A long-simmering feud is finally coming to a boil. Former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill will step back into the Octagon against Khalil Rountree Jr in a rescheduled showdown at UFC Azerbaijan, now slated for June 21. This matchup, originally scheduled to headline UFC on ESPN 66 before Hill pulled out due to an Achilles injury, marks a critical turning point for both fighters.

Tensions recently flared at the UFC Performance Institute when Hill and Rountree exchanged words, nearly escalating into a physical confrontation. Speaking to The Schmo, Hill recounted the uneasy encounter,

Now ‘Sweet Dreams’ revealed the latest feud with Rountree while speaking with The Schmo. He shared the tense moment they had at the UFC PI, stating, “Man, we don’t talk, we don’t say anything to each other…the only time that we did have like an interaction was weird, but yeah, we don’t talk. I was in the PI like I walked into the you know, I say what’s up to anybody, I say hi to anybody. You know, and then like I walk in the locker room or whatever, and he is just like, ‘man, you don’t like me, do you?’ I was like, ‘what?’ he was like, ‘you don’t like me.’ I was like, ‘I don’t even know you.’”

He further added, “Like we don’t have we haven’t had a conversation. We haven’t had anything. It’s almost like he’s intent on gotta build me up as a villain or as a person that he hates. And I said which is fine, which is fine with me but it’s just whenever you start, like, putting the energy off to UFC staff and shi—like that like oh we can’t be around each other something’s gonna happen like you not gonna do shi—so what’s the point of that? It’s weird to me.”

Rountree has not clashed since losing to Pereira at UFC 307. Meanwhile, Hill is looking to come back after a TKO loss to Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311. The duo is all in with their training and keeping fans updated through their social media accounts. On the flip side, Dana White just decided to reduce the ticket prices for this fight!

Dana White reduced prices for UFC Azerbaijan

For the first time in UFC history, the Octagon heads to Azerbaijan, and fans won’t need a heavyweight wallet to attend. According to public ticket data, entry-level seats for the event start at just $58. To put that into perspective, UFC 313 in Las Vegas listed its cheapest tickets at $233, while premium seating soared as high as $10,000.

In a statement to the media he revealed, “Azerbaijan and the city of Baku have an incredible history of hosting massive global sporting events, 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.”

But beyond the low cost, the card is turning heads for other reasons too. Chief among them is Jamahal Hill. The former light heavyweight champion is under more scrutiny than ever for how he looks. After a yearlong layoff due to an Achilles tear, Hill has re-entered the spotlight, but not without criticism. Recent training footage sparked fan backlash over his noticeably softened physique. Once known for his precise striking and calm demeanor under fire, Hill now faces added pressure to prove that the belt he once wore wasn’t a fluke. The fans did not support his slight belly in the sparring videos, and they said things like, “He should move up to heavyweight lowkey.”

With ticket prices down and tension rising, UFC Azerbaijan is a litmus test for Hill, Rountree, and the UFC’s expansion into new territory.

Who you got- Hill or Rountree? Let the predictions fly in the comments.