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	<title>Jamahal Hill Archives - Cageside Press</title>
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	<title>Jamahal Hill Archives - Cageside Press</title>
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		<title>VIDEO: Jamahal Hill Gives His Side Of Jedrzejczyk Altercation</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/12/09/video-jamahal-hill-gives-his-side-of-jedrzejczyk-altercation/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Eddie Law]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 23:25:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jamahal Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Joanna Jedrzejczyk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC 323]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=218509</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill has come forward with a detailed account of the heated confrontation with Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 323, claiming the Hall of Famer aggressively confronted him without explanation before the now-viral shouting match that required security intervention. &#8220;I greet everybody. I go up to Joanna, I say &#8216;hey what’s [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/12/09/video-jamahal-hill-gives-his-side-of-jedrzejczyk-altercation/" data-wpel-link="internal">VIDEO: Jamahal Hill Gives His Side Of Jedrzejczyk Altercation</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p data-start="237" data-end="540">Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill has come forward with a detailed account of the heated confrontation with <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/12/09/i-dont-deserve-to-be-threatened-joanna-jedrzejczyk-breaks-silence-on-confrontation-with-hill/" data-wpel-link="internal">Joanna Jedrzejczyk</a> at UFC 323, claiming the Hall of Famer aggressively confronted him without explanation before the now-viral shouting match that required security intervention.</p>
<p data-start="237" data-end="540">&#8220;I greet everybody. I go up to Joanna, I say &#8216;hey what’s up champ, how you doing?&#8217; She’s like &#8216;yeah, what’s up? Where’s your girl? Your girl’s not here? Where’s your girl?&#8217; I was like no, she’s not here.&#8217;,&#8221; Hill said on his YouTube Channel.</p>
<p data-start="237" data-end="540">&#8220;She’s like &#8216;you’re Mr. Big Player Man, Mr. Big Time.&#8217; I’m like what are you talking about? She’s like &#8216;I don’t know how you get down in America but I’m from Poland, we’re real gangsters, I don’t do this sh*t, I don’t play this sh*t.&#8217; I’m like yo, what’s going on? What happened? So I asked her about this. Was something said? Did you hear something? Talk to me. What’s going on? What are you upset about?&#8221;</p>
<p data-start="82" data-end="341"><a href="https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/120815-jamahal-hill" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">Hill</a> says the encounter quickly escalated once he attempted to clarify why Jedrzejczyk was upset, claiming she became increasingly agitated despite his repeated efforts to understand the issue. According to Hill, that’s when the situation took a sharp turn.</p>
<p data-start="237" data-end="540">&#8220;This lady just completely flipped her sh*t,” Hill said.</p>
<p data-start="237" data-end="540">&#8220;She’s going on &#8216;no, motherf*cker, you like talking sh*t, you like talking sh*t!&#8217; This is the first legible thing she’s said. I was like I was talking sh*t, let’s start there. What did I say? She said &#8216;no, I don’t do this, I’m from Poland motherf*cker.&#8217; I’m like Joanna, I’m just trying to understand what you’re upset about. What did I say? What did you hear that has you this upset?,&#8221; he continued.</p>
<p data-start="237" data-end="540">The situation took a more hostile turn when Jedrzejczyk began to allegedly threaten Hill&#8217;s girlfriend and the former light heavyweight champion himself.</p>
<p data-start="237" data-end="540">&#8220;I don’t have no f*cking lawyer, all this bullsh*t, I’m from Poland, I’ll f*ck you up, I’ll f*ck you up, I’m not scared.&#8217; I’m like whoa, now she’s threatening me! Then she says &#8216;I should have smashed your girl’s head in, go over and smash your head in, too! I don’t give a f*ck.&#8217; Now she’s threatened me, she’s threatened my girl. I have not threatened her. I have not raised my voice to her. I asked her one more time, can you articulate for me what the issue is? What was said?’,&#8221; continued Hill.</p>
<p data-start="237" data-end="540">&#8220;She said &#8216;no, you’re talking sh*t, you’re talking sh*t.&#8217; I just know you’re talking sh*t, I hear you’re talking sh*t.&#8217; So you’re upset with me and you don’t know what I said. You can’t tell me what I said and you’re this upset but you can’t tell me what I said or what you’re upset about.&#8221;</p>
<p data-start="74" data-end="346">Hill says the confrontation reached its breaking point once Jedrzejczyk allegedly moved toward him and continued making threats, escalating the situation beyond anything he expected. At that moment, he claims his patience ran out and the exchange turned far more heated.</p>
<p data-start="237" data-end="540">&#8220;You’re upset with me, you’re coming at me crazy and all these things and now I don’t give a f*ck about why you’re mad. I don’t care whatever reason why you’re mad. I don’t care and you sound f*cking retarded. I told her, you sound retarded, to me. At this point, she’s already threatened me, she’s threatened my girl. I’m not trying to hear this shit. She’s walked up in my face now. She’s approached me also in my face like she’s going to do something to me,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p data-start="237" data-end="540">&#8220;All the people talking about &#8216;Joanna was the aggressor.&#8217; My girl wasn’t there. She was being aggressive towards me. The whole time. Threatening me, being aggressive towards me. Not one time did I get aggressive, did I go towards her, raise my voice, anything. At that point, I’m like you’re making a scene, this sh*t ain’t cool. The UFC staff comes, they grab her, start moving her away and now she’s getting real loud talking about &#8216;just wait, I’ll f*ck you and I’ll f*ck your girl up.&#8217; I’m like if you would have touched my girl, I would have knocked you the f*ck out and if you touch my girl, I’m going to knock you the f*ck out. She’s threatening to assault my girl.&#8221;</p>
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<p data-start="37" data-end="261" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">In Jedrzejczyk’s account, she offered no explanation for what sparked the confrontation at UFC 323. Hill, however, has his own theory, or more specifically, a person he believes was responsible for the entire situation.</p>
<p data-start="37" data-end="261" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;There’s absolutely no problems at all but Joanna’s manager is playing this little game. A couple of years ago in New York, when the whole bus incident happened, a bunch of us were in there, Joanna was in New York, I was in New York and I shot my shot. I was shooting my shot, I tried to smash. Her manager, this entire time we’re at this event is like subliminally trying to drop messages to my girl, trying to dry snitch. The thing is, I’m real, I’m a real honest and transparent person. My girl already knew this. My girl had already known this, I had already talked to her. We had already spoken on this. She kept doing this,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p data-start="37" data-end="261" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;When she does it again, my girl tells her &#8216;I know about New York, I’m not mad, I’m not tripping about it, we’re good, I know my man, we’re good.'&#8221; Hill claimed.</p>
