Khalil Rountree didn’t depart Salt Lake Metropolis with the UFC mild heavyweight title this previous October following his brutal battle with Alex Pereira, however he believes he left the octagon with an entire lot of various accomplishments.
“First time in my life, I might have by no means imagined that that consequence of a loss — it was nice,” Rountree informed MMA Preventing. “I