Tag: Khalil Rountree Jr.

Khalil Rountree’s Coach Talked Him Out Of Retirement A Decade Before His UFC 307 Title Fight Against Alex Pereira

Khalil Rountree reached The Ultimate Fighter 23’s final but lost to Andrew Sanchez who controlled him for the majority of the fight. He then lost to Tyson Pedro via submission and needed to urgently rack up some wins to secure his place in the promotion. From having such a rocky start in the UFC to […]

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Khalil Rountree reached The Ultimate Fighter 23’s final but lost to Andrew Sanchez who controlled him for the majority of the fight. He then lost to Tyson Pedro via submission and needed to urgently rack up some wins to secure his place in the promotion.

From having such a rocky start in the UFC to challenging Alex Pereira for light heavyweight gold, Rountree has naturally come a long way. He’s riding a five-fight win streak including four knockouts and many believe his bout against “Poatan” will be fireworks as well.

John Wood recently shared an inspiring story of him convincing Rountree to not retire at the outset of his career…

Khalil Rountree Might’ve Never Challenged Alex Pereira At UFC 307 If His Coach Didn’t Stop Him From Retiring

Wood appeared on Daniel Cormier’s official YouTube channel recently to talk about one of his oldest students finally fighting for a UFC title. The coach remembered “The War Horse” wanted to retire from MMA after his third or fourth fight.

“I think, it was you know, third or fourth fight, he was talking to me about wanting to retire and going to construction. He’s like, yeah, I think I got this good construction job it’s gonna pay money. I said whoa, whoa, bro, no no no, I was like, just give me a year. Give me a year and I promise you do whatever I’ll support you after that. just give me a hard year. And you know, through that process, The Ultimate Fighter came.”

The Syndicate MMA head coach naturally asked Rountree to hold his horses and train with him seriously for at least a year. It is safe to say that the American fighter made the right choice as he would enter The Ultimate Fighter 23 and reach the finals.

Although Wood was initially upset by the decision, he claims that Rountree matured while training in Thailand and learned how to digest the hype and responsibility he received as a talented and exciting prospect.

“We had some ups, had some downs and then you know, he moved to Thailand after the Gokhan Saki fight. And kind of, you know, found himself as a person, as a man. You know, I think he was gone for a couple of years and ended up hitting me back up,” Wood continued. “It’s been nothing but great since he’s been back and we’ve had nothing but success. He’s really matured as a fighter.”

The coach admitted to having the same excitement regardless of which of his fighters is fighting. However, the UFC 307 main event might be one of his most memorable moments because he’s helped Rountree and stuck by him from the very beginning.

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Former UFC Champion Touts Khalil Rountree To Beat Alex Pereira ‘At His Own Game’

A former UFC middleweight champion recently praised Khalil Rountree, claiming he has what it takes to defeat Alex Pereira by outclassing him in his own area of expertise. “The War Horse” is preparing for his first title shot as he challenges reigning light heavyweight champion Pereira in the main event of UFC 307, set for […]

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A former UFC middleweight champion recently praised Khalil Rountree, claiming he has what it takes to defeat Alex Pereira by outclassing him in his own area of expertise.

“The War Horse” is preparing for his first title shot as he challenges reigning light heavyweight champion Pereira in the main event of UFC 307, set for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“Poatan” has been a relentless powerhouse since making his mark in the 205-pound division last year, firmly establishing his dominance by defending his belt twice within the span of two months. Pereira is coming off a second-round knockout of Jiri Prochazka in their highly anticipated rematch at UFC 303 this past June.

While Pereira may be renowned for his crushing power and world-class kickboxing that dismantles his opponents, Rountree has made it clear that he won’t resort to takedowns, opting instead to keep the battle standing.

Michael Bisping believes that “The War Horse” is more than capable of going toe-to-toe with the Brazilian champion in a striking showdown…

Bisping Warns ‘Poatan’ To Respect Rountree’s Abilities: ‘Pereira Has To Take Him Seriously’

During a a recent video on his YouTube channel, “The Count” gave his thoughts on the upcoming title clash between Pereira and Rountree. The UFC Hall of Famer highlighted some of the notable names the American challenger has taken down in recent bouts, pointing out that while “The War Horse” may appear hittable, he’s proven his prowess by defeating elite-level kickboxers like Gokhan Saki.

