The Ultimate Fighting Championship made its highly anticipated debut in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Saturday, June 21, 2025, delivering an action-packed night of fights from the Baku Crystal Hall. The main card featured pivotal matchups across multiple divisions, highlighted by a crucial light heavyweight clash between former champion Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr.
When the dust settled, Khalil Rountree Jr. emerged with a commanding performance in the main event. Other notable winners on the main card included Rafael Fiziev, Curtis Blaydes, Myktybek Orolbai, Nazim Sadykhov, and Muhammad Naimov.
Rountree Jr. Secures Career-Defining Win Over Former Champ Hill
In the main event, the highly ranked light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr. (#7) delivered arguably the biggest win of his career, defeating former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill (#4) via a dominant five-round unanimous decision.
The judges’ scorecards reflected Rountree’s control, reading 49-46 and a decisive 50-45 twice in his favor. This victory improved Rountree’s record to 15-6 with 1 NC, while marking Hill’s third consecutive loss since vacating the title due to injury, dropping his record to 12-4 with 1 NC.
The fight began with a tactical feel, but Rountree quickly established his game plan, systematically attacking Hill’s lead leg with powerful low kicks. These strikes proved devastating, visibly damaging Hill’s calf in the second round and severely impacting his mobility and ability to generate offense throughout the fight. Rountree, showing a composed and strategic approach he described as “smart” and “professional,” landed cleaner, more powerful shots as the fight progressed.
The third round was particularly decisive, with Rountree scoring two significant knockdowns – first with a counter left hand and later with a thudding right hand. Despite the damage and compromised movement, Hill showed remarkable toughness to stay in the fight, but he was largely outgunned by Rountree’s precision striking and control in the championship rounds. Following the comprehensive victory, Rountree expressed his clear desire for a shot at the UFC light heavyweight title.
Fiziev Snaps Losing Skid in Co-Main Event Against Bahamondes
In the lightweight co-main event, contender Rafael Fiziev (#11) successfully returned to the win column by defeating the surging Ignacio Bahamondes via unanimous decision. This crucial victory ended Fiziev’s three-fight losing streak and improved his record to 13-4.
All three judges scored the bout 30-27 for Fiziev. Bahamondes falls to 17-6 after the competitive contest.
The fight was a tactical chess match early on, with both fighters exchanging jabs and leg kicks. Fiziev landed effective body work and showcased stellar defense against Bahamondes’ attacks. Fiziev also mixed in timely takedowns in the second and third rounds to control the action, demonstrating his well-rounded skillset. While Bahamondes had moments and increased his pressure, Fiziev’s consistent striking accuracy and grappling control ultimately sealed the decision.
Blaydes Survives Scare to Earn Split Decision
Top five heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes (#5) narrowly escaped his bout with Octagon newcomer Rizvan Kuniev, gutting out a split decision victory. The scores were 29-28 and 29-28 for Blaydes, with one judge scoring it 28-29 for Kuniev. Blaydes moves to 19-5 with 1 NC, while Kuniev’s UFC debut sees his record drop to 12-3-1 with 1 NC.
Blaydes sought takedowns early, securing brief control against the fence in the first round. However, Kuniev found significant success with his striking attack, particularly in the second round, where he visibly hurt Blaydes and caused facial damage. Kuniev showed growing confidence as Blaydes hesitated to engage on the feet. The third round was closely contested, with both heavyweights landing shots and seeking control, before Blaydes was awarded the decision.
Highlight Finishes and Notable Main Card Wins
Myktybek Orolbai Dominates Hometown Favorite: Kyrgyzstan’s Myktybek Orolbai (#14) spoiled the UFC debut of Azerbaijani hometown favorite Tofiq Musayev, securing a first-round submission win via kimura at 4:35 of the opening stanza. Orolbai quickly took the fight to the mat and controlled Musayev, showcasing his formidable grappling en route to the decisive finish. This adds another impressive win to Orolbai’s tremendous UFC career, improving his record to 14-2-1 (1 NC). He is now a prime candidate for a ranked opponent in his next outing, potentially against fellow Baku winner Nazim Sadykhov.
Sadykhov Electrifies Home Crowd with TKO: Fighting in his home country, lightweight Nazim Sadykhov (#15) delivered a thrilling performance, earning a second-round TKO victory over Nikolas Motta at 4:17. The fight was awarded Fight of the Night honors. The first round was wild, with Motta initially dropping Sadykhov, but “The Black Wolf” weathered the storm and fired back against a gassed Motta. In the second, Sadykhov gained control, cutting Motta with an elbow and landing clean strikes before a finishing right hand dropped Motta, leading to the referee stoppage. Sadykhov improves to 11-1-1 (1 NC) and is also poised for a top-15 challenge, potentially against Myktybek Orolbai in a highly anticipated clash near the rankings threshold.
Naimov Kicks Off Main Card with Decision: In the main card opener, featherweight Muhammad Naimov secured a unanimous decision win over Bogdan Grad. All three judges scored the competitive bout 29-28 for Naimov, who now boasts a 5-1 record in the promotion, improving to 13-3 overall. Grad falls to 15-3. The fight saw back-and-forth action, with Naimov landing a stunning spinning hook kick early and being effective at range, while Grad utilized his clinch game and grappling, including a quick takedown after being stunned. Despite the competitive nature, Naimov’s consistent work earned him the nod.
Preliminary Card Results
The action-packed event also featured a full slate of preliminary bouts:
Welterweight: Seokhyun Ko def. Oban Elliott via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Middleweight: JunYong Park def. Ismail Naurdiev via unanimous decision (29-26, 29-26, 29-25) Note: Naurdiev suffered a two-point deduction due to eye pokes.
Women’s Bantamweight: Daria Zhelezniakova def. Melissa Mullins via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Women’s Bantamweight: Klaudia Sygula def. Irina Alekseeva via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Flyweight: Tagir Ulanbekov def. Azat Maksum via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Heavyweight: Mohammed Usman def. Hamdy Abdelwahab via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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UFC’s inaugural visit to Baku delivered a memorable night of fights, setting the stage for significant movements in several key divisions.
