Following a successful event in Atlanta, the UFC is now setting its sights on its next global expansion—this time into the ‘The Land of Fire’. On June 21, the promotion will debut in Azerbaijan, holding fights inside Baku’s iconic Crystal Hall. But just as anticipation began to rise around Dana White’s historic move into new territory, mounting political tensions between Israel and Iran cast a shadow over the upcoming event. On June 13, the long-standing hostility between the two nations escalated once again. Israel launched missile strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and military structures.

In retaliation, Iran responded with force, further heightening regional instability. Caught in the middle of this geopolitical turmoil is Azerbaijan—a direct neighbor of Iran—placing the UFC’s Baku event under scrutiny. The tension has already impacted the fight card, as former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jamahal Hill, who was slated to headline against Khalil Rountree Jr., has made a difficult decision.

Jamahal Hill’s refusal to fly to Azerbaijan puts Dana White on alert

Hill and his team planned to travel on a Doha–Baku flight ahead of next week’s media obligations and weigh-in ceremony. However, with the flight path crossing over Israeli and Iranian airspace, Jamahal Hill—concerned for his safety amid the rising conflict—ultimately chose to pull out of the trip. As reported by MMA-focused Face on Instagram via ‘Offsideplus.az’,

“According to several sources, Jamal Hill has refused to fly to Baku, where he was supposed to headline a UFC Main Event next week. The reason was concerns about a possible escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, where Israel and Iran have been exchanging missile strikes in recent days.”

While it’s still unconfirmed whether Jamahal Hill will ultimately attend UFC Baku, his concerns are far from baseless. In fact, his fear draws chilling parallels to the tragic incident in 2014 involving Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, which was shot down while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Amsterdam. At the time, the conflict in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces forced the commercial plane into the line of fire.

Tragically, the missile strike killed all 283 passengers and 15 crew members. Moreover, just last month, the United Nations officially held Russia responsible for its long-standing involvement in the attack. However, for Dana White & Co., the Israel-Iran tension isn’t the only issue casting a shadow over the UFC’s Baku debut—another potential challenge may be waiting just around the corner.

Dana White addresses Azerbaijan-Armenia tensions ahead of UFC Baku

With UFC Baku just a week away, political tensions surrounding the event are beginning to escalate. Social media has been flooded with posts and petitions, particularly from Armenian fans, calling on Dana White to recognize what they describe as Azerbaijan’s genocide of Armenians. The UFC features athletes from both Armenia and Azerbaijan—two neighboring countries entrenched in a bitter, decades-long conflict rooted in political, religious, and territorial disputes.

The hostility, centered largely on the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region, has repeatedly boiled over into violence. Most recently, the conflict flared into a full-scale war in 2023, ultimately resulting in Armenia surrendering control of Nagorno-Karabakh.  Although a peace deal was reached in 2025, unresolved issues like border demarcation and mutual recognition continue to fuel tension.

Amid preparations to host UFC’s debut in Azerbaijan, Dana White responded to concerns about the region’s instability. Addressing the situation, he said, “I don’t think this situation can affect security.” He elaborated during a press conference following UFC 314, “I mean, if there was any real threat to the safety of the fighters, we wouldn’t be holding the tournament there.”

While the status of Jamahal Hill’s appearance at UFC Baku remains uncertain, former Azerbaijani native Rafael Fiziev is set to arrive in the country tomorrow. Stay tuned for more updates.