Khalil Rountree Savages Champ Magomed Ankalaev After Criticism on UFC Baku Main Event
Magomed Ankalaev shares scathing four-word take to Khalil Rountree Jr’s UFC Baku headliner, gets a staunch and snap reply for it.

Khalil Rountree retorts Magomed Ankalaev's critic of UFC on ABC 8 decision win (Source: X)
In the eyes of many, the UFC on ABC 8 Live Fight Night lineup left a lot to be desired by MMA enthusiasts. A sloth afternoon crowd had to wait until the eighth fight for a finish. The UFC Baku main event fight between light heavyweights Khalil Rountree and Jamahal Hill also went the distance. Divisional champ Magomed Ankalaev didn’t like what he saw.
Newly minted 205-pound champ Magomed Ankalaev logged a dominant win over Alex Pereira and snagged gold. While he has touted himself as better and that he’d dominantly win another rematch, this fight week, he has been slicing up UFC Baku predictions as well. Not for lack of effort, Khalil Rountree stunned in a striking masterclass and three knockdowns. ‘Big Ank’ dumbed it down in a scathing four-word assessment.
I am falling asleep.
Magomed Ankalaev via X (@AnkalaevM)
Rountree, a Muay Thai practitioner, connected clean and was ahead on significant strikes stat from mid-R1. He mauled with slicers and body shots; in the lead-up, ‘War Horse’ had said he’d think like a champ, reeling from his round-four TKO loss to Pereira. Hence, there was some inactivity, with him circling back from Hill during the closing seconds of each round, given he was up on scorecards.
Some in the fight community online felt he could have done more. Video footage from Ushatayka’s IG account had the Baku crowd leaving after the Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes co-main feature. Nevertheless, coming off a TKO loss, this was a dominant performance and set his skills ceiling. Hence, Khalil Rountree retorted and had this to say about the champ poking him on it:
It’s expected…That guy talks more about me than I talk about him. He says so much. It’s like, ‘Bro, you’re the champion. Why are you talking about me? Get away. Go enjoy being the champion. Quit talking about me on Twitter.’ Gosh. No more Ankalaev questions today.
Khalil Rountree during UFC on ABC 8 post-fight backstage fighter interviews
I am falling asleep
— Muhammad big ANK Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) June 21, 2025
No.7-ranked 205-pounder Rountree is to see a surge in rankings soon after Baku. Post-fight, he did use his mic time to mention that he is willing to put in the effort against anyone who sets him on a path to gold.
If UFC Execs come calling for a Magomed Ankalaev fight next, he’d be ready for it, and the rivalry would have a more prominent face. A new king, Ankalaev, has been squabbling with all in the division’s top order. As for his Baku win, Ankalaev wasn’t the only one to pitch in.
MMA Pro Twitter reacts to Khalil Rountree winning at UFC on ABC 8 main event in Baku
Khalil Rountree, now with sturdy stats of 15-6 MMA and 11-6 UFC, put a former prodigal champ on his resume at Baku. He is now 6-1 in his last few outings and was a stiff test in a brutal run for former champ Pereira at UFC 307.

See below for the top reactions on X (formerly Twitter) to Rountree Jr.’s victory and headlining act, besting a champ at UFC on ABC 8.
Khalil to the body with the jab then a nasty calf kick. Hill gives it back to him. Hill left hand to the body, eats a leg kick,
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) June 21, 2025
Hill gives it back to him. #UFCBaku
10-9 Rountree after a tactical R1
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 21, 2025
Might need to be Jamahal Hill’s last round. That lead leg is toast!
— Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) June 21, 2025
20-18 Rountree. Hill should look to change levels! #UFCBaku
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) June 21, 2025
Fuck them calf kicks adding us sheesh
— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) June 21, 2025
To be fair to Jamahal, Rountree has been showing some pretty solid evasive footwork. Not making it easy for Hill, aka, "Mr No Footwork Whatsoever," to keep a bead on him
— King Typo (@BoxingBusch) June 21, 2025
Hill's corner: "It's close" yeah understatement of the fuckin year
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) June 21, 2025
Jamal is taking the fight too personally and getting emotional, while Khalil is staying calm and composed — and taking full advantage of it. #UFCBaku
— Manel Kape (@ManelKape) June 21, 2025
40-36 Rountree Jr.
— Matthew Wells (@MrMWells) June 21, 2025
The shutout continues. Hill needs a knockout. #UFCBaku
Boring fight! “stuck in the mud” Easy 💰💰💰 #UFCBaku
— Dominick Reyes (@DomReyes) June 21, 2025
Khalil looked great. Hill didn’t look like himself imo. #ufcbaku
— Roxanne Modafferi (@Roxyfighter) June 21, 2025
Big win for Rountree. Would love to see him fight Jiri Procházka next 🔥 #UFCBaku
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) June 21, 2025
#UFCBaku results: Khalil Rountree Jr. def. Jamahal Hill via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 50-45)
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) June 21, 2025
Full coverage: https://t.co/EM9S0uvZcv pic.twitter.com/tC8NFV9jsj
UFC LHW Dominick Reyes and Jiri Prochazka, both of whom had a resurgence recently, could end up being Rountree’s next opponent up the contention ladder. Reyes even went the Magomed Ankalaev way, only slightly, to start a spark. As such, it’s only one way up for War Horse.
Also Read:
- Title challenger Khalil Rountree hilariously accused Rampage Jackson of using dog’s Instagram account to slide into wife’s DM
- Magomed Ankalaev Boldly Claims UFC Superstar Alex Pereira Is Never Fighting Again