History will be made this Saturday as the UFC plants its flag in Azerbaijan for the first time. The Crystal Palace Hall in Baku sets the stage for a stacked night of action, headlined by former champions, rising contenders, and regional heroes eager to shine on home turf.
Here’s a look at the main card lineup at UFC on ABC 8:
Main Event: Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (Light Heavyweight)
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill (12-3) is looking to stop the slide after back-to-back defeats following a long injury layoff. Since returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon in 2024, “Sweet Dreams” has suffered stoppage losses to both Alex Pereira and Jiří Procházka. He now meets the streaking Khalil Rountree Jr. (13-6), a knockout artist with his sights set on elite company.
Rountree needs just one more knockdown to tie legends Chuck Liddell and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the most in division history. With both fighters yet to record a single takedown in their combined UFC careers, this bout is almost guaranteed to stay standing — and to end violently.
Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (Lightweight)
After a lengthy layoff due to a devastating knee injury, Azerbaijan’s own Rafael Fiziev (12-4) returns to fight in front of his home crowd for the first time. Once among the division’s most feared strikers, Fiziev now finds himself on a three-fight skid, including two defeats to Justin Gaethje and a stoppage loss to Mateusz Gamrot.
Opposite him stands Ignacio Bahamondes (17-5), a surging Chilean prospect riding a wave of first-round finishes. With speed, reach, and momentum on his side, Bahamondes could present a real threat to Fiziev’s comeback narrative.
Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev (Heavyweight)
Veteran heavyweight wrestler Curtis Blaydes (18-5) welcomes former Eagle FC champion Rizvan Kuniev (13-2-1) to the UFC in a classic striker vs. grappler clash. Blaydes, who holds the UFC heavyweight record for most takedowns (62), will look to impose his top-heavy style against a debutant who brings serious knockout power — six of Kuniev’s nine finishes have come via KO/TKO.
If Kuniev can keep the fight upright, we could be in for an upset. If not, expect Blaydes to maul his way to another dominant decision or ground-and-pound stoppage.
Myktybek Oralbai vs. Tofiq Musayev (Lightweight)
Action fighter Myktybek Oralbai (13-2-1) returns to the cage after a thrilling split decision loss to Mateusz Rebecki last fall. The Kyrgyz brawler is all about high pace and grit, but he’ll need both against promotional newcomer Tofiq Musayev (22-5).
A former standout in RIZIN and Bellator, Musayev brings a well-rounded game and an impressive résumé, including wins over names like Patricky Pitbull and Daron Cruickshank. This could be the sleeper fight of the night.
Nazim Sadykhov vs. Nikolas Motta (Lightweight)
Representing Azerbaijan on home soil, Nazim Sadykhov (10-1-1) aims to keep his unbeaten UFC streak alive against Brazilian brawler Nikolas Motta (15-5). Sadykhov, who trains under Ray Longo, has won all three of his UFC fights by stoppage — and boasts a 90?reer finishing rate.
Motta brings dangerous counter-punching and veteran savvy, but he’ll need to survive the early storm against a hungry and highly motivated local favorite.
Muhammad Naimov vs. Bogdan Grad (Featherweight)
Kicking off the main card is a featherweight showdown between Tajikistan’s Muhammad Naimov (12-3) and Austria’s Bogdan Grad (15-2), who impressed with a first-round KO in his UFC debut earlier this year in Riyadh.
Naimov, a gritty grinder with wins over Nathaniel Wood and Erik Silva, brings Octagon experience and a strong grappling base. Grad, however, has the power and confidence to make another statement — and perhaps steal the spotlight early.
