UFC makes historic move to Baku: Tournament set for June 21

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has officially confirmed that it will be hosting a tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan, marking a significant milestone for the region’s sports scene.

The renowned MMA promotion made the announcement via its official social media channels, with a post that simply read, “Azerbaijan, are you ready?” Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Scheduled for June 21, the highly anticipated event will take place at the Baku Crystal Hall, with the main event featuring a showdown between Khalil Rountree, also known as "War Horse" from the United States, and fellow American fighter Jamahal Hill.

Tickets for the UFC event will go on sale starting April 25 and will be available for purchase online. This announcement has generated significant excitement among local MMA fans and is expected to attract a global audience to Azerbaijan’s capital.

The partnership was announced at a signing ceremony with UFC President and CEO Dana White, and Minister of Youth and Sports Azerbaijan Farid Gayibov in Miami.

“Azerbaijan and the city of Baku have an incredible history of hosting massive global sporting events,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White. “We have so many great athletes from in and around this country that it was a natural next destination for us. I’m excited to have our debut event there on June 21.”

By Vafa Guliyeva