UFC Baku is the last event before UFC 317 and has a huge main event fight that fans cannot wait to see.
The event takes place at the Baku Crystal Hall in Baku on Saturday, June 21, for the first-ever UFC event in Azerbaijan.
The co-main event features Azerbaijani fighter Rafael Fiziev taking on Ignacio Bahamondes, in what should be a welcome homecoming for the Lightweight.
However, the main event Light Heavyweight clash between Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr is one of the most exciting of the night, with nobody sure what could happen at the event.
Ahead of UFC Baku, the experts at Bloody Elbow have made their staff picks for the two main event fights, as well as the Performance of the Night and their Fight of the Night.
- READ MORE – Alex Pereira shares prediction for UFC Baku main event between two of his former opponents
Jamahal Hill vs Khalil Rountree Jr prediction
- Harvey Leonard – Jamahal Hill
- Jordan Ellis – Jamahal Hill
- Jamie Theodosi – Rountree Jr
The main event of UFC Baku should be an exciting one, as the Bloody Elbow experts cannot agree on who is going to win.
Both Harvey and Ellis back Hill to take home the win. Hill is a former Light Heavyweight champion who was forced to forfeit the title due to injury, and is building his way back up to contention.
A win here would help him do that, although Jamie thinks that his time is done, and Rountree Jr will prove it in Baku.
Despite a recent loss to Alex Pereira, Rountree Jr was on a five-fight winning streak and has a good chance of starting a new one by knocking out Hill at UFC Baku.
Rafael Fiziev vs Ignacio Bahamondes prediction
- Harvey Leonard – Rafael Fiziev
- Jordan Ellis – Rafael Fiziev
- Jamie Theodosi – Ignacio Bahamondes
It will be a proud homecoming for Fiziev as he fights for the UFC in his home country for the first time.
The Azerbaijan native is backed by Harvey and Jordan to win the co-main event of the show, as he takes on an impressive 17-5 Lightweight in Bahamondes.
The hometown crowd may be enough to inspire him to victory, but Fiziev is not in the best form going into this fight.
He’s winless in his last three bouts, which included a unanimous decision loss at UFC 313 to Justin Gaethje after coming back from a knee injury.
This, coupled with his Chilean opponent’s three-fight win streak, is why Jamie has bucked the trend against and predicted that Bahamondes would win their fight at UFC Baku.
UFC Baku Fight of the Night prediction
- Harvey Leonard – Rafael Fiziev vs Ignacio Bahamondes
- Jordan Ellis – Rafael Fiziev vs Ignacio Bahamondes
- Jamie Theodosi – Rafael Fiziev vs Ignacio Bahamondes
All three experts are in agreement that the Fight of the Night award will go to the bout between Fiziev and Bahamondes.
The fight has all the narrative behind it to either pull out a feel-good moment for the hometown hero or a shocking KO to spoil the party.
Ignacio wowed fans with a last-gasp spinning kick to knock out Roosevelt Roberts in 2021, and has gone on to put away fighters like Jailin Turner and Christos Giagos in the years since.
Fiziev will have the crowd behind him, but he remains susceptible to being beaten at any time. This creates an unpredictable but exciting fight that could earn the Fight of the Night bonus at UFC Baku.
UFC Baku Performance of the Night prediction
- Harvey Leonard – Nazim Sadykhov
- Jordan Ellis – Curtis Blaydes
- Jamie Theodosi – Tofiq Musayev
The Bloody Elbow experts are in firm disagreement about which three men could bank the Performance of the Night bonus at UFC Baku.
Harvey thinks Nazim Sadykhov will earn the $50,000 bonus by beating Nikolas Motta on the main card. Sadykhov was born in Baku and will have the backing of the crowd during an exciting matchup in his hometown.
Meanwhile, Jordan is backing Curtis Blaydes to impress in his fight against Rizvan Kuniev. The Russian will be making his UFC debut on the night, so the 18-5 Blaydes will be confident in taking him down in his first taste of UFC action.
Finally, Jamie is hoping for big things from Tofiq Musayev. The Azerbaijani fighter is making his debut in the UFC at the event and could make a big entrance by winning Performance of the Night at UFC Baku.