 275, and later vacated due to injury. Rountree Jr. (14-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) is also on the path toward another shot at the division's title. He also enters this matchup on the heels of a win over Hill, whom he defeated by unanimous decision in the main event of the promotion's first trip to Baku, Azerbaijan, in June. Rountree Jr. earned his first crack at gold after a five-fight winning streak, which came against Pereria at UFC 307 – a fight he lost by TKO in the fourth round. Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. odds According to FanDuel, former champion Prochazka is a -196 favorite to defeat Rountree Jr., who is a +152 underdog. How to watch Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 320 Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada Broadcast/streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view When: Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Gabriel Bonfim vs. Stephen Thompson prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 70
Gabriel Bonfim and Stephen Thompson meet Saturday in the co-feature of UFC on ESPN 70 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. Last event: 2-3 UFC main cards, 2025: 64-48-1 Gabriel Bonfim vs. Stephen Thompson UFC on ESPN 70 preview Bonfim (17-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) enters the biggest fight of his career thus far as a winner of back-to-back fights. Last July, he rebounded from his first career loss with a unanimous decision win over Ange Loosa. He followed that up with a second-round submission of Khoas Williams in February. ... Thompson (17-8-1 MMA, 12-8-1 UFC) is in an opposite position, coming after back-to-back losses. "Wonderboy" last won against Kevin Holland in December 2022. Since then, he was submitted by Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 296 and knocked out by Joaquin Buckley at UFC 307. Gabriel Bonfim vs. Stephen Thompson UFC on ESPN 70 expert pick, prediction The co-main event on ESPN features a potential crossroads fight at welterweight between Stephen Thompson and Gabriel Bonfim. Despite being a longtime Thompson fan, I can see why the betting public isn't too high on his chances against younger competition at this point in his career. On-paper mileage and age gaps aside, Thompson has shown a noted deterioration in his footwork down the stretch of fights, particularly when forced to retreat or maneuver along the fence. Although Thompson's distance management sensibilities were among the elite for a time, every exchange starts to feel like much more of a gamble in recent years. Thompson will have the bigger cage to move around in for this fight, but I'm not sure how safe that will keep him, considering that Bonfim seems to have solid level-changing takedowns both coming forward and off the counter. I wouldn't mind a "Wonderboy" upset, but the pick is Bonfim by submission in Round 2. Gabriel Bonfim vs. Stephen Thompson UFC on ESPN 70 odds The oddsmakers and the public are heavily favoring the younger fighter, listing Bonfim -430 and Thompson +300 via FanDuel. Gabriel Bonfim vs. Stephen Thompson UFC on ESPN 70 start time, how to watch As the co-main event, Bonfim and Thompson are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 11:10 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and ESPN+.
USA Today
26-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Big men headed to 'Big Easy': Lukasz Brzeski vs. Ryan Spann set for UFC 318 in New Orleans
The UFC's return to "The Big Easy" continues to build with a little lagniappe at heavyweight. A bout between big men Lukasz Brzeski (9-6-1 MMA, 1-5 UFC) and Ryan Spann (22-11 MMA, 8-6 UFC) has been added to UFC 318 next month. A person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the fight to MMA Junkie, but asked to remain anonymous because the UFC has not yet made a formal announcement of the fight. UFC 318 takes place July 19 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The card features a trilogy bout between the retiring local Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway for the BMF title. Spann will try to bounce back from a second-round TKO loss to Waldo Cortes-Acosta in March. That setback was his fourth in five fights, but also his first at heavyweight after years at 205 pounds. His final bout at light heavyweight, though, was a bonus-winning submission of Ovince St. Preux at UFC 307. Brzeski has a recent TKO loss to Cortes-Acosta on his resume, too. But after that 2023 setback, he bounced back with a win over Valter Walker – which stands as his only win in the UFC. The 33-year-old Polish fighter got into the UFC through a DWCS win that was flipped to a no contest for a failed drug test, and once in, he's struggled with losses in five of six fights. With the addition, the UFC 318 lineup now includes:
USA Today
24-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Khalil Rountree reveals serious injury suffered weeks away from Jamahal Hill fight
