UFC Baku Preview: Hill vs. Rountree Headlines Historic Card
PFL Baku Main Card Preview
The world leader in mixed martial arts breaks new ground this weekend as Crystal Palace Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan, hosts its first-ever UFC event.
Let’s take a look at the main card action at UFC on ABC 8 this Saturday night:
Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (Light Heavyweight)
Former 205-pound champion Jamahal Hill (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is searching for his first win since January 2023 in Saturday’s main event, where he faces the always-dangerous Khalil Rountree Jr. (13-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC).
“Sweet Dreams” is currently on the first losing streak of his career, having been finished by both Alex Pereira and Jiří Procházka since returning from a torn Achilles in mid-2024. He faces a tough test in Rountree, who needs just one more knockdown to tie Chuck Liddell and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (14) for the most knockdowns in UFC light heavyweight history.
With 26 UFC appearances between them, neither fighter has ever completed a takedown inside the Octagon—so fans can expect a striking battle.
Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (Lightweight)
Rafael Fiziev (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) gets a chance to fight on home soil as he looks to snap the longest losing streak of his career. The Azerbaijani standout dropped two bouts to Justin Gaethje, bookending a devastating knee injury suffered in a 2023 loss to Mateusz Gamrot. That injury led to an 18-month layoff.
Ignacio Bahamondes (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) could be a potential spoiler for Fiziev. The Chilean prospect has racked up three first-round finishes since his last loss to Ľudovít Klein two years ago.
Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev (Heavyweight)
Heavyweight veteran Curtis Blaydes (18-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) welcomes former Eagle FC champion Rizvan Kuniev (13-2-1) to the UFC this weekend. “Razor,” who holds the record for the most takedowns in UFC heavyweight history (62), will likely lean on his elite wrestling as he faces a dangerous newcomer. Kuniev has finished nine of his 13 professional wins inside the distance—six of them by knockout.
Myktybek Oralbai vs. Tofiq Musayev (Lightweight)
Always exciting, Myktybek Oralbai (13-2-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) returns to the Octagon for the first time since a thrilling split-decision loss to Mateusz Rebecki at UFC 308 last October. He’ll face former RIZIN standout Tofiq Musayev (22-5), who makes his UFC debut on Saturday.
The Azerbaijani striker has also competed in Bellator and owns notable wins over Patricky “Pitbull” Freire and Daron Cruickshank.
Nazim Sadykhov vs. Nikolas Motta (Lightweight)
Azerbaijan’s own Nazim Sadykhov (10-1-1 MMA, 3-0-1 UFC) returns to action on the main card against Brazil’s Nikolas Motta (15-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC). Trained by Ray Longo, Sadykhov has finished nine of his ten professional victories inside the distance—including all three of his UFC wins.
Muhammad Naimov vs. Bogdan Grad (Featherweight)
The main card opener features Bogdan Grad (15-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who looks to build on his spectacular debut knockout of Lucas Alexander in February in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He’ll face a step up in competition against Tajikistan’s Muhammad Naimov (12-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who holds notable wins over Nathaniel Wood and Erik Silva.
Paul Browne is a professional mixed martial arts commentator, feature writer and podcaster based in Dublin, Ireland.