<p data-start="37" data-end="261" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;So her manager takes this and because she can’t drive a wedge or get the reaction she wanted so she just straight up turns to Joanna and said &#8216;you had sex with Jamahal?&#8217; Says this to her in front of my girl, which understandably could be embarrassing for her, which is something I absolutely never said. I said I tried to sleep with her. She says this to Joanna. Joanna jumps up, she’s like &#8216;no, I’m not like that, I’m from Poland, we’ve got morals, we don’t do that.&#8217; Now mind you this entire time we’re at this event, my girl and Joanna have been sitting and talking, they’ve been cool, best of friends, this whole time. She was not tripping about this at all.&#8221;</p>
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<p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">&#8220;From what I’m being told and what she’s not saying publicly, she was upset that I told my girl that she was in my DM’s and she was trying to get with me and all this and that’s why she was upset,” Hill said.</p>
<p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">&#8220;Never happened. I never said that whatsoever. Absolutely never said that. What I said was I made the advances. I still don’t know why she’s mad. If she can tell anybody why she’s made, please truly, let me know.&#8221;</p>
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<div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><em>Watch the entire video above.</em></div>
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<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/12/09/video-jamahal-hill-gives-his-side-of-jedrzejczyk-altercation/" data-wpel-link="internal">VIDEO: Jamahal Hill Gives His Side Of Jedrzejczyk Altercation</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>What&#8217;s Next: UFC Baku Losers</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/23/whats-next-ufc-baku-losers/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bryson Hester]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jun 2025 23:08:27 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bogdan Grad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ignacio Bahamondes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jamahal Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nikolas Motta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rizvan Kuniev]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tofiq Musayev]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC on ABC 8]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=210135</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>UFC Baku boasted yet another six-fight main card on Saturday. The other half of the 12 fights were on the undercard which ended up having absolutely no finishes. UFC Baku was the card of the Contender Series fighter as it seemed like most of the losers on the main card were alumni members of the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/23/whats-next-ufc-baku-losers/" data-wpel-link="internal">What&#8217;s Next: UFC Baku Losers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>UFC Baku boasted yet another six-fight main card on Saturday. The other half of the 12 fights were on the undercard which ended up having absolutely no finishes.</p>
<p>UFC Baku was the card of the Contender Series fighter as it seemed like most of the losers on the main card were alumni members of the show. The main event of UFC Baku featured a highly anticipated and much delayed showdown between the former UFC light heavyweight champion, Jamahal Hill, and a former title challenger, Khalil Rountree Jr.  Lots of competitive and exciting bouts to make on this edition of losers matchmaker.</p>
<h2>Jamahal Hill</h2>
<p><a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/21/ufc-baku-khalil-rountree-jr-shuts-down-ex-champ-jamahal-hill/" data-wpel-link="internal">Khalil Rountree Jr.</a> dropped Jamahal Hill several times en route to a unanimous decision victory over the former light heavyweight title holder. Jamahal Hill is now on a three-fight losing skid since losing his belt to Alex Pereira in April of last year. Hill entered the fight ranked at #4 in the division while his opponent was ranked at #7.</p>
<p>A fight against Carlos Ulberg, who Hill was matched up against in June of last year, until that fight was cancelled, no longer makes a lot of sense.</p>
<p>However Dominick Reyes would offer a good matchup as the pair share similar lengths, striking styles, and ages.</p>
<p>Reyes is riding a three-fight win streak. Only problem with this matchup is that Reyes last fought in April and it was a first round KO. Reyes is likely looking for a fight right now. So, the timing likely wouldn&#8217;t match up unless Reyes would be willing to wait for Hill to heal up. This fight would not only be meaningful but could easily headline a Fight Night card. Guaranteed to be a violent fight as well, with Hill and Reyes both jostling to reestablish their dominance at 205lbs.</p>
<p><em>Hill&#8217;s next fight: Dominick Reyes</em></p>
<h2>Ignacio Bahamondes</h2>
<p><a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/21/rafael-fiziev-dominates-bahamondes-to-decision-win-at-home/" data-wpel-link="internal">Rafael Fiziev</a> dominated Ignacio Bahamondes in all aspects of mixed martial arts on his way to a unanimous decision victory in the co-main event of UFC Baku. Fiziev entered the fight ranked at #11 in the lightweight division while Bahamondes was unranked. Considering the circumstances, maybe it was just a bit too much too soon for the 27-year-old. The loss snapped a three-fight first round bonus-winning streak for Bahamondes. Lots of momentum lost.</p>
<p>Bahamondes has a few options moving forward as the lightweight division is a deep pit of capable fighters. A case could even be made for him to take on Nazim Sadykhov who had an excellent performance earlier on the card. All a matter of how aggressive he/the UFC brass would like to be. A good matchup to kind of regain his footing would be against the winner Chase Hooper vs Alexander Hernandez. Unfortunately, the timing wouldn&#8217;t be the greatest for that fight as it&#8217;s taking place at UFC 319 on August 16. If Ignacio can swing being on the shelf for a little while, this is the fight to make. 25-year-old Chase Hooper is riding a five-fight win streak including three finishes. Hernandez is coming off of winning two straight. That&#8217;s a big fight-especially for Chase.</p>
<p>If there is a big statement made in that fight on the 16th then a fight against a guy like Ignancio, who just tried to break into the rankings, could make sense. This fight could be a co-main event on a Fight Night card or high on the undercard of a PPV. Winner of that would obviously fight for a ranking.</p>
<p><em>Bahamondes&#8217;s next fight: Winner of Chase Hooper vs Alexander Hernandez</em></p>
<h2>Rizvan Kuniev</h2>
<p><a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/21/ufc-baku-curtis-blaydes-takes-razor-thin-decision-over-debuting-rizvan-kuniev/" data-wpel-link="internal">Curtis Blaydes</a> leaned heavily on his grappling and grit to win a razor-close split decision against Rizvan Kuniev on Saturday. It was quite the UFC debut for Rizvan Kuniev, <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/19/redemption-second-chances-dana-whites-contender-series-rizvan-kuniev/" data-wpel-link="internal">a two-time Contender Series winner</a>. Blaydes is currently ranked at #5 in the UFC&#8217;s heavyweight division, so it was undoubtedly an impressive showing for the unranked and debuting Kuniev. Who definitely had his moments in the fight.</p>