Bisping emphasized that Pereira should tread carefully in striking exchanges, as Rountree is no stranger to top-tier competition.

“Anthony Smith was able to land some straight rights, and if Smith can land them, you’ve got to think that Pereira is going to land them,” Bisping said. “But if we dig a little deeper, if we look at some of the other people that he’s [Rountree] beaten, there’s a name that stands out, and that name is the one and only Gokhan Saki… When he went up against Khalil Rountree, he got knocked out in the first round.”

“Who is Khalil? Well, Khalil was a kickboxer. He has the confidence to put it out there and truly mean it by saying that he’s not going to shoot. He’s going to stand there, go toe to toe, and try to beat Pereira at his own game.”

Rountree is currently enjoying the success of a five-fight win streak. The 34-year-old was initially slated to face former champion Jamahal Hill at UFC 303, but Rountree had to withdraw after receiving a 4.5-month suspension for testing positive for a steroid hormone. Fortunately for “The War Horse”, the suspension ended on September 18, clearing the path for his return.

Continue Reading Former UFC Champion Touts Khalil Rountree To Beat Alex Pereira ‘At His Own Game’ at MMA News.

‘Pereira Shoots On Khalil’ – Rountree’s Coach Makes Bold Prediction Ahead Of UFC 307 Title Fight

With UFC 306 done and dusted, fans look forward to witnessing the return of Alex Pereira. The UFC light heavyweight kingpin bagged the title in November 2023 and has already defended it twice against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 and Ji?í Procházka at UFC 303. Although the consensus was that Magomed Ankalaev should be next […]

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With UFC 306 done and dusted, fans look forward to witnessing the return of Alex Pereira. The UFC light heavyweight kingpin bagged the title in November 2023 and has already defended it twice against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 and Ji?í Procházka at UFC 303.

Although the consensus was that Magomed Ankalaev should be next in line for the light heavyweight belt, the UFC has handed Khalil Rountree a shot at “Poatan”. Ankalaev, on the other hand, will look to solidify his claim to the title by beating Aleksandar Raki? at UFC 308.

Rountree and Pereira are known for their striking prowess, but the former’s coach believes that the champion may resort to wrestling at UFC 307…

Khalil Rountree’s Coach Explains Why Alex Pereira Is More Likely To Shoot For A Takedown At UFC 307

John Wood, Syndicate MMA’s head coach, recently discussed Rountree’s title fight on the official ESPN MMA YouTube channel. Like “The War Horse”, he admitted that shooting takedowns is not part of their strategy.

Wood agreed with interviewer Brett Okamoto that the UFC 307 main event will most likely be a stand-up battle, with both fighters focusing on landing knockout blows rather than combinations. However, he also revealed his gut feeling that Pereira will shoot a takedown on Rountree.

“In a nutshell, yes. I believe, honestly, my gut, I think Pereira shoots on Khalil. I think he’s the one that breaks game first and shoots on Khalil to try to get that takedown. Um, because that’s actually something he’s done. I mean we ain’t shooting over here I can tell you that.”

While Rountree has yet to shoot for a takedown in his entire UFC career, Pereira once relied on wrestling when he took down Israel Adesanya at UFC 281. Based on this, Wood predicts that “Poatan” might try to take Rountree down if he feels threatened on the feet.

Another point that the coach emphasized is that the fight is unlikely to last five rounds. The light heavyweights possess dangerous knockout power and only need one shot to end the bout.

It is worth noting that Wood also coaches Merab Dvalishvili who just won the UFC bantamweight title against Sean O’Malley at UFC 306. The Syndicate MMA team must be high on confidence which could benefit Rountree before arguably the biggest fight of his career.

Continue Reading ‘Pereira Shoots On Khalil’ – Rountree’s Coach Makes Bold Prediction Ahead Of UFC 307 Title Fight at MMA News.

