Prime-10 fighters battle when fourth-ranked Jamahal Hill takes on seventh-ranked Khalil Rountree Jr. in a light-weight heavyweight bout in the principle occasion at UFC Battle Evening: Hill vs. Rountree on Saturday. The principle UFC Battle Evening card is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET from Baku Crystal Corridor in Baku, Azerbaijan. Hill will look to snap a two-bout dropping streak, after being knocked out within the third spherical by Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311 on Jan. 18, 2025. Rountree, in the meantime, was knocked out in his final battle by Alex Pereira at UFC 307 on Oct. 5, 2024, for the UFC mild heavyweight championship.
Hill enters because the slight favourite at -118 (danger $118 to win $100), whereas Rountree is the underdog at -102 within the prime video UFC Battle Evening: Hill vs. Rountree odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. Within the co-main occasion, Ignacio Bahamondes is the -142 favourite in opposition to Eleventh-ranked Rafael Fiziev in a light-weight bout. Earlier than locking in any UFC Battle Evening 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 constant winner for SportsLine members since making his debut in January 2023 with a 5-0 document for UFC 283. In reality, he is up over $1,500 on his UFC main-card sports betting picks. His different highlights embody calling an upset for Sean O’Malley (+210) in opposition to Aljamain Sterling (-250) at UFC 292 as a part of a 4-1 predominant card, and his UFC 299 winners included underdog choices on Dustin Poirier (+190) in opposition to Benoit Saint Denis (-230) and Michael Web page (+110) in opposition to Kevin Holland (-130).
Now, Vithlani has studied Hill vs. Rountree from each angle and revealed his prime betting picks and finest bets. If you happen to’re desirous to make picks, additionally you should definitely see the prime video DraftKings promo code, FanDuel promo code and BetMGM promo code .
Hill vs. Rountree preview
Regardless of his prime video setback, Hill, 34, can be seeking to flip issues round in opposition to Rountree as he tries to get again on prime within the mild heavyweight division. He earned the vacant UFC mild heavyweight title with a unanimous choice win over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in January 2023. He later needed to vacant the title because of damage. He then was knocked out by Pereira within the first spherical at UFC 300 for the UFC mild heavyweight championship in April 2024.
Hill was the primary from Dana White’s Contender Sequence to go on and grow to be an undisputed UFC champion. He’s a two-time Battle of the Evening and two-time Efficiency of the Evening winner. In 16 skilled matches, Hill is 12-3-1, together with seven wins by knockout and 5 by choice. His three losses have all come by knockout. Check out SportsLine to see his picks and analysis.
Rountree, 35, has received 5 of his final six matches, together with three Efficiency of the Evening honors throughout that stretch. Within the loss to Pereira, the 2 earned Battle of the Evening honors. General, he has earned 4 Efficiency of the Evening honors in his 11-year profession. Rountree has the third-most knockouts in UFC mild heavyweight division historical past with seven, and has the third-most knockdowns landed within the division with 13.
He was a 2024 President’s Alternative Battle of the Yr nominee. Since turning professional in 2014, he has compiled a 13-6-1 document. He has 9 wins by knockout and 4 by choice. He has one no contest. He joined UFC in July 2016, after successful his first 4 bouts at Resurrection Preventing Alliance. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
UFC Battle Evening: Hill vs. Rountree predictions
We’ll reveal one in every of Vithlani’s UFC Battle Evening: Hill vs. Rountree choices right here: Phil Ismael Naurdiev (+145) to defeat Jun Yong Park (-166) in a middleweight matchup on the preliminary card.
“At 27 years previous, Naurdiev has already gained a ton of expertise with a document of 24-7,” Vithlani instructed SportsLine. “He’s an athletic grappler who can push the tempo on his opponents and maintain them caught on the bottom. That is Naurdiev’s second stint with the UFC, and he seems to be to be improved. The veteran Park will current a troublesome problem on this matchup. Park has a knack for locating a method to win shut fights. He has fought to 4 break up choices within the UFC and received three of them. Park is a powerful grappler himself, with a nasty squeeze on his rear-naked choke submission. Though I give Park the boxing and expertise benefit, I really feel that Naurdiev’s takedowns and work fee might win him this battle.” See who else to back here.
UFC Battle Evening: Hill vs. Rountree predominant battle card, odds
Vithlani has sturdy picks for Hill vs. Rountree and different bouts on the UFC Battle Evening: Hill vs. Rountree card. He is additionally backing a fighter who’s “a fiery younger striker with no concern in his coronary heart” to tug off an enormous victory. He’s sharing who it is only at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC Battle Evening: Hill vs. Rountree, and the way precisely does the battle finish? 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 discover out.
UFC Battle Evening: Hill vs. Rountree predominant battle card, odds
See picks at SportsLine.
Odds topic to alter
Jamahal Hill (-118) vs. Khalil Rountree (-102)
Rafael Fiziev (+120) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (-142)
Curtis Blaydes (-245) vs. Rizvan Kuniev (+200)
Tofiq Musayev (+142) vs. Mytybek Orolbai (-170)
Nazim Sadykhov (-425) vs. Nikolas Motta (+330)
Muhammad Naimov (-265) vs. Bogdan Grad (+215)