<p>Serghei Spivac would be a good fighter for Kuniev to face next. Serghei is ranked at #9 in the heavyweight division. Spivac last fought at UFC 316 earlier in the month losing a unanimous decision to now #7 ranked, Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Spivac has lost three of his last four fights. This would be an interesting middle of the pack fighter to test the newcomer against.  Kuniev showed on Saturday that while he has capable grappling, he is also a threat on the feet. A matchup against Spivac would give Kuniev another opportunity to display that- as it&#8217;s what you need to be successful in today&#8217;s heavyweight division.</p>
<p><em>Kuniev&#8217;s next fight: Serghei Spivac </em></p>
<h2>Tofiq Musayev</h2>
<p><a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/21/ufc-baku-myktybek-orolbai-spoils-debut-of-tofiq-musayev/" data-wpel-link="internal">Myktybek Orolabi</a> came out with a vicious pace and got the submission finish in the first round against the experienced newcomer in, Tofiq Musayev, at UFC Baku. An eight-fight veteran of the RIZIN promotion, Tofiq defeated Patricky Pitbull in 2019 to win the RIZIN lightweight grand prix.</p>
<p>Even at 35 years old, and despite the outcome of his debut, Tofiq needs to be given competitive matchups because of his history and record (22-6). A solid litmus test could be a matchup against Uros Medic. Uros is 4-3 with the UFC since coming off the Contender Series in 2020. Medic has lost two of his last three and had a fight against Khaos Willimas cancelled on June 7. The timing could work on this as Khaos went ahead and fought on the 7th. Medic was also submitted by Orolbai in the second round of their bout in 2023. Uros is a very fun striker that has never heard the final bell, win or lose, in any of his pro MMA fights. This would be a fun one for fans, and good to establish a little bit of UFC clout in an extremely crowded division.</p>
<p><em>Musayev&#8217;s next fight: Uros Medic</em></p>
<h2>Nikolas Motta</h2>
<p>Nikolas Motta and <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/21/nazim-sadykhov-goes-to-war-with-motta-takes-r2-tko-win/" data-wpel-link="internal">Nazim Sadykhov</a> put on an exciting back and forth fight that ended with Motta getting folded on Saturday. <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/21/two-fighters-claim-all-the-bonus-money-at-ufc-baku/" data-wpel-link="internal">The bout won all the bonus money for UFC Baku</a>. Motta is now 3-3, 1 NC within the UFC since being signed off the Contender Series in 2020.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s keep the good times rolling with Motta and give him another fun matchup. He will undoubtedly need some time to recover after that fight, so timing is of the essence for this matchup. The winner of Terrance McKinney vs Viacheslav Borschev could be a solid option. Those two are scheduled to complete on June 28 at UFC 317, so that&#8217;s one box checked (timing). McKinney is 6-4 with the UFC, a Contender Series alum, and has won two of his last three. Win or lose, McKinney has never heard the final horn sound for the duration of his UFC career. Borshchev is 3-4-1 in the UFC and an alumnus of the Contender Series. Viacheslav has lost two of his last three but always bring a high action, high output fight style.</p>
<p>No matter who wins here, the fight against Motta is an easy potential fight of the night. Could be on the main card of a fight night card as well.</p>
<p><em>Motta&#8217;s next fight: Winner of Terrance McKinney vs. Viacheslav Borshchev</em></p>
<h2>Bogdan Grad</h2>
<p>Bogdan Grad fell to <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/21/ufc-baku-muhammad-naimov-vs-bogdan-grad/" data-wpel-link="internal">Muhammad Naimov</a> by way of unanimous decision to kick off the main card of UFC Baku, Saturday. Grad is a <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/26/redemption-second-chances-dana-whites-contender-series-bodgan-grad/" data-wpel-link="internal">two-time Contender Series competitor</a> that made his UFC debut in February of this year with a bonus-winning finish over Lucas Alexander. Grad is now 1-1 with the promotion.</p>
<p>A good matchup for Grad would be against the loser of Danny Silva vs Kevin Vallejos. That fight goes down on August 2 so the timing wouldn&#8217;t be too bad. Silva is also a former Contender Series competitor that has gone 2-0 within the UFC. Danny was last in action on March 1 with his split decision win over Lucas Almedia. Kevin is also a <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/09/24/redemption-second-chances-on-dana-whites-contender-series-kevin-vallejos/" data-wpel-link="internal">two-time Contender Series competitor</a> and won his UFC debut in March with his first-round stoppage of Seung Woo Choi. Whoever loses this bout will have their first UFC loss just like Grad as well as having a similar path and timeline. Makes sense to pair them up.</p>
<p><em>Grad&#8217;s next fight: Loser of Danny Silva vs Kevin Vallejos</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/23/whats-next-ufc-baku-losers/" data-wpel-link="internal">What&#8217;s Next: UFC Baku Losers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC Baku: Khalil Rountree Jr Shuts Down Ex-Champ Jamahal Hill</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/21/ufc-baku-khalil-rountree-jr-shuts-down-ex-champ-jamahal-hill/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jay Anderson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Jun 2025 22:30:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Results & Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jamahal Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Khalil Rountree Jr.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC on ABC 8]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=210066</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>A former champion and a former challenger in the UFC light heavyweight division closed out the show at UFC Baku on Saturday, which served as the promotion&#8217;s debut in Azerbaijan. Jamahal Hill, the former 205lb champ who had vacated his title due to injury, was looking to snap a two-fight skid in the bout, after [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/21/ufc-baku-khalil-rountree-jr-shuts-down-ex-champ-jamahal-hill/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Baku: Khalil Rountree Jr Shuts Down Ex-Champ Jamahal Hill</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A former champion and a former challenger in the<a href="http://ufc.com" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer"> UFC</a> light heavyweight division closed out the show at UFC Baku on Saturday, which served as the promotion&#8217;s debut in Azerbaijan.</p>
<p>Jamahal Hill, the former 205lb champ who had vacated his title due to injury, was looking to snap a two-fight skid in the bout, after being finished by both <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/03/09/ufc-313-magomed-ankalaev-rains-on-poatans-parade-dethrones-alex-pereira/" data-wpel-link="internal">Alex Pereira</a> and Jiri Prochazka. Khalil Rountree Jr. was on the other side of the main event equation, and looking to bounce back from his own loss to Pereira.</p>
<p>There was no glove touch to kick off the final fight of the evening at the Baku Crystal Hall, a fight that had been scheduled twice before. Instead, the pair had one last staredown, then met at center. Sort of. Rountree actually sauntered out at a slow pace, working in a bit of mental warfare and allowing Hill to meet him more than halfway across the cage.</p>