Former Champ Cautions Alex Pereira: Don’t Overlook ‘Kickboxer Killer’ Khalil Rountree

Michael Bisping recently warned Alex Pereira, urging him not to underestimate the formidable threat that Khalil Rountree brings to their upcoming clash. “Poatan” is preparing for his third light heavyweight title defense in 2024, as he is set to square off against Rountree in the main event of UFC 307, scheduled for October 5 at […]

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Michael Bisping recently warned Alex Pereira, urging him not to underestimate the formidable threat that Khalil Rountree brings to their upcoming clash.

“Poatan” is preparing for his third light heavyweight title defense in 2024, as he is set to square off against Rountree in the main event of UFC 307, scheduled for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Pereira has been an indomitable force since storming into the 205-pound division, kicking things off with a decisive win over Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291. His meteoric rise continued as he claimed the vacant light heavyweight title with a dominant victory over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295.

From there, the Brazilian striking phenom wasted no time solidifying his reign, successfully defending his belt twice in just two months. His most recent triumph came with a second-round knockout of Prochazka in their rematch at UFC 303.

As for Rountree, many have raised concerns about the fight, citing “The War Horse’s” suspension for the consumption of the banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is set to end on September 18. Meanwhile, others contend that Magomed Ankalaev would have been a more deserving challenger for Pereira’s title.

However, “The Count” believes that Rountree possesses the complete arsenal needed to threaten Pereira’s striking-centric style…

Bisping Uncertain About Pereira’s Chances Facing Rountree

In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Bisping weighed in on ‘Poatan’s’ callout of UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis. The UFC Hall of Famer was quick to point out that Pereira has a more immediate challenge looming in the form of Rountree, one he can’t afford to overlook.

“He’s the light heavyweight champion of the world,” Bisping said. “Being the light heavyweight champion comes with some responsibility. Now, as I said, first and foremost, number one, he’s got people to fight already—he’s fighting Khalil Rountree. You cannot look past killer Khalil. He’s the kickboxer killer, he really is. Think about this: he beat Gokhan Saki, a very good kickboxer who transitioned to MMA, and Dustin Jacoby, another excellent Glory kickboxer who moved to MMA. Could he do the same to Alex Pereira? I don’t know—it’s a tough ask.

Widely regarded as one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA, Pereira’s legacy as a two-division Glory Kickboxing champion strikes fear into opponents. While conventional wisdom suggests that wrestling is the blueprint to topple him, Rountree sees things differently.

Though Rountree doesn’t dispute the wrestling strategy, he’s made it clear that he wants to keep the fight standing and deliver a striking masterclass.

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‘I’m Not A Wrestler!’ – Khalil Rountree Has No Plans To Shoot His First UFC Takedown Against Alex Pereira

Khalil Rountree is riding an impressive five-fight win streak in the UFC, earning him a title shot against the light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira. Four of these wins came via knockout; from the looks of it, he aims to win at UFC 307 similarly. Interestingly, Rountree has never attempted a takedown in his UFC career, […]

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Khalil Rountree is riding an impressive five-fight win streak in the UFC, earning him a title shot against the light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira. Four of these wins came via knockout; from the looks of it, he aims to win at UFC 307 similarly.

Interestingly, Rountree has never attempted a takedown in his UFC career, which began as early as 2016. He’s trained in Thailand to hone his skills in Muay Thai which unsurprisingly is his favorite mixed martial art.

“The War Horse” has frequently showcased explosive striking and fans are naturally curious to see how it will fare against “Poatan”. Here’s how the light heavyweight championship contender plans to get it done at UFC 307 without amending his fighting style…

Khalil Rountree Explains Why He Won’t Grapple Against Alex Pereira At UFC 307

Rountree discussed his next fight on the Believe You Me podcast hosted by Michael Bisping, recently. Despite Israel Adesanya having success on the ground against “Poatan”, the contender will rely on his striking to get the victory.

Rountree stated that he’s achieved everything in his MMA career through his striking prowess. As a result, he doesn’t want to change his core fighting style ahead of arguably the most important fight of his career.

