Tag: Khalil Rountree Jr.

UFC 307: Khalil Rountree’s Unexpected Path to a Title Fight

Khalil Rountree Jr. recently revealed that receiving a title shot at UFC 307 came as a surprise, particularly since he was still facing repercussions from a positive steroid test. “The War Horse” is set to challenge reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in his first-ever title opportunity this Saturday at the Delta Center in […]

Continue Reading UFC 307: Khalil Rountree’s Unexpected Path to a Title Fight at MMA News.

Khalil Rountree Jr. recently revealed that receiving a title shot at UFC 307 came as a surprise, particularly since he was still facing repercussions from a positive steroid test.

“The War Horse” is set to challenge reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in his first-ever title opportunity this Saturday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

However, the announcement of this matchup was unexpected, as Rountree Jr. was still navigating the sanctions imposed by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) after testing positive for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a prohibited steroid hormone, earlier in May.

The 34-year-old Californian was initially slated to face Jamahal Hill at UFC 303 in June—a bout that could have served as a title eliminator. However, Rountree had to withdraw due to the positive test. In an August hearing, the NAC reduced Rountree Jr.’s suspension to 4.5 months, acknowledging his decision to self-report the violation.

This reduction allowed “The War Horse” to become eligible for UFC 307, as his ban ended on September 18.

Rountree Jr. Reveals He Envisioned a Title Shot Before It Became Reality

In a recent interview with Caged Minds Combat Sports News, Rountree Jr. expressed that he, like many others in the MMA community, did not expect a title opportunity while still serving his suspension.

“It was a big surprise to me,” Rountree Jr. said. “I definitely didn’t expect the call to come when it did, but when it happened, all I could say was that it was a huge surprise. I was full of excitement. It was, I guess, like the call I had imagined for a long time… It was a complete surprise, so the way it happened was so unexpected. I didn’t realize that the phone call for a title fight was as close as it was.”

Rountree also shared that the cancellation of his fight with Hill left him uncertain about his future in the UFC and when he would next compete.

“The fight that I was booked for before, I thought could possibly be the title eliminator, but after everything happened, I really didn’t know what was next. I didn’t know if I’d be waiting nine months to a year to fight. I didn’t know who the opponent would be. I imagined all the ranked guys getting shots before I did, but like I said, a big surprise phone call came through, and I gladly accepted.”

Rountree Jr. last fought in December 2023, when he knocked out Anthony Smith at a Fight Night event. He is currently on a five-fight win streak, with notable victories over fighters like Chris Daukaus, Karl Roberson, and Modestas Bukauskas.

Read More: PFL Star Picks Khalil Rountree To Finish Alex Pereira In The First Round At UFC 307

Continue Reading UFC 307: Khalil Rountree’s Unexpected Path to a Title Fight at MMA News.

Max Holloway Projects Khalil Rountree To Stop Alex Pereira’s Leg Kicks In Jon Jones’ Style At UFC 307

The hype for UFC 307 headlining Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree is steadily rising as the event approaches. Although it is also being called a mismatch because of rankings, the possibility of witnessing a huge upset has many fans on the edge of their seats. Underdogs have performed significantly well against UFC champions lately. Be […]

Continue Reading Max Holloway Projects Khalil Rountree To Stop Alex Pereira’s Leg Kicks In Jon Jones’ Style At UFC 307 at MMA News.

The hype for UFC 307 headlining Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree is steadily rising as the event approaches. Although it is also being called a mismatch because of rankings, the possibility of witnessing a huge upset has many fans on the edge of their seats.

Underdogs have performed significantly well against UFC champions lately. Be it Leon Edwards against Kamaru Usman, Belal Muhammad against Edwards, or Sean Strickland against Israel Adesanya, there are plenty of recent examples where viewers were shocked by how a fight played out.

To pull off an upset at UFC 307, Rountree will likely have to deal with Pereira’s leg kicks that have troubled all his past opponents. According to Max Holloway, here’s how the title challenger will avoid getting his legs compromised by the champion…

Max Holloway Claims Khalil Rountree Has The Tools To Stop Alex Pereira’s Leg Kicks At UFC 307

Holloway discussed the UFC 307 main event on his YouTube channel recently. “Blessed” believes the Brazilian to be an unstoppable force at light heavyweight and is curious to see whether the latter can break Ronda Rousey’s record for the shortest time between three UFC title defenses.

Despite understanding why “Poatan” is a huge favorite, Holloway pointed out that the UFC 307 main event could be a much closer fight than it seems. Rountree’s losses to Ion Cu?elaba and Johnny Walker have naturally hurt his brand, but Holloway still considers him a threat.

