UFC makes historic debut in Azerbaijan with Fight Night in Baku

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will stage its first-ever event in Azerbaijan on Saturday night at Baku Crystal Hall, marking a milestone for the global mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion.

The main event will feature former UFC light heavyweight champion and current No. 4 ranked fighter Jamahal Hill taking on No. 7 Khalil Rountree Jr., both from the United States.

Three Azerbaijani fighters are also on the card, drawing local fan attention. Rafael "Ataman" Fiziev, ranked 11th in the lightweight division, will face Chilean Ignacio Bahamondes in the co-main event. Fiziev, who has 12 wins and 4 losses overall, is looking to break a three-fight losing streak.

In a highly anticipated UFC debut, former Rizin champion Tofiq Musayev will fight Kyrgyzstan’s Myktibek Orolbay in a catchweight bout. Orolbay missed weight for the lightweight limit. Musayev holds a record of 22 wins, 18 by knockout, and five losses.

Earlier in the evening, Azerbaijan’s Nazim Sadykhov will face Brazil’s Nikolas Motta in a lightweight clash. Sadykhov is unbeaten in his four UFC appearances, with three wins and one draw.

The event has attracted several high-profile names in the MMA world, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, Merab Dvalishvili, and Michael Bisping.

The preliminary card begins at 8:00 p.m. local time, with the main card scheduled to start at 11:00 p.m.

N.Tebrizli