Jiri Prochazka was not impressed by Khalil Rountree’s most recent win.
Rountree (14-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) defeated former champion Jamahal Hill (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) by unanimous decision in their UFC on ABC 8 main event June 21 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Rountree dropped Hill in Round 3, but wasn’t able to finish him. Prochazka (31-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC), who knocked out Hill at UFC 311, thinks Rountree was tentative throughout the fight, and let his foot off the gas pedal.
“A very careful performance, patient,” Prochazka said of Rountree’s win over Hill on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “My opinion, I don’t like that. I don’t like that performance because he gave Jamahal too many chances to be back in the fight, a chance to win the fight. He had many chances to finish him decisively. So, that was really not good from him. He was very patient.
“What surprised me was Jamahal Hill’s performance. I thought after a lot of trash talking, he would show a much better fight than he showed. It was strange from Khalil that he let him recover and still survive the fight, and Jamahal didn’t show anything, and he was still too self confident after the fight. If you want to fight on the top level, go there and show your best, totally, no regrets.”
Former champion Prochazka meets former title challenger Rountree in a three-round bout at UFC 320 on Oct. 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Prochazka hopes it’s a No. 1 contender bout.
Prochazka revealed that he will weigh in as a backup for the night’s headliner between light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira.