“We saw Khalil Rountree. We saw his ups and downs, his losses. He did lose to some guys that he should have probably never lost to but this, this mother sucker brother, he’s an animal bro. He’s just violence bro. And these two guys is just going to be, it’s going to be a violent fight bro. The biggest question is, it’s going to be, I already know what Khalil is going to do. I tell you guys this much, Khalil Rountree is going to try and stop Alex’s leg kick with that front, like, oblique kick. I’m telling you, the one that he’s done, stomped that guy’s knee out of his socket.”

While predicting the fight to be violent, Holloway mentioned Rountree’s ability to throw dangerous oblique kicks. “The War Horse” started his ongoing five-fight win streak in the UFC by breaking Modestas Bukauskas’ knee with a perfectly executed oblique kick. The fight had to be stopped instantly as it was evident Bukauskas had a displaced knee.

The former UFC featherweight champion believes that such perfectly timed oblique kicks could be game-changing for Rountree at UFC 307. Jon Jones has popularized this controversial yet effective move over the years. The light heavyweight GOAT has bothered most of his opponents with it, including Quinton Jackson, Alexander Gustafsson, and Thiago Santos.

Will Rountree surprise Pereira with the kickboxing tools in his arsenal or “Poatan” knock out the challenger cold with ease yet again at UFC 307?

Continue Reading Max Holloway Projects Khalil Rountree To Stop Alex Pereira’s Leg Kicks In Jon Jones’ Style At UFC 307 at MMA News.

Max Holloway Projects Khalil Rountree To Stop Alex Pereira’s Leg Kicks In Jon Jones’ Style At UFC 307

The hype for UFC 307 headlining Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree is steadily rising as the event approaches. Although it is also being called a mismatch because of rankings, the possibility of witnessing a huge upset has many fans on the edge of their seats. Underdogs have performed significantly well against UFC champions lately. Be […]

Continue Reading Max Holloway Projects Khalil Rountree To Stop Alex Pereira’s Leg Kicks In Jon Jones’ Style At UFC 307 at MMA News.

The hype for UFC 307 headlining Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree is steadily rising as the event approaches. Although it is also being called a mismatch because of rankings, the possibility of witnessing a huge upset has many fans on the edge of their seats.

Underdogs have performed significantly well against UFC champions lately. Be it Leon Edwards against Kamaru Usman, Belal Muhammad against Edwards, or Sean Strickland against Israel Adesanya, there are plenty of recent examples where viewers were shocked by how a fight played out.

To pull off an upset at UFC 307, Rountree will likely have to deal with Pereira’s leg kicks that have troubled all his past opponents. According to Max Holloway, here’s how the title challenger will avoid getting his legs compromised by the champion…

Max Holloway Claims Khalil Rountree Has The Tools To Stop Alex Pereira’s Leg Kicks At UFC 307

Holloway discussed the UFC 307 main event on his YouTube channel recently. “Blessed” believes the Brazilian to be an unstoppable force at light heavyweight and is curious to see whether the latter can break Ronda Rousey’s record for the shortest time between three UFC title defenses.

Despite understanding why “Poatan” is a huge favorite, Holloway pointed out that the UFC 307 main event could be a much closer fight than it seems. Rountree’s losses to Ion Cu?elaba and Johnny Walker have naturally hurt his brand, but Holloway still considers him a threat.

“We saw Khalil Rountree. We saw his ups and downs, his losses. He did lose to some guys that he should have probably never lost to but this, this mother sucker brother, he’s an animal bro. He’s just violence bro. And these two guys is just going to be, it’s going to be a violent fight bro. The biggest question is, it’s going to be, I already know what Khalil is going to do. I tell you guys this much, Khalil Rountree is going to try and stop Alex’s leg kick with that front, like, oblique kick. I’m telling you, the one that he’s done, stomped that guy’s knee out of his socket.”

While predicting the fight to be violent, Holloway mentioned Rountree’s ability to throw dangerous oblique kicks. “The War Horse” started his ongoing five-fight win streak in the UFC by breaking Modestas Bukauskas’ knee with a perfectly executed oblique kick. The fight had to be stopped instantly as it was evident Bukauskas had a displaced knee.

The former UFC featherweight champion believes that such perfectly timed oblique kicks could be game-changing for Rountree at UFC 307. Jon Jones has popularized this controversial yet effective move over the years. The light heavyweight GOAT has bothered most of his opponents with it, including Quinton Jackson, Alexander Gustafsson, and Thiago Santos.

Will Rountree surprise Pereira with the kickboxing tools in his arsenal or “Poatan” knock out the challenger cold with ease yet again at UFC 307?