“It doesn’t make sense. I’m not a wrestler! Like, yes, I’m a mixed martial artist, I’m able to do a lot of, you know, different things. My grappling’s good, you know, my wrestling’s decent. But that’s just not me. It’s not my instinct, you know. And, so like, why would I put myself in harm’s way to try to secure this victory when that’s just not me!”

When asked how he would react if his coaches suggested him to wrestle Pereira, here’s what Rountree had to say:

“If my coach were telling me, hey, this is the way, I’ll be like, man, then, like, who are you coaching? Because, this has never been the game plan. Why at the height of my career would we switch everything we’ve ever done, you know what I Mean, to try to like secure a victory? Like where’s your belief in what I do?”

Rountree further discussed what went wrong when Pereira’s former opponents like Ji?í Procházka and Jan B?achowicz stepped into the Octagon. He believes that the UFC light heavyweight champion simply had an answer for all their tactics, and one can’t blame the strategies used by these former light heavyweight contenders.

All in all, fans can look forward to a classic striking match between Rountree, a Muay Thai expert, and Pereira, a heavily accomplished kickboxer, at UFC 307.

Continue Reading ‘I’m Not A Wrestler!’ – Khalil Rountree Has No Plans To Shoot His First UFC Takedown Against Alex Pereira at MMA News.

Khalil Rountree Responds To Critics Of Title Fight Against Alex Pereira: ‘Couldn’t Even Call Them True Fans If You’re Not Happy’

Khalil Rountree recently clapped back at critics who questioned his title shot against reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. Last week, UFC CEO Dana White made waves by announcing that Rountree will challenge Pereira in the headline bout of UFC 307, set for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. […]

Continue Reading Khalil Rountree Responds To Critics Of Title Fight Against Alex Pereira: ‘Couldn’t Even Call Them True Fans If You’re Not Happy’ at MMA News.

Khalil Rountree recently clapped back at critics who questioned his title shot against reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

Last week, UFC CEO Dana White made waves by announcing that Rountree will challenge Pereira in the headline bout of UFC 307, set for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The fight announcement raised eyebrows, as “The War Horse” is still serving a suspension for the inadvertent use of the banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which was found in one of the supplements he was using while preparing for his scheduled bout against Jamahal Hill at UFC 303 this past June.

Rountree is still under suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission, which extended his two-month temporary ban during a hearing last month. With the 34-year-old Californian now slated to fight in October, it’s likely he has already reached a settlement with the commission, though the official announcement is expected at a later date.

However, many from the MMA community, including fellow fighters, have voiced disapproval of the upcoming fight, citing Rountree’s suspension and questioning his place in the UFC light heavyweight rankings. Yet, “The War Horse” remains undeterred by the critics…

Rountree Admits Title Fight Opportunity Was Unexpected

During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Rountree opened up about the announcement of his title fight against Pereira. The seasoned light heavyweight contender revealed that he received an unexpected call from UFC CBO Hunter Campbell, who offered him the chance to face “Poatan” in October.

“I got a call from Hunter,” Rountree said. “I was having a bad day that day, dealing with some other stuff, and he was like, ‘Hey, I’ll make your day better; we’ve got this opportunity for you to fight Alex in October.’ It kind of came by surprise, but of course, I’m going to accept.”

“The War Horse” also responded to the naysayers who have been downplaying his title shot, acknowledging that it’s out of his hands but making it clear that he’s not letting the negativity distract him from his goal.

“I understand that people are upset. Whatever. It’s not my problem, for one. It’s not my problem. It’s out of my control. They give me the call, I take it. Let them deal with their own problems. Let them talk to the UFC. Whatever fans are not happy about this, I don’t know why. I couldn’t even call them true fans if you’re not happy about this matchup. But for everybody else, they’re absolutely right. It’s going to be exciting from start to finish, and I’m hyped.”

Rountree is currently on a five-fight win streak, with four of those victories coming by knockout. His most recent triumph was a decisive win over former title challenger Anthony Smith in December 2023. He boasts a UFC record of 9-5 with one no-contest.

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