<p>Still, the opening minute saw little more than a strike thrown, with Hill finally opening up the action with a leg kick. Instead, it was feints and foot movement as the pair felt each other out. Rountree would eventually work in a leg kick or two of his own; his lead right was there also, connecting on Hill later in the frame. The pair started firing a little harder in the final two minutes of the first round; Rountree nearly took Hill off his feet with a particularly nasty calf kick. While both men were finding some success with their hands, Rountree appeared to be landing the harder leg kicks, though Hill might have technically landed more.</p>
<p>More leg kicks from Khalil Rountree Jr. arrived early in the second round. He mixed in a jab to the body; the next leg kick did trip up Hill. Hill was switching stances, but looked flatfooted in general. Hill did rip off a couple of kicks of his own, but again the answer from Rountree was harder, landing with far more authority. When he wasn&#8217;t bludgeoning Hill&#8217;s legs, Rountree was circling away from the former champ.</p>
<p>Entering the final minute of the second frame, Rountree slipped off a high kick, allowing Hill to catch him with a right hand on the way up. That, however, was the most success Hill had seen in the round. And once up, Rountree went right after his lead leg again.</p>
<p>Jamahal Hill had ice applied to his legs between rounds, and was switching stances early in the third. When he did move in, Rountree loaded up on an overhand that fanned. The issue for Hill was clearly one of mobility; he was moving awkwardly whenever the action picked up.</p>
<p>Another leg kick landed for Rountree; moments later, a left hand put Hill on his backside! Hill was right back up, but the visual was not a good one for &#8220;Sweet Dreams.&#8221; The pace in the back half of the third round had slowed, however. Rountree ripped the body with a kick, then went lower with a calf kick. The swelling on the side of Hill&#8217;s right calf muscle was nothing short of impressive. In the final minute, Rountree dropped Hill for a second time in the round, this time with a right hook. Hill limped back to his corner after the horn, unquestionably down in the fight.</p>
<p>Round four, for Hill, opened with two possibilities: At best, he was down 2-1, otherwise, he was looking at a goose egg, with Rountree winning all three. With no open scoring, Hill would have to work with the assumption that he needed a finish. Yet with his mobility hampered and Khalil landing some big shots, the odds weren&#8217;t exactly in Hill&#8217;s favor. Case in point, a two-punch combo, starting with a body shot, sent Hill reeling, almost knocking him down. Rountree picked things up again at round&#8217;s end, putting Hill on his heels.</p>
<p>The final round saw Hill, with certainty, needing a stoppage. Yet Rountree had yet to be truly rocked, and hadn&#8217;t even been hit all that much. In the opening minute, it was Rountree moving in on the attack, backing Hill up. Hill simply wasn&#8217;t putting combinations together, instead firing jabs, and only occasionally trailing them with anything. With the clock now becoming a factor, it was time for Jamahal Hill to pull the goalie and go on a full-fledged attack. Leg compromised, however, Hill appeared to struggle to close the distance, and when he did, he hand to contend with the nasty overhands Rountree was firing his way. Hill would stay in the fight to the end, but he never felt like he was really in the fight.</p>
<p><em><strong>Official Result: Khalil Rountree Jr. def. Jamahal Hill by unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 50-45)</strong></em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/21/ufc-baku-khalil-rountree-jr-shuts-down-ex-champ-jamahal-hill/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Baku: Khalil Rountree Jr Shuts Down Ex-Champ Jamahal Hill</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC Baku: Hill vs. Rountree Weigh-In Results</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/20/ufc-baku-hill-vs-rountree-weigh-in-results/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2025 04:01:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jamahal Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Khalil Rountree Jr.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC on ABC 8]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=209885</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The UFC makes its debut in Azerbaijan this weekend, with UFC Baku on Saturday headlined by former light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill and recent 205lb title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. The pair has been booked twice before, but with some luck at Friday&#8217;s official weigh-in, the third time will be the charm. The card&#8217;s co-main [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/20/ufc-baku-hill-vs-rountree-weigh-in-results/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Baku: Hill vs. Rountree Weigh-In Results</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The UFC makes its debut in Azerbaijan this weekend, with UFC Baku on Saturday headlined by former light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill and recent 205lb title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr.</p>
<p>The pair has been booked twice before, but with some luck at Friday&#8217;s official weigh-in, the third time will be the charm. The card&#8217;s co-main event sees Azerbaijan&#8217;s own Rafael Fiziev taking on Ignacio Bahamondes, with another local favorite, Tofiq Musayev, was making his debut against Myktybek Orolbai.</p>
<p>At heavyweight, meanwhile, Curtis Blaydes was set to compete for the first time since an interim title fight loss to<a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/03/tom-aspinall-jones-retired-im-going-to-fight-somebody-says-announcement-coming-soon/" data-wpel-link="internal"> Tom Aspinall</a> last July, taking on newcomer Rizvan Kuniev, a PFL alum.</p>
<p><em>Weigh-ins for<a href="http://ufc.com" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer"> UFC</a> Baku take place Friday, results can be found below.</em></p>
<h3>UFC Baku: Hill vs. Rountree Weigh-In Results</h3>
<p><strong>Main card</strong></p>
<p><em>Light Heavyweight</em>: Jamahal Hill (206) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (206)<br />
<em>Lightweight</em>: Rafael Fiziev (155.5) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (155.5)<br />
<em>Heavyweight</em>: Curtis Blaydes (256) vs. Rizvan Kuniev (264.5)<br />
<em>Catchweight</em>: Tofiq Musayev (163) vs. Myktybek Orolbai (165)<br />
<em>Lightweight</em>: Nazim Sadykhov (155) vs. Nikolas Motta (155.5)<br />
<em>Featherweight</em>: Muhammad Naimov (146) vs. Bogdan Grad (146)</p>
<p><strong>Preliminary card</strong></p>
<p><em>Welterweight</em>: Ko Seok-hyun (169.5) vs. Oban Elliott (170.5)<br />
<em>Middleweight</em>: Ismail Naurdiev (186) vs. Park Jun-yong (186)<br />
<em>Women&#8217;s Bantamweight</em>: Melissa Mullins (136) vs. Daria Zheleznyakova (136)<br />
<em>Women&#8217;s Bantamweight</em>: Irina Alekseeva (135.5) vs. Klaudia Syguła (135.5)<br />
<em>Flyweight</em>: Tagir Ulanbekov (126) vs. Azat Maksum (126)<br />