Continue Reading Max Holloway Projects Khalil Rountree To Stop Alex Pereira’s Leg Kicks In Jon Jones’ Style At UFC 307 at MMA News.

PFL Star Picks Khalil Rountree To Finish Alex Pereira In The First Round At UFC 307

A PFL star has boldly predicted that Khalil Rountree will make quick work of Alex Pereira in their upcoming title showdown at UFC 307. Rountree is slated to face reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Pereira this Saturday night in the main event of a highly anticipated pay-per-view at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, […]

Continue Reading PFL Star Picks Khalil Rountree To Finish Alex Pereira In The First Round At UFC 307 at MMA News.

A PFL star has boldly predicted that Khalil Rountree will make quick work of Alex Pereira in their upcoming title showdown at UFC 307.

Rountree is slated to face reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Pereira this Saturday night in the main event of a highly anticipated pay-per-view at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“Poatan” has been on a dominant, unbeaten tear in the 205-pound division, and he’s gearing up for his third title defense of 2024. His most recent conquest came in June at UFC 303, where he secured a thunderous second-round knockout of Jiri Prochazka in their rematch.

Meanwhile, UFC 307 marks “The War Horse’s” maiden shot at UFC gold, which explains why he’s entering the bout as a heavy underdog. Unlike most title challengers, he hasn’t battled his way to the top or earned the number one contender spot, as he’s currently ranked #8 in the light heavyweight division.

However, Brendan Loughnane stands among the select few who argue that Rountree’s underdog status could be the pivotal factor in pulling off a monumental upset against the seemingly unstoppable Pereira…

Loughnane On Rountree’s Chances Against Pereira At UFC 307: ‘He’s Hungry’

During a recent appearance on talkSPORT MMA, Loughnane shared his predictions for the Pereira vs. Rountree title fight. While the 34-year-old Englishman acknowledged the reigning champion’s formidable strengths, he emphasized that this bout represents a crucial opportunity—possibly the sole title shot—for “The War Horse”.

The PFL featherweight fighter expressed that this realization will likely drive Rountree to fight with determination, and he might finish the bout in the first round.

“I’m going to pick the [under]dog in this one,” Loughnane said. “I’m going to go for it. You know why? He’s hungry. He’s been around a long time; this is probably his last opportunity with age creeping up. Alex Pereira’s been an animal, but Khalil—I know him; I have trained with him. Khalil is a good fella; he’s a great fighter… Let’s just really go with it.”

Rountree is poised to make his comeback following a 4.5-month suspension for testing positive for a steroid hormone this past May, and he’s currently carrying the momentum of a five-fight win streak. The 34-year-old Californian’s last Octagon outing saw him secure a third-round knockout victory against Anthony Smith in December 2023.

Continue Reading PFL Star Picks Khalil Rountree To Finish Alex Pereira In The First Round At UFC 307 at MMA News.

Khalil Rountree’s Coach Breaks Down Alex Pereira’s ‘Ugly’ Striking

With UFC Paris: Moicano vs. Saint-Denis done and dusted, fans can look forward to witnessing the return of Alex Pereira at UFC 307. The light heavyweight champion will aim to defend his title for the third time this year against Khalil Rountree. Although Rountree wasn’t the ideal title contender based on rankings, many believe him […]

Continue Reading Khalil Rountree’s Coach Breaks Down Alex Pereira’s ‘Ugly’ Striking at MMA News.

With UFC Paris: Moicano vs. Saint-Denis done and dusted, fans can look forward to witnessing the return of Alex Pereira at UFC 307. The light heavyweight champion will aim to defend his title for the third time this year against Khalil Rountree.

Although Rountree wasn’t the ideal title contender based on rankings, many believe him to be an excellent matchup for “Poatan”. The Brazilian has been knocking people out with left hooks and kicks, and Rountree has been very successful since incorporating Muay Thai into his striking.

Here’s what Rountree’s coach thinks of the champion’s striking and how he plans to do the unthinkable at UFC 307…

Khalil Rountree’s Coach Explains How To Beat An ‘Unstoppable Striker’ Like Alex Pereira Or Sean O’Malley

Wood is still exhilarated by his student Merab Dvalishvili beating Sean O’Malley at UFC 306. While discussing Rountree’s UFC 307 fight on the Inside Fighting YouTube channel, he remembered how “Suga” seemed like an unbeatable striker, but Dvalishvili exposed several holes in his game.

“You know, just like, using O’Malley again. [Sean] Was this unstoppable striker and this and that. There’s always, there’s layers, there’s layers to the onion that you have to peel back for the game plan.”

