UFC light heavyweight contenders Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree duke it out in Kansas City return as part of ‘TKO Takeover’

UFC Kansas City returns to The City of Fountains, Missouri, on April 26th for Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree as part of TKO Takeover.

UFC light heavyweight contenders Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree duke it out in Kansas City return as part of ‘TKO Takeover’

UFC returns to Kansas City with Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree; WWE event also in pipeline same weekend (Source: X)

The UFC is coming to Kansas City. It is bringing a light heavyweight main event in the form of Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. The return to Kansas in a UFC Fight Night event happens on April 26 at the T-Mobile Center. Despite considering himself levels above, Hill now eats his words in a top 205-pound scrapper. It’s part of a three-event series the company has dubbed the “TKO Takeover.”

Shouldn’t be a problem for #No. 4 light heavyweight Jamahal Hill, who’s in a giving and forgiving mood these days. Both he and No. 7-seeded Khalil Rountree Jr. are fresh off title losses to UFC 205-pound champ Alex Pereira. Hill faced yet another loss to Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311 right after.

Meanwhile, Rountree gave “Poatan” his stiffest standup test yet in the UFC 307 PPV event headliner. Although he lost, “War Horse” is all the better for it. Rountree also billed that with his Pereira test, a “Sweet Dreams” matchup next was almost inevitable. Hill was the UFC prodigal champion after all; he incurred an Achilles injury in a celebrity basketball game during UFC 290 fight week.

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So, in actuality, he never lost his claim to gold but relinquished it. Jamahal Hill faced a knockout in the UFC 300 PPV headliner in April; he has been angsty to get back to it. While not a top contender matchup, a five-round striking clinic against Khalil Rountree can propel the victor toward title contention.

UFC Kansas City returns as WWE, PBR join forces as part of parent comp ‘TKO Takeover’

Kansas City may have lost out on the Super Bowl, but it’s going to have three nights of entertainment with TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (TKO). In an announcement by UFC® and its parent company, TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), there are other ventures in the pipeline as well.

UFC Kansas City return and TKO Takeover part of a big routine
UFC Kansas City return and TKO Takeover part of a big routine (Source: X)

The upcoming card will mark the first time the UFC has been in Kansas City since April 2023. Back then, Max Holloway swiped out Arnold Allen in a five-round unanimous decision in the headliner. Other than a Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree chunky affair, there’s WWE on Monday, April 28. There will also be a Professional Bull Riders (PBR) on Thursday, 24th, right before that.

UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization; WWE, a global leader in sports entertainment; and PBR (Professional Bull Riders), the world’s premier bull riding organization, will take over the T-Mobile Center for a series of major events from April 24-28…Through an agreement facilitated by the Kansas City Sports Commission, T-Mobile Center in Downtown Kansas City will become the first venue to host a TKO Takeover Presented by VeChain…

TKO Group Holdings via a press release statement

While the ‘TKO Takeover’ branding is new, UFC and WWE have repeatedly visited the same cities since the companies merged to form TKO in 2023. VeChain, the official blockchain partner of the UFC since 2022, is a leading global provider of blockchain solutions. Kansas City will mark an inaugural partnership with WWE/PBR as well.

Related: Alex Pereira moving to heavyweight? Rumors of UFC superstar’s shocking move