<em>Heavyweight</em>: Hamdy Abdelwahab (264.5) vs. Mohammed Usman (244.5)</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/20/ufc-baku-hill-vs-rountree-weigh-in-results/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Baku: Hill vs. Rountree Weigh-In Results</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Khalil Rountree Wants Back Into Title Contention With Win Over Hill</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/19/khalil-rountree-wants-back-into-title-contention-with-win-over-hill/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Eddie Law]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jun 2025 21:03:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jamahal Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Khalil Rountree Jr.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Baku]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=209852</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>UFC light heavyweight Khalil Rountree enters his bout with Jamahal Hill at UFC Baku in the main event on Saturday night off a tough loss in his first title bid. Rountree (13-6) challenged then champion Alex Pereira at UFC 307 falling short of the win. A fight will Hill, a former UFC champion himself, may [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/19/khalil-rountree-wants-back-into-title-contention-with-win-over-hill/" data-wpel-link="internal">Khalil Rountree Wants Back Into Title Contention With Win Over Hill</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>UFC light heavyweight Khalil Rountree enters his bout with Jamahal Hill at UFC Baku in the main event on Saturday night off a tough loss in his first title bid.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/47284-khalil-rountree-the-war-horse" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">Rountree</a> (13-6) challenged then champion Alex Pereira at UFC 307 falling short of the win. A fight will Hill, a former UFC champion himself, may be what gets Rountree back into the title picture.</p>
<p>&#8220;My thoughts on this fight are that I&#8217;m prepared. My last fight was against Alex and it didn&#8217;t go my way,&#8221; Rountree told reporters on Wednesday.</p>
<p>&#8220;It was a tough fight. I gave everything that I could, but that wasn&#8217;t the end of me. I learned a lot, I went back to training, and fixed everything that I needed to fix to just become a better fighter. A champion fighter. I&#8217;m coming as prepared as I can be to get the victory on Saturday.&#8221;</p>
<p>Custom shorts and a main event in the UFC&#8217;s first visit to Azerbaijan against a former champion keeps Rountree&#8217;s stock rather high. Even with a loss in his last fight Rountree has become more popular than ever.</p>
<p>&#8220;Although people are now starting to know who I am, specially after the last fight with Alex, I think one thing that&#8217;s forgotten is I&#8217;ve been in the UFC now for over 10 years. I don&#8217;t plan on going anywhere anytime soon. It&#8217;s fair to say that I could get custom shorts,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;The only thing that I feel right now is appreciation.&#8221;</p>
<p>A win over Hill, specially if it&#8217;s an impressive performance, could score Rountree a title shot against Magomed Ankalaev who defeated Pereira at UFC 313.</p>
<p>&#8220;A win over Jamahal Hill definitely puts me in the talks of being a title contender again. Whether it&#8217;s Magomed Ankalaev, or anyone else,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;There&#8217;s nothing guaranteed. I don&#8217;t look past this fight. My goal is to win over Jamahal Hill and to do it in a way to where there&#8217;s now talks of me fighting again for the title.&#8221;</p>
<p><em>Watch the entire media day scrum with Khalil Rountree above. He takes on Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC Baku this Saturday.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/19/khalil-rountree-wants-back-into-title-contention-with-win-over-hill/" data-wpel-link="internal">Khalil Rountree Wants Back Into Title Contention With Win Over Hill</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC Baku: Jamahal Hill Says if Rountree Isn&#8217;t Expecting Blood, He&#8217;s &#8220;Not Really Ready for War&#8221;</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/19/jamahal-hill-ufc-baku-war/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jun 2025 14:22:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[UFC on ABC 8]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=209821</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Former champ meets former title challenger. That&#8217;s the main event of UFC Baku this Saturday, where Jamahal Hill, the promotion&#8217;s former light heavyweight champ, meets Khalil Rountree Jr., a recent title challenger. Hill and Rountree have been booked twice before, at UFC 303 last year, then again this past April. It seems the third time&#8217;s [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/19/jamahal-hill-ufc-baku-war/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Baku: Jamahal Hill Says if Rountree Isn&#8217;t Expecting Blood, He&#8217;s &#8220;Not Really Ready for War&#8221;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Former champ meets former title challenger. That&#8217;s the main event of UFC Baku this Saturday, where Jamahal Hill, the promotion&#8217;s former light heavyweight champ, meets Khalil Rountree Jr., a recent title challenger.</p>
<p>Hill and Rountree have been booked twice before, at UFC 303 last year, then again this past April. It seems the third time&#8217;s the charm, and Hill has certainly had time to think about what he&#8217;ll see in the octagon this Saturday.</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m expecting a hard fight. I&#8217;m expecting him to come with everything. He wants to get back in there, fight for another championship,&#8221; said Hill (12-3, 1NC) during this week&#8217;s media day, noting that Rountree &#8220;fell just short&#8221; in his title fight against Alex Pereira last year. &#8220;I can only imagine the type of fuel that gives you. So I&#8217;m expecting him to come with everything.&#8221;</p>
<p>Asked where a win over Rountree would put him in a division currently headed up by Magomed Ankalaev, Hill dismissed the question. &#8220;I&#8217;m not really concerned with that right now. My only concern right now is just making sure I get the win.&#8221;</p>
<p>Truth be told, Jamahill Hill is fighting down the rankings on Saturday, if only because of a lack of options. He enters the <a href="http://ufc.com" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">UFC</a>&#8216;s debut in Azerbaijan off a loss to ex-champ Jiri Prochazka, the #2-ranked light heavyweight, and has already been turned back by fellow ex-champ Alex Pereira, who sits ranked #1. With Hill at #4, the only name ahead of him outside of the champ is <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/03/23/carlos-ulberg-ufc-london-sharks/" data-wpel-link="internal">Carlos Ulberg</a>, who would almost certainly have the next title shot were a rematch between Ankalaev and Pereira not still a possibility.</p>
<p>Hill later addressed comments by Khalil Rountree Jr. saying he wasn&#8217;t expecting to be bloodied in the fight. &#8220;If he&#8217;s not expecting to have any blood, then he&#8217;s not really ready for war. He don&#8217;t really understand what&#8217;s in front of him. He can expect that but when I open his face up and he starts to see it, we&#8217;re gonna see what he does and how he reacts then.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;This guy gets hit more than he hits anybody. That&#8217;s literally a stat of his whole career. That&#8217;s a wild statement, that&#8217;s wild. But he&#8217;s said a lot of delusional things.&#8221; Hill believes Rountree is &#8220;hanging his hat&#8221; on lasting longer against Alex Pereira than Jamahal Hill himself. &#8220;We have other common opponents. One that I knocked out, one that knocked him out. So it&#8217;s like, it is what it is. Whatever he has to do to sleep at night, whatever he has to do to get himself up to fight and get in there, I&#8217;m good with it. It is what it is. He&#8217;s already made up a fake beef with himself. F*cking weirdo.&#8221;</p>
