Jamahal Hill outlines Khalil Rountree Jr.'s only way of beating him at UFC Baku: "I'm the magician here"

Jamahal Hill appears confident ahead of his upcoming fight against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC Baku. Hill doesn't seem to be concerned about Rountree Jr.'s abilities inside the octagon as the former champion is ready to get back on title contention.

UFC Baku's main event is set to pit Hill against Rountree Jr. in a light heavyweight bout. The Fight Night card will take place this Saturday at Crystal Palace Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. ESPN MMA recently posted a preview of the headliner on its YouTube channel, in which the American vowed to put on a strong performance while taking shots at Rountree Jr.

'Sweet Dreams' said:

''I believe 100 % I need to come out and make a statement against Khalil Rountree [Jr.]. I need to show that I'm still that high level and dominant fighter that I've been. The guy's a brutal fighter. He don't come out to just beat you. He comes out to truly do damage. He wants to be feared. But I have the ability to win a fight in multiple ways, and he has really just one way to win. He has a puncher's chance, and I believe I'm the magician here. I got all the tricks.''

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Check out Jamahal Hill's comments below:

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The two were originally scheduled to face each other at UFC Kansas City earlier this year. However, Hill pulled out of the fight due to an injury, leaving Rountree Jr. without an opponent.

Hill is coming off a third round knockout loss to Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311 after failing to reclaim the 205 pound title from Alex Pereira at UFC 300 last year. Meanwhile, Rountree Jr. was also unable to dethrone Pereira at UFC 307, as he was knocked out in the fourth round.

Khalil Rountree Jr. aims to receive title opportunity after defeating Jamahal Hill at UFC Baku

Khalil Rountree Jr. performed admirably against the then champion Alex Pereira at UFC 307 last year. However, he fell short and suffered a fourth round knockout defeat.

In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Rountree Jr. promised to put on a strong performance against Jamahal Hill, saying:

''My plan is to put on a performance that makes a title shot undeniable, if that makes any sense. I’m ready to be a champion and the champion. Everything I’m working on and doing is to be prepared for that again. That is absolutely what I want and what I am gunning for. My plan is to put on an undeniable performance so that I can get that chance again.''

Check out Khalil Rountree Jr.'s comments below (18:20):

About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena