UFC Announces First Event in Baku Set for June 21

Baku, Azerbaijan — The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is set to make history with its inaugural event in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Saturday, June 21. The announcement was made today, April 11, 2025, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan and the Baku City Circuit Operations Company.

The main event will feature a showdown between former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill and current No. 7-ranked contender Khalil Rountree Jr. Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT: HILL vs. ROUNDTREE JR will go on sale at 10 a.m. AZT on Friday, April 25, via the iTicket platform. Early access will be granted to UFC Fight Club members on April 23 and to those who’ve registered for interest on April 24.

UFC President and CEO Dana White expressed excitement about the event during a signing ceremony in Miami, where he stated, “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.”

Farid Gayibov, Minister of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan, underscored the significance of the event in promoting the nation as a global sports destination. “Hosting UFC in Baku marks another significant milestone in our efforts to develop Azerbaijan as a regional sports leader,” he said. “This partnership with UFC further strengthens our reputation as a global sports hub.”

Maqsud Farzullaev, General Director of the Baku City Circuit Operations Company, highlighted that hosting the UFC aligns with the city’s ambitions, noting, “After our successful collaboration with Formula 1, partnering with UFC is an extraordinary next step for Baku, elevating Azerbaijan’s prominence on the global sporting stage.”

Jamahal Hill, who holds a professional record of 12 wins, 3 losses, and 1 no contest, aims to rebound from two consecutive losses against Rountree Jr. (14-6, 1 NC). Hill, a former champion who became the first Dana White’s Contender Series alum to take home the UFC title, suffered a first-round knockout last April and a third-round stoppage by Jiri Prochazka in January.

Rountree Jr. returns to the Octagon after a Fight of the Night effort against Alex Pereira at UFC 307 last October. With 9 of his 13 victories coming by knockout, Rountree Jr. is eager to reestablish himself among the top contenders.

The event will also showcase Kyoji Horiguchi, aiming to become the first-ever Japanese UFC champion. He faces No. 10-ranked flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov, who is training under former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Heavyweights Curtis Blaydes and Rizvan Kuniev will collide as Blaydes looks to maintain his ranking against the debuting Kuniev. Additional notable matchups include middleweight clashes between Ismail Naurdiev and Junyong Park, and heavyweights Hamdy Abdelwahab and Mohammed Usman.

Interest in the event is expected to be high, given UFC’s history of sellout events, prompting fans to register early via the UFC website for a chance to secure their seats. Follow the official UFC social media channels for the latest updates.