<p><em>Watch the full UFC Baku media day appearance by Jamahal Hill above.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/06/19/jamahal-hill-ufc-baku-war/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Baku: Jamahal Hill Says if Rountree Isn&#8217;t Expecting Blood, He&#8217;s &#8220;Not Really Ready for War&#8221;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC Baku Set For June 21, Headlined By Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/04/11/ufc-baku-set-for-june-21-headlined-by-jamahal-hill-vs-khalil-rountree-jr/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Eddie Law]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 21:21:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jamahal Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Khalil Rountree]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kyoji Horiguchi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Baku]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=206211</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The UFC heads to Azerbaijan for the first time in history as the country will host UFC Baku on June 21 headlined by light heavyweights Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree. UFC CEO Dana White and Minister of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan Farid Gayibov made the announcement on Thursday. &#8220;Azerbaijan and the city of Baku [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/04/11/ufc-baku-set-for-june-21-headlined-by-jamahal-hill-vs-khalil-rountree-jr/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Baku Set For June 21, Headlined By Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The UFC heads to Azerbaijan for the first time in history as the country will host UFC Baku on June 21 headlined by light heavyweights Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree.</p>
<p>UFC CEO Dana White and Minister of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan Farid Gayibov made the announcement on Thursday.</p>
<p>&#8220;Azerbaijan and the city of Baku have an incredible history of hosting massive global sporting events. We have so many great athletes from in and around this country that it was a natural next destination for us. I’m excited to have our debut event there on June 21,&#8221; White said in a statement.</p>
<p>UFC fighters such as Rafael Fiziev have called for the promotion to make their way to the country for some time now, and they get their wish this June.</p>
<p>Headlining the event will be former UFC light heavyweight champion <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/15/ufc-311s-jamahal-hill-respect-of-peers-means-more-than-any-weirdo-sitting-in-his-moms-basement/" data-wpel-link="internal">Hill</a> and former title challenger Rountree Jr.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/120815-jamahal-hill" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">Hill</a> (12-3) was supposed to face Rountree Jr at UFC Kansas City, but fell out due to injury. He&#8217;ll look to snap a two-fight losing skid at UFC Baku. The former champion holds victories over Glover Teixeira, Thiago Santos, and Johnny Walker to name a few.</p>
<p>Rountree Jr (13-6) will step into the octagon for the first time since losing his title challenge against Alex Pereira at UFC 307. The loss snapped a 5-fight win streak so a victory over Hill could get him right back into the title picture.</p>
<p>Making his return to the octagon will be Kyoji Horiguchi who signed just days ago and will face Tagir Ulanbekov.</p>
<p>Horiguchi (34-5) was last in the UFC in 2016 before moving onto RIZIN FF and becoming a bantamweight champion there before also grabbing the Bellator 135lb title. More recently, he returned to flyweight, becoming RIZIN&#8217;s inaugural champion there.</p>
<p>Other bouts scheduled for UFC Baku:</p>
<ul>
<li>Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr</li>
<li>Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Tagir Ulanbekov</li>
<li>Ismail Naurdiev vs. Jun Yong Park</li>
<li>Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev</li>
<li>Mohammed Usman vs. Hamdy Abdelwahab</li>
<li>Irina Alekseeva vs. Klaudia Sygula</li>
</ul>
<p><em>UFC Baku takes place on June 21 in the city of Baku, Azerbaijan at the Baku Crystal Hall. Tickets go on sale On April 25.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/04/11/ufc-baku-set-for-june-21-headlined-by-jamahal-hill-vs-khalil-rountree-jr/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Baku Set For June 21, Headlined By Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>&#8220;TKO Takeover&#8221; Announced as UFC, WWE, PBR Hit Kansas City in April</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/02/26/tko-takeover-announced-ufc-wwe-pbr-hit-kansas-city/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jay Anderson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 Feb 2025 01:17:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Anthony Smith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jamahal Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Khalil Rountree Jr.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TKO Takeover]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Fight Night 257]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=203619</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>When the UFC and WWE joined forces under the TKO Group banner, it was expected that at some point, the promotions would play off each other, and try to build off each other&#8217;s fanbases. One such moment has arrived, as the UFC, WWE, and Professional Bull Riding (PBR) have been announced for the &#8220;TKO Takeover,&#8221; [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/02/26/tko-takeover-announced-ufc-wwe-pbr-hit-kansas-city/" data-wpel-link="internal">&#8220;TKO Takeover&#8221; Announced as UFC, WWE, PBR Hit Kansas City in April</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When the UFC and <a href="http://wwe.com" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">WWE</a> joined forces under the TKO Group banner, it was expected that at some point, the promotions would play off each other, and try to build off each other&#8217;s fanbases.</p>
<p>One such moment has arrived, as the UFC, WWE, and Professional Bull Riding (PBR) have been announced for the &#8220;TKO Takeover,&#8221; a trio of events that will take place across a five-day span in Kansas City, Missouri.</p>
<p>The takeover begins with a PBR event on April 24 (a Thursday night, but close enough to the weekend). The UFC will then host its Fight Night event at the T-Mobile Center on Saturday, April 26, followed by a broadcast of Monday Night RAW on April 28 from the same venue.</p>
<p>Ticket bundles providing access to all three events will be available to fans. Tickets go on sale March 3, 2025.</p>
<p>“Kansas City has collectively hosted dozens of UFC, WWE, and PBR events over the years, and it has become a top destination for each of these respective promotions,” said Peter Dropick, Executive Vice President, Event Development and Operations for TKO. “This is a unique opportunity to showcase these three premier properties in one city at the same time for the benefit of fans and visitors to the area. We thank the Kansas City Sports Commission and the management at T-Mobile Center for making this possible.”</p>
<p>UFC Kansas City, set for April 26, is <a href="https://x.com/ufc/status/1894907806358376867" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">headlined by Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr</a>. in a light heavyweight fight. Anthony Smith is also booked on the card in what is expected to be his retirement fight, against Zhang Mingyang. Promotion officials announced the main card on Wednesday.</p>
<p>The event currently includes the following reported bouts:</p>
<ul>
<li>Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.</li>
<li>Michel Pereira vs. Abusupiyan Magomedov</li>
<li>Giga Chicadze VS. David Onama</li>
<li>Ikram Aliskerov vs. André Muniz</li>
<li>Polyana Viana vs. Jaqueline Amorim</li>
<li>Ahmad Sohail Hassanzada vs. Mitch Ramirez</li>
