Khalil Rountree Jr beat up Jamahal Hill’s lead leg and dropped him a few times over the course of their five-round fight at UFC On ABC 8 to earn a unanimous decision victory.
Round One
The light-heavyweight main event is underway in Azerbaijan!
Khalil slowly steps forward to start the fight. Cautious opening minute here as they both look tentative on the outside. Wild hammerfist attempt from Rountree.
Calf kick lands for Rountree lands solidly as Hill lands a few lighter ones. Another solid low kick for Rountree. Hill puts a dig into one of his own now.
Body punch for HIll and an inside calf kick from Rountree in return. Hill lands a calf kick. Rountree steps in a with a lead right hook. Jabs from Hill now.
Heavy calf kick for Rountree. Now Hill lands one, but not with as much impact. Body punch from Rountree and then just misses with a punch upstairs.
Hill gets his head out the way of another big swing from Rountree. Low kick for Hill. Thudding body kick for Rountree.
Round Two
Both men land punches. Rountree goes to the leg with a kick and then to the body. Hill a bit slow to engage here. Rountree blasts his calf with another kick and Hill’s leg buckled for a moment there. Hill fires back now to show he’s ok and unleashes a kick.
Double jab for Hill. That leg kick from Rountree again and it’s clear Hill isn’t liking these at all. Rountree lands a low kick on the other leg now, but not as clean as the others.
Leg kick for Hill. Body punch for Rountree. Back to the calf kick now. He chops it again. Hill shakes his head. Lunging punches from Hill miss the target.
Head kick attempt from Rountree but he slips and falls to the mat. Hill charges forward to try to capitalize and it gets a bit frantic for a moment as Rountree gets back up and away to safety.
Another leg kick for Rountree. Rountree now just circling around the cage as Hill plods after him as best he can with his compromised leg.
Round Three
Overhand comes close for Rountree. Rountree evades a kick and then presses forward with a punch. Rountree threatens again with an overhand as Hill comes forward.
Glancing right hook from Rountree as Hill was looking for punches. Counter left for Rountree. Now he lands that low kick again.
Left and a right get through for Hill and then a kick behind it. Power left hook from Rountree drops Hill for a moment, but he gets right back up. Rountree goes for the left again but it’s a swing and a miss this time around.
Oblique kick from Rountree. Double-jab for Hill. He lands another jab. Left hand gets through for Rountree and then the low kick. Two more heavy low kicks.
Hill just doesn’t have the mobility left in his heavily swollen leg at this stage to really threaten Rountree effectively. Right hook from Rountree puts Hill down again, but he gets right up and continues.
Round Four
Double jab for Hill. Body punch for Rountree. Another jab for him. Rountree with a glancing kick to that right calf of Hill’s that looks twice the size of his left one at this stage in the fight.
Hard body shot and a left hook to the head behind it staggers Hill backwards. Hill recovers quickly again though, but he’s getting slowly but surely beaten up here.
Body punch for Rountree. Now a left hand over the top. Oblique kick thrown in for good measure. Hill has swelling near the right temple now.
Action slowing and the crowd gets restless. Rountree sticking to his patient but hard-hitting gameplan though. Punch lands for him. Now a powerful low kick and then a heavy punch upstairs again.
Right hook from Rountree before the bell appears to open a cut on the left side of his head now.
Round Five
Rountree rips a few punches to the body. Rountree avoids a punch from Hill and then lands a few rapid jabs. Another jab for him followed by a left hand.
Hard boddy punch for Rountree. Leg kick for Hill. Body punch from Rountree. Now a jab from Hill. Straight left for Rountree. Counter right hook for Rountree now. Back to the body punch.
Oblique kick for Rountree. He just misses on a winging left. Jab for Rountree. Low kick for him. Body punch and one upstairs for Rountree. He throws off another overhand that doesn’t land.
Rountree connects with a left this time. Rountree goes to the body. Calf kick in the final 10 seconds.
Decision
Rountree’s thunderous low kicks quickly took the steam out of Hill here, enabling him to cruise through the remaining rounds, while dropping his opponent a few times, leading to a unanimous decision victory (49-46, 50-45 x2).
