Khalil Rountree Jr. has spoken out about the cancellation of his main event fight at UFC Kansas City against Jamahal Hill, providing his perspective on the situation.
Rountree stated on his YouTube channel that he received a call from the UFC informing him of Jamahal Hill`s injury, which has made him unable to compete on April 26 in Kansas City. As a result, Rountree is currently without a fight, and the matchup is expected to be postponed, though the new date is uncertain.
The UFC has announced that the new main event for the Kansas City event will be a welterweight bout between Ian Machado Garry and Carlos Prates.
Regarding Hill`s injury, Rountree, who is currently ranked No. 7 in the light heavyweight division by MMA Fighting Global Rankings, mentioned that he was not given specific details.
Rountree explained that the UFC simply informed him that Hill had to withdraw due to an injury requiring recovery time, leading to the fight`s postponement. He hopes that the matchup with Hill will remain in place and be rescheduled for a later date.
Hill was aiming for his second fight in 2025, having competed at UFC 311 in January where he lost to Jiri Prochazka. Rountree and Hill were previously scheduled to fight at UFC 303 in June, but Rountree was forced to withdraw due to a suspension. Rountree then fought Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title at UFC 307 in October.
This news is also a setback for Rountree`s 2025 goals, as he intended to fight three times this year. He hopes for a quick rescheduling of the Hill fight, emphasizing that it is the fight he desires and considers a favorable matchup.
“I really want this fight to happen,” Rountree said. “I think it’s a great matchup for me and this is the fight that I want. So hopefully this injury heals up quick, because I want to stay focused on fighting Jamahal.”