<li>Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Cameron Saaiman</li>
<li>Zhang Mingyang vs. Anthony Smith</li>
<li>Joselyne Edwards vs. Chelsea Chandler</li>
<li>Matt Schnell vs. Jimmy Flick</li>
</ul>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/02/26/tko-takeover-announced-ufc-wwe-pbr-hit-kansas-city/" data-wpel-link="internal">&#8220;TKO Takeover&#8221; Announced as UFC, WWE, PBR Hit Kansas City in April</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>What&#8217;s Next: UFC 311 Losers</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/20/whats-next-ufc-311-losers/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bryson Hester]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jan 2025 00:35:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arman Tsarukyan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jamahal Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Holland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RENATO MOICANO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Serghei Spivac]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC 311]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Umar Nurmagomedov]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=201575</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The UFC&#8217;s first PPV event of 2025 was a massive success in terms of the quality of fights. But the UFC 311 card nearly fell apart in the lead up to the big night. Catastrophic wildfires in the area and one half of the main event pulling out complicated things to say the least. However, [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/20/whats-next-ufc-311-losers/" data-wpel-link="internal">What&#8217;s Next: UFC 311 Losers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The UFC&#8217;s first PPV event of 2025 was a massive success in terms of the quality of fights. But the UFC 311 card nearly fell apart in the lead up to the big night.</p>
<p>Catastrophic wildfires in the area and one half of the main event pulling out complicated things to say the least. However, the main card still delivered in every way, with only the last fight of the night between UFC lightweight champion and #10 ranked last second fill in, Renato Moicano leaving something to be desired. Despite one literal slip, it was a clean victory for Islam Makhachev, sending Renato back to the drawing board in what will likely be his only shot at the lightweight belt. Not to mention one of the biggest &#8216;losers&#8217; of this fight card, Arman Tsarukyan. Who will not be granted an automatic shot at the title again. Some pivotal losses took place on Saturday&#8217;s card at the Intuit Dome, meaning the next fight booked for the losing will be extra important.</p>
<h2>Arman Tsarukyan</h2>
<p>Arman Tsarukyan fumbled one of the biggest opportunities of his career thanks to an untimely back injury just hours prior to Friday&#8217;s weigh-ins. Tsarukyan would be sidelined from his high stakes rematch with potentially devastating consequences to his fight career.<br />
<a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/19/ufc-311-dana-white-islam-tsarukyan/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC President Dana White</a> made it clear in the post-fight press conference that Tsarukyan will not be next in line for a title shot.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s imperative that Arman get a good result in his next fight. It&#8217;ll likely be a tough opponent and he will need a finish of some kind to be booked for a title shot once again. Tsarukyan headed into UFC 311 fight week as the #1 ranked UFC lightweight.</p>
<p>For his next bout, Tsarukyan should draw a matchup against the Justin Gaethje vs. Dan Hooker fight winner on March 8 at UFC 313. That fight could potentially be a war so if Arman had to get back in the cage before that, he could look towards a guy like Max Holloway who is ranked at #5 as a lightweight. But the winner of #3 ranked Gaethje versus #6 ranked Hooker would be the perfect striking-first type of opponent to match Arman up against.</p>
<p><em>Tsarukyan&#8217;s next fight: Justin Gathje vs. Dan Hooker winner</em></p>
<h2>Renato Moicano</h2>
<p>Renato Moicano was taken down and submitted in the first round of his short notice title shot in the main event on Saturday.  UFC lightweight champion, <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/19/islam-makhachev-forces-quick-tap-from-renato-moicano-to-close-out-ufc-311/" data-wpel-link="internal">Islam Mackhachev</a>, made short work of Money Moicano, in what the Brazilian reluctantly admitted after the bout was likely his only chance at the lightweight belt.</p>
<p>Renato entered the title bout with a #10 ranking and was originally supposed to take on #9 ranked Beneil Dariush. The 35-year-old former featherweight had won four in a row with three stoppages leading up to the fight. Realistically this was a freebee for Moicano and his stock will likely remain virtually unblemished. The Renato vs. Beneil fight needs to be rebooked as Dariush has not fought since December of 2023. Moicano didn&#8217;t seem to take too much damage so that could potentially be on the table sooner rather than later.</p>
<p><em>Moicano&#8217;s next fight: Beneil Dariush</em></p>
<h2>Umar Nurmagomedov</h2>
<p>Umar Nurmagomedov suffered the first defeat of his professional career on Saturday in an instant classic opposite of UFC bantamweight champion <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/19/ufc-311-merab-dvalishvili-defends-title-becomes-first-to-beat-umar-nurmagomedov/" data-wpel-link="internal">Merab Dvalishvili</a>. Though the 29-year old lost a unanimous decision, it was a competitive high level showcase that came down to the last minute of the fight. Umar entered the bout ranked at #2 in the UFC&#8217;s bantamweight division. With Merab&#8217;s recent dominating victories over former champions Petr Yan and most recently, Sean O&#8217;Malley, Umar has a strong case for a rematch. Umar&#8217;s last victory was #4 Cory Sandhagen so the only fighter that would have a real claim for a shot at the belt would be #5 former flyweight champion, Deiveson Figueiredo.</p>
<p>Part two of Merab vs. Umar could be very interesting, especially seeing what game plan Umar, Khabib and company can come up with to counteract the cardio machine that is Merab &#8220;The Machine&#8221; Dvalishvili.</p>
<p><em>Nurmagomedov&#8217;s next fight: Merab Dvalishvili</em></p>
<h2>Jamahal Hill</h2>
<p>Jamahal Hill was stopped late in the final round of a fight that had fans on the edge of their seats at UFC 311 on Saturday.<a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/18/ufc-311-wild-fight-sees-jiri-prochazka-knock-jamahal-hill-senseless/" data-wpel-link="internal"> Jiri Prochazka</a> showed off his gas tank and diverse striking to eventually wear down Hill.  A dynamic counter sealed the deal for &#8216;Sweet Dreams&#8217; as he was dropped and pounded out seconds later. It was a bitter pill for Hill to swallow no doubt. Added to the fact that Hill has had multiple injuries, three cancelled fights and been finished twice all since his January 2023 victory over light heavyweight champ, Glover Texiera, it&#8217;s been a nightmare of a couple years for Hill.</p>
<p>Jamahal entered the fight at #3 in the UFC&#8217;s light heavyweight division while Jiri was ranked at #2. With all of these factors in mind, Jamahal should fight Aleksandar Rakic.</p>
<p>It comes down to #7 ranked Khalil Rountree Jr. who Hill was matched up with last year before his injury forced a withdraw, or Rakic. Khalil went on to put on an epic scrap in a losing effort on short notice against the champ, Alex Pereia. Or there&#8217;s #5 ranked, Aleksandar Rakic, who has lost his last three fights: By third round knee injury TKO to Jan Blachowicz in 2022, second round TKO opposite Jiri Prochazka in April of last year and a unanimous decision loss against Magomed Ankalaev in October. Rakic makes a little more sense as both men have been finished by Jiri and have a bit of work to do (more than 2-3 fights back to the title). Barring a last second replacement situation, of course.</p>
