Khalil Rountree Jr. isn’t looking for a quick KO against Jamahal Hill.
The War Horse’ returns to the Octagon this Saturday for his second consecutive headliner at UFC Baku in Azerbaijan. There, Rountree Jr. will look to climb back into the win column and potentially put himself back in pole position for a shot at the light heavyweight title. Of course, that’ll be no easy task as he’s set to square off against Hill, a fighter with an axe to grind and something to prove.
With nine career knockouts to his credit, fight fans are always in store for fireworks when Rountree Jr. steps inside the cage. But he’s not just coming to put ‘Sweet Dreams’ to sleep early. He’s coming to make a statement.
“I know I have power, but it’s not just about the power. It’s about being smart, being technical, and not making mistakes,” Rountree Jr. said during the UFC Baku media day. “I’ve worked a lot on my defense, my footwork, and my patience. I’m not just looking for a knockout. I’m looking to dominate.”
Rountree Jr. out to show why he’s one of the best light heavyweights in the world
Rountree Jr. knows that’ll be no easy task as he’s taking on a fighter who’s just as hungry as he is.
“Jamahal’s a very strong opponent, he’s a former champion, and I know he’s coming off a couple of losses. I know he’s hungry. But I’m hungry too. I’m not just here to show up and get paid. I want to make a statement. I want to show people that I’m one of the best light heavyweights in the world.”
Before coming up short against former light heavyweight king Alex Pereira in October, ‘The War Horse’ strung together five straight wins, including highlight-reel finishes against Modestas Bukauskas, Karl Roberson, Chris Daukaus, and Anthony ‘Lionheart’ Smith.
Meanwhile, Jamahal Hill goes into the contest having suffered a pair of brutal back-to-back KOs against ‘Poatan’ and Jiri Prochazka.
