The first wave of fights has been confirmed for UFC Fight Night Azerbaijan, which takes place at the Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan, on June 21.
The event is set to be headlined by a light heavyweight bout between former champion Jamahal Hill (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) and former title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. (13-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC).
The pair was originally scheduled to face off in the main event at UFC Kansas City on April 26, but a reshuffle became necessary after Hill withdrew due to injury. Ian Machado Garry and Carlos Prates will now headline that card in their place, while “Sweet Dreams” and “The War Horse” have been rebooked for the UFC’s debut event in Azerbaijan.
Hill became the UFC light heavyweight champion when he defeated Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in 2023 but was forced to vacate the belt later that year after suffering a torn Achilles.
He returned in the main event at UFC 300 to face Alex Pereira but suffered a knockout loss in the opening round. Hill was also in action this past January, where he was stopped via third-round TKO by former champion Jiri Prochazka.
Rountree Jr. fought only once in 2024, taking on then-champion Pereira at UFC 307 in October. Despite being stopped by “Poatan” in the fourth round, Rountree Jr.'s stock rose after the spirited performance. A win here over a former champion like Hill could propel him back into the title picture.
Kyogi Horiguchi Makes His Return In Baku
The event in Baku also marks the return of former UFC flyweight title challenger Kyoji Horiguchi (34-5 MMA, 7-1 UFC). The Japanese star recently vacated his RIZIN flyweight title and announced his return to the Octagon, where he last competed in 2016.
Horiguchi is set to face Tagir Ulanbekov (16-2 MMA, 5-1) who has put together an impressive run of performances since signing with the UFC in 2020.
Horiguchi’s only loss in the UFC came against the division’s consensus GOAT, Demetrious Johnson, at UFC 186. Having since captured championship belts in both Bellator and RIZIN, the 34-year-old is now set to begin his second run at becoming a UFC champion.
Fights Confirmed So Far For UFC Azerbaijan
- Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (205 pounds)
- Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Kyogi Horiguchi (125 pounds)
- Ismail Naurdiev vs. Jun Yong Park (185 pounds)
- Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev (265 pounds)
- Mohammed Usman vs. Hamdy Abdelwahab (265 pounds)
- Irina Alekseeva vs. Klaudia Sygula (135 pounds)
- Darya Zhelznyakova vs. Melissa Mullins (135 pounds)
