Khalil Rountree Jr felt the impact of his long journey the moment he touched down in Azerbaijan. As the UFC prepares to make its debut in Baku this Saturday, Rountree Jr steps into the spotlight once again this time against former champion Jamahal Hill in a high-stakes light heavyweight main event.
Originally scheduled to meet Hill at UFC Kansas City, the bout took an unexpected turn when Hill pulled out. Now, the fight headlines UFC Baku, marking a historic first for the promotion in Azerbaijan. It’s also Rountree Jr’s return to the Octagon following his hard-fought loss to Alex Pereira in a title clash at UFC 307 last October.
Despite the setbacks, Rountree Jr is embracing the moment. He recently got his first look at the Baku Crystal Hall, and the experience left him speechless.
“My heart is racing, but it’s beautiful, this is incredible, I’m at a loss for words right now, honestly. I didn’t expect it to be this amazing,” Rountree Jr said on his YouTube channel.
“It’s so cool, I don’t know, you know how other arenas are higher up, this is really wide so there will be a lot of floor seats. The walk to the cage will be a good walk, it’s not usually that far away,” he added.
The venue holds up to 12,000 seated fans and expands to 27,000 with standing room, promising a loud and electric crowd come fight night.
However, the road to Baku hasn’t been easy. Training out of Las Vegas, Rountree Jr endured an 11,500-kilometer journey that spanned nearly 20 hours. The long haul left him battling a brutal case of jet lag, which he’s still trying to shake off just days before the event.
“I’m telling you, the jet lag is real! It comes in waves but we’re fighting it. Chris and I are fighting it like we’re fighting two men vs a gorilla—the gorilla is the jet lag,” he said.
While the jet lag is a factor, Khalil Rountree Jr remains locked in. He knows what’s at stake, and the magnitude of this fight isn’t lost on him. A win over Jamahal Hill would not only solidify his place in the top tier of the light heavyweight division but also mark a major statement in front of a brand-new audience.
Khalil Rountree Jr continues to carry the energy of a fighter who’s been tested and is still evolving. Come Saturday, he plans to show the world what he’s made of jet lag be damned.
