Khalil Rountree Jr. got here up brief at UFC 307, however he didn’t take as a right the lengthy path he took to get there.
In Saturday’s essential occasion at Delta Middle in Salt Lake Metropolis, Rountree went toe-to-toe with mild heavyweight champion Alex Pereira earlier than ultimately succumbing to strikes in Spherical 4. Although Rountree was coated in blood by the top of the bout, he gave the previous kickboxing star a run for his cash within the putting division, and afterwards he informed Joe Rogan that his temper wasn’t dampened by the loss.
“My thought coming into this struggle was simply to be grateful, actually,” Rountree stated in his post-fight interview. “I’ve been doing all this for a very long time and everyone heard my story, however I used to be simply actually excited to return in right here, and I actually simply embraced the second all the way in which up till this second.”
“No, I don’t assume I used to be shocked [by Pereira’s striking] in any respect,” Pereira continued. “I assumed that I used to be going to have the ability to hit him much more, however he did a very good job at evading the punches and counter-striking.”
Earlier than Rountree may end his thought, he needed to blow a bloody stream of snot out to clear his nostril. The grotesque gesture was a becoming exclamation level for probably the most violent fights of 2024.
Rountree, who went from Final Fighter finalist to UFC title challenger over an eight-year stretch, had nothing however love for the gang in Salt Lake Metropolis and vowed to compete in Utah someday sooner or later.
“I’ll always remember this coaching camp my entire life,” Rountree stated. “You guys have been so f*cking superior. I might love to return again anytime, prepare at altitude, struggle right here once more, I really like you guys. I swear to God I’ll be again someday.”