<p><em>Hill&#8217;s next fight: Aleksandar Rakic</em></p>
<h2>Serghei Spivac</h2>
<p>Despite having <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/18/ufc-311-jailton-almeida-smashes-through-serghei-spivac/" data-wpel-link="internal">Jailton Almedia</a> in some deep trouble early, Serghei Spivac was finished late in the first round on Saturday. Spivac has now lost two of his last four, since early 2023.  Spivac took a round to choke Derrick Lewis before being stopped in two by Cyril Gane in September of &#8217;23. Heading into the fight on Saturday, Spivac was coming off a round one armbar victory over #8 ranked heavyweight Marcin Tybura last August.</p>
<p>Serghei entered the UFC 311 as the #7 ranked UFC heavyweight while his opponent was right above him at #6.</p>
<p>The heavyweight rankings are crowded. Everyone has fought everyone. #9 ranked, Jairzinho Rozenstruik would make a lot of sense but he has a fight booked against #4 ranked Sergei Pavlovich.  That fight is scheduled for Feburary 1 however. The loser of the fight would have either lost two or three of their last four bouts. It would also be a classic striker vs. grappler matchup as well as a fresh opponent either way.</p>
<p><em>Spivac&#8217;s next fight: Loser of Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik</em></p>
<h2>Kevin Holland</h2>
<p>Kevin Holland was on the wrong side of another quick finish to start UFC 311&#8217;s main card Saturday night. To say it was a disappointing result for Holland would be a massive understatement as the<a href="http://ufc.com" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer"> UFC</a> gatekeeper fell to <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/18/ufc-311-strong-outing-from-reinier-de-ridder-who-submits-kevin-holland/" data-wpel-link="internal">Reinier de Ridder</a> via first round submission. Holland has now lost four of his last five fights since September of 2023. Holland has gone 0-2 at welterweight in two respectable showings against Jack Della Maddalena and Michael Page. Kevin dropped decisions to both fighters. Kevin is 1-2 at middleweight in that time.  The victory came over Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302 in June of last year.</p>
<p>Point blank, if Holland is dead set on continuing to compete at 185lbs it will likely continue to be difficult for him to find the win column or draw matchups that move him towards the belt. At this pace, it is not hard to imagine a matchup with a guy like Bo Nickal in his very near future. By no means is this any implication that Kevin Holland&#8217;s UFC roster spot is in jeopardy (it&#8217;s not), but Holland could easily see a step to a different tier with a couple more losses in &#8216;that&#8217; fashion. That said, a fighter like Paul Craig would be a good matchup for Holland. Craig is 1-3 since moving down to 185lbs from 205lbs in mid 2023. His lone win in that time is a second-round finish over Andre Muniz. The Scotsman was finished by Brendan Allen and Caio Borralho at middleweight. Most recently, Craig lost a unanimous decision to Bo Nickal at UFC 309. The grappling ace badly needs a win and he&#8217;d likely be ready in time to match Kevin&#8217;s breakneck turnaround time between fights.</p>
<p><em>Holland&#8217;s next fight: Paul Craig</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/20/whats-next-ufc-311-losers/" data-wpel-link="internal">What&#8217;s Next: UFC 311 Losers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC 311: Wild Fight Sees Jiri Prochazka Knock Jamahal Hill Senseless</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/18/ufc-311-wild-fight-sees-jiri-prochazka-knock-jamahal-hill-senseless/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrick McCorry]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Jan 2025 04:39:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Results & Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jamahal Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jiri Prochazka]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC 311]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=201455</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Former light heavyweight champions Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill had been on a collision course for years prior to UFC 311, where they finally faced off in Los Angeles on Saturday. A previous pairing had fallen through due to injury, but with both men losing to 205lb champ Alex Pereira in 2024, there was no [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/18/ufc-311-wild-fight-sees-jiri-prochazka-knock-jamahal-hill-senseless/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC 311: Wild Fight Sees Jiri Prochazka Knock Jamahal Hill Senseless</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Former light heavyweight champions Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill had been on a collision course for years prior to UFC 311, where they finally faced off in Los Angeles on Saturday.</p>
<p>A previous pairing had fallen through due to injury, but with both men losing to 205lb champ <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/12/30/mma-2024-year-in-review-fighter-of-the-year/" data-wpel-link="internal">Alex Pereira</a> in 2024, there was no time like the present to boost one man back into the mix.</p>
<p>Prochazka started the fight switching stances. Hill was landing clean shots, in combination to start the fight. With two minutes to go in round one, Prochazka landing a crushing straight left as Hill loaded up a lead uppercut, sending Hill to the canvas. Hill was able to recover, but was telegraphing his punches and loading up. Hill was breathing heavy, and bleeding out of his nose to end the first round. A potential broken nose.</p>
<p>Prochazka was looking for a head kick early in round two. Hill was using hooks to bring Porchazka&#8217;s head forward, attempting to land uppercuts and knees. Both fighters were searching for the knockout, and leaving themselves open for the other fighter&#8217;s strikes. Hill overextended his fingers and very deeply poked Prochazka in the eye. Other than the aforementioned poke, Hill was having a much better second round. He was beginning to find his reads, and landed a heavy left hand to the liver of Prochazka, which very clearly bothered Prochazka.</p>
<p>Prochazka landed a heavy counter shot which put Hill on skates in the third. Jamahal Hill regained composure and reminded Prochazka of the power coming his way. Jiri Prochazka landed a missile of a counter right hand later in the round, dropping Hill, and after another flurry, Hill crumbled back down to the canvas. That was all she wrote. Hill struggled to get on the stool after the stoppage.</p>
<p>Jiri Prochazka will certainly have his eyes on the upcoming <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/18/ufc-313-gets-pereira-ankalaev-gaethje-hooker/" data-wpel-link="internal">Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev fight at UFC 313</a>. Meanwhile, it will be back to the drawing board for Jamahal Hill.</p>
<p><strong><em>Official Result: Jiri Prochazka def. Jamahal Hill by TKO (punches), Round 3, 3:01</em></strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/01/18/ufc-311-wild-fight-sees-jiri-prochazka-knock-jamahal-hill-senseless/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC 311: Wild Fight Sees Jiri Prochazka Knock Jamahal Hill Senseless</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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