Although Rountree is unlikely to grapple like Dvalishvili to neutralize his opponent’s offense, his coach claims that there are several things to capitalize on. Wood acknowledged that Pereira’ striking can look ugly and unconventional but it works like a charm.

For starters, Pereira has explosive knockout power which always keeps his opponents at bay. On top of that, Wood thinks that by performing rather unusual moves, the Brazilian lures his opponents to enter the pocket following which the fight usually ends.

“One, the guy’s got hammers for hands. Two, I think he lulls people into that like, you know, ‘hey, I’m making mistakes’ and you know, ‘come and get me.’ And then, boop! You’re waking up on the canvas,” Wood continued,” No matter sometimes how ugly things might look or maybe unconventional but unconventional works just as well as conventional, if you know what you’re doing.”

Without revealing a lot, Wood shared that Rountree’s game plan heading into UFC 307 is to avoid aggressing unnecessarily. The coach understands that the light heavyweight kingpin only needs one good shot, so he’ll ask his fighter to remain patient and look for real openings.

“That’s my job to make sure that we don’t fall into any of those traps. You’re going to see this, and his hands are down and he’s leading with his face. He wants to get you, you know, no, there’s reasons he’s doing that.”

Wood has a fair assessment of Pereira’s striking game. Will it help Rountree finally win UFC gold at UFC 307, though?

Continue Reading Khalil Rountree’s Coach Breaks Down Alex Pereira’s ‘Ugly’ Striking at MMA News.

Khalil Rountree’s Coach Breaks Down Alex Pereira’s ‘Ugly’ Striking

With UFC Paris: Moicano vs. Saint-Denis done and dusted, fans can look forward to witnessing the return of Alex Pereira at UFC 307. The light heavyweight champion will aim to defend his title for the third time this year against Khalil Rountree. Although Rountree wasn’t the ideal title contender based on rankings, many believe him […]

Continue Reading Khalil Rountree’s Coach Breaks Down Alex Pereira’s ‘Ugly’ Striking at MMA News.

With UFC Paris: Moicano vs. Saint-Denis done and dusted, fans can look forward to witnessing the return of Alex Pereira at UFC 307. The light heavyweight champion will aim to defend his title for the third time this year against Khalil Rountree.

Although Rountree wasn’t the ideal title contender based on rankings, many believe him to be an excellent matchup for “Poatan”. The Brazilian has been knocking people out with left hooks and kicks, and Rountree has been very successful since incorporating Muay Thai into his striking.

Here’s what Rountree’s coach thinks of the champion’s striking and how he plans to do the unthinkable at UFC 307…

Khalil Rountree’s Coach Explains How To Beat An ‘Unstoppable Striker’ Like Alex Pereira Or Sean O’Malley

Wood is still exhilarated by his student Merab Dvalishvili beating Sean O’Malley at UFC 306. While discussing Rountree’s UFC 307 fight on the Inside Fighting YouTube channel, he remembered how “Suga” seemed like an unbeatable striker, but Dvalishvili exposed several holes in his game.

“You know, just like, using O’Malley again. [Sean] Was this unstoppable striker and this and that. There’s always, there’s layers, there’s layers to the onion that you have to peel back for the game plan.”

Although Rountree is unlikely to grapple like Dvalishvili to neutralize his opponent’s offense, his coach claims that there are several things to capitalize on. Wood acknowledged that Pereira’ striking can look ugly and unconventional but it works like a charm.

For starters, Pereira has explosive knockout power which always keeps his opponents at bay. On top of that, Wood thinks that by performing rather unusual moves, the Brazilian lures his opponents to enter the pocket following which the fight usually ends.

“One, the guy’s got hammers for hands. Two, I think he lulls people into that like, you know, ‘hey, I’m making mistakes’ and you know, ‘come and get me.’ And then, boop! You’re waking up on the canvas,” Wood continued,” No matter sometimes how ugly things might look or maybe unconventional but unconventional works just as well as conventional, if you know what you’re doing.”

Without revealing a lot, Wood shared that Rountree’s game plan heading into UFC 307 is to avoid aggressing unnecessarily. The coach understands that the light heavyweight kingpin only needs one good shot, so he’ll ask his fighter to remain patient and look for real openings.

“That’s my job to make sure that we don’t fall into any of those traps. You’re going to see this, and his hands are down and he’s leading with his face. He wants to get you, you know, no, there’s reasons he’s doing that.”

Wood has a fair assessment of Pereira’s striking game. Will it help Rountree finally win UFC gold at UFC 307, though?

Continue Reading Khalil Rountree’s Coach Breaks Down Alex Pereira’s ‘Ugly’ Striking at MMA News.