Khalil Rountree Jr. will now not be competing in the principle occasion of UFC Kansas Metropolis in opposition to Jamahal Hill, and he has now supplied some context for the change in his first assertion.
“So [I had a phone call] with UFC, and it seems Jamahal Hill is injured, not in a position to struggle in Kansas Metropolis on [April 26],” Rountree mentioned on his YouTube channel. “So it appears to be like like I’m out of a struggle, and it’s going to be postponed — I don’t know when, but it surely appears to be like like that’s the case to date.”
The UFC introduced Tuesday that the brand new headliner for the promotion’s return to Kansas Metropolis is a welterweight matchup between Ian Machado Garry and Carlos Prates.
So far as the precise damage to Hill goes, Rountree—at the moment No. 7 at gentle heavyweight within the MMA Combating International Rankings—wasn’t given any specifics.
“I don’t know what the difficulty is, all I do know is UFC instructed me that he needed to pull out because of an damage,” Rountree mentioned. “Often they don’t give too many particulars as to what the damage is, or no matter, however they did inform me it was an damage and that he wanted extra time to get well from this damage, which is why they’re going to postpone the struggle.
“So hopefully it stays that we keep matched up, simply at a later date.”
Hill was on the lookout for his second bout of 2025, as he competed at UFC 311 in January, struggling a third-round stoppage loss to Jiri Prochazka—the previous champ’s second consecutive loss.
Rountree and Hill had been matched up for UFC 303 this previous June earlier than Rountree was compelled out following a two-month suspension after taking a banned complement. “The Conflict Horse” went on to face Alex Pereira for the sunshine heavyweight title at UFC 307 this previous October, the place he was stopped within the fourth spherical of a spirited battle.
The information additionally serves as doable disappointment when it comes to Rountree’s long-term targets in 2025, as he aimed to struggle thrice this 12 months. Whereas that may nonetheless occur, Rountree hopes his struggle with Hill might be rebooked rapidly.
“I really need this struggle to occur,” Rountree mentioned. “I feel it’s a terrific matchup for me and that is the struggle that I would like. So hopefully this damage heals up fast, as a result of I need to keep targeted on preventing Jamahal.”
