Top-10 fighters battle when fourth-ranked Jamahal Hill takes on seventh-ranked Khalil Rountree Jr. in a light heavyweight bout in the main event at UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Rountree on Saturday. The main UFC Fight Night card is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET from Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. Hill will look to snap a two-bout losing streak, after being knocked out in the third round by Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311 on Jan. 18, 2025. Rountree, meanwhile, was knocked out in his last fight by Alex Pereira at UFC 307 on Oct. 5, 2024, for the UFC light heavyweight championship.
Rountree enters as the favorite at -120 (risk $120 to win $100), while Hill is the underdog at +100 in the latest UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Rountree odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. In the co-main event, Ignacio Bahamondes is the -120 favorite against 11th-ranked Rafael Fiziev in a lightweight bout. Before locking in any UFC Fight Night picks, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Daniel Vithlani.
Vithlani is a highly-analytical UFC bettor who has been a consistent winner for SportsLine members since making his debut in January 2023 with a 5-0 record for UFC 283. In fact, he’s up over $1,500 on his UFC main-card sports betting picks. His other highlights include calling an upset for Sean O’Malley (+210) against Aljamain Sterling (-250) at UFC 292 as part of a 4-1 main card, and his UFC 299 winners included underdog selections on Dustin Poirier (+190) against Benoit Saint Denis (-230) and Michael Page (+110) against Kevin Holland (-130).
Now, Vithlani has studied Hill vs. Rountree from every angle and revealed his top betting picks and best bets. If you’re wanting to make picks, also be sure to see the latest DraftKings promo code, FanDuel promo code and BetMGM promo code .
Hill vs. Rountree preview
Despite his latest setback, Hill, 34, will be looking to turn things around against Rountree as he tries to get back on top in the light heavyweight division. He earned the vacant UFC light heavyweight title with a unanimous decision win over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in January 2023. He later had to vacant the title due to injury. He then was knocked out by Pereira in the first round at UFC 300 for the UFC light heavyweight championship in April 2024.
Hill was the first from Dana White’s Contender Series to go on and become an undisputed UFC champion. He is a two-time Fight of the Night and two-time Performance of the Night winner. In 16 professional matches, Hill is 12-3-1, including seven wins by knockout and five by decision. His three losses have all come by knockout. Check out SportsLine to see his picks and analysis.
Rountree, 35, has won five of his last six matches, including three Performance of the Night honors during that stretch. In the loss to Pereira, the two earned Fight of the Night honors. Overall, he has earned four Performance of the Night honors in his 11-year career. Rountree has the third-most knockouts in UFC light heavyweight division history with seven, and has the third-most knockdowns landed in the division with 13.
He was a 2024 President’s Choice Fight of the Year nominee. Since turning pro in 2014, he has compiled a 13-6-1 record. He has nine wins by knockout and four by decision. He has one no contest. He joined UFC in July 2016, after winning his first four bouts at Resurrection Fighting Alliance. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Rountree predictions
We’ll reveal one of Vithlani’s UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Rountree selections here: Phil Ismael Naurdiev (+165) to defeat Jun Yong Park (-200) in a middleweight matchup on the preliminary card.
“At 27 years old, Naurdiev has already gained a ton of experience with a record of 24-7,” Vithlani told SportsLine. “He is an athletic grappler who can push the pace on his opponents and keep them stuck on the ground. This is Naurdiev’s second stint with the UFC, and he looks to be improved. The veteran Park will present a tough challenge in this matchup. Park has a knack for finding a way to win close fights. He has fought to four split decisions in the UFC and won three of them. Park is a strong grappler himself, with a nasty squeeze on his rear-naked choke submission. Although I give Park the boxing and experience advantage, I feel that Naurdiev’s takedowns and work rate could win him this fight.” See who else to back here.
UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Rountree main fight card, odds
Vithlani has strong picks for Hill vs. Rountree and other bouts on the UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Rountree card. He’s also backing a fighter who is “a fiery young striker with no fear in his heart” to pull off a massive victory. He’s sharing who it is only at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Rountree, and how exactly does the fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks and analysis from the incomparable expert who is up over $1,500 on his UFC main-card picks, and find out.
UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Rountree main fight card, odds
See picks at SportsLine.
Odds subject to change
Jamahal Hill (+100) vs. Khalil Rountree (-120)
Rafael Fiziev (+100) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (-120)
Curtis Blaydes (-245) vs. Rizvan Kuniev (+200)
Tofiq Musayev (+135) vs. Mytybek Orolbai (-160)
Nazim Sadykhov (-455) vs. Nikolas Motta (+350)
Muhammad Naimov (-290) vs. Bogdan Grad (+235)
