Khalil Rountree Jr. won’t apologize for taking advantage of an opportunity.
UFC CEO Dana White recently announced that Rountree will challenge Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City. The matchup was highly unexpected as Rountree is still under suspension for accidentally ingesting a banned substance. Speaking with MMA Fighting this week, Rountree explained how this all came together.
“I got a call from Hunter [Campbell],” 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. That’s the fight I’ve wanted, it’s the fight I’ve been calling for, and I’m excited, I’m happy, I’m grateful.”
Of course, not everyone is as happy as Rountree. Fans and a number of fighters criticized the matchup given Rountree’s suspension and the fact he’s only No. 8 in the UFC light heavyweight rankings. But Rountree isn’t concerned about the naysayers; he’s focused on the people who support him getting this chance.
“I understand that people are upset. Whatever. It’s not my problem, for one,” Rountree said. “It’s not my problem. It’s out of my control. They give me the call — OK, 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.”
Despite some people’s misgivings, Rountree is currently on a five-fight winning streak, most recently finishing former title challenger Anthony Smith this past December. He also has a unique claim to having already beaten three former GLORY kickboxers in UFC. In that regard, Pereira is like the final boss of GLORY Kickboxing in MMA, a two-division champion who has transitioned seamlessly into UFC. When they meet in the octagon in October, Rountree believes he will add another to the list and make his dreams come true.
“This is what I’ve been working for,” Rountree said. “When I started MMA, everything, my life changed. It all happened kind of by accident, but I stayed strong, I stayed dedicated, and I’ve always had a belief that this was possible. Now I’m finally here and I’m living in this reality that was a dream, so what it means to me is everything. It’s that time I’ve always seen in my mind. Now it’s here.
“I’ve got a message for Alex, and that’s see you in October. Everybody else, nothing. Watch me in October.”