Khalil Rountree credits his team for helping him battle through adversity heading into his fight against Jamahal Hill. Rountree (14-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) defeated Hill by unanimous decision in Saturday's UFC on ABC 8 headliner at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. The former title challenger was able to knock down and outstrike Hill, but wasn't 100 percent going into the matchup. Rountree opened up on his struggles to make it to the fight. "About halfway through training camp, when I was training jiu-jitsu, was the first time I felt some discomfort in my knee," Rountree said on his YouTube channel. "Just from training with bigger guys and doing four sessions per day on top of like running and jiu-jitsu and pads, that's when I first started feeling the discomfort. Then it only grew from there until one day I woke up, and it was just really hard for me to walk and even stand. So, I got it checked out and ended up having a torn meniscus. Once I found out what the injury was, I think it was only about three weeks away from actual fight day. "So, it was obviously stressful, but I just had amazing, positive support to keep going, to not let it affect my mental and do whatever I could to push through it. ... Initially I was devastated, and I wasn't really able to train how I really wanted to, but it was kind of a blessing in disguise because I came into the cage really fresh because I haven't been able to spar in three weeks. There hasn't really been a lot of contact. The last three weeks had just been recovery on top of getting sick during fight week. Had I not had such a positive, supportive group of coaches, I don't think I would have gotten this far and done it on my own. I think I would have crumbled. So, it all paid off." Rountree rebounded from his title loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 307 by defeating former champion Hill. The Season 23 "Ultimate Fighter" finalist now has won six of his past seven fights.
USA Today
21-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ABC 8: Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. odds, picks and predictions
In a 5-round light heavyweight bout in the main event, Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr. meet Saturday at UFC on ABC 8 at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. The main event is expected to start approximately at 5:45 p.m. ET, following the prelims scheduled to kick off at noon ET (ESPN/ESPN+) with the main card set for 3 p.m. ET (ABC / ESPN+). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's UFC odds around the UFC on ABC 8: Hill vs. Rountree Jr. odds, and make our expert UFC picks and predictions. Records: Hill (12-3-0) | Rountree Jr. (14-6-0) Hill looks to halt a 2-bout skid. He picked up a light heavyweight championship Jan. 21, 2023 at UFC 283 against veteran Glover Teixeira, but he gave it back when Alex Pereira knocked him out in Round 1 at UFC 300. He followed the loss up with a Round 3 KO/TKO loss against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311. In 7 of Hill's past 8 fights, we had a single unanimous-decision win over Teixeira at UFC 283, while the other 7 ended by way of KO/TKO, with 4 wins and 3 losses via the method. Rountree also has a title loss to Pereira, falling last time out via Round 4 KO/TKO at UFC 307. That halted a 5-bout win streak that included 4 knockouts and a split-decision victory against Dustin Jacoby. Hill has a 2.5-inch reach advantage over his fellow southpaw Rountree. Hill also has a 7.05-to-3.73 significant strikes landed per minute, while landing 55.44% of those strikes, while Rountree has managed a 41.53% mark. Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here. UFC on ABC 8: Hill vs. Rountree Jr. odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:30 a.m. ET. UFC on ABC 8: Hill vs. Rountree Jr. picks and predictions Fight result (2-way line or moneyline) HILL (-110) is a great value in what the sportsbooks consider a bit of a coin-flip bout. However, Hill is the better play, as he is a punching machine, racking up 7.05 significant strikes per minute, he is accurate with those punches, and he has the 2.5-inch reach advantage he can use to push and pull Rountree Jr. out at his choosing. It's hard to understand why this is considered essentially a pick 'em, but take advantage and play Hill. If you want to play the method of victory. HILL BY KO/TKO OR DQ (+200) for the chance to double up on the 7-way line is a strong play, too. Rountree's defense isn't great, and has been knocked out 3 times in his past 10 fights, including a loss to Pereira last time out at UFC 307, he didn't lose that fight until Round 4. Hill's defense isn't great, either, losing 3 times via KO/TKO since June 12, 2021, while winning 4 times by way of knockout since Dec. 2020. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! Over/Under OVER 2.5 ROUNDS (-105) is worth a look, as both Hill and Rountree are veterans who know how to hang around. Both fighters have some issues with defense, so proceed with caution with the Over play. However, both of these guys should feel each other out in a 5-round fight. Expect a slow start before we get a flurry in the middle to late rounds. Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis. For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow Daniel Dobish on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and us on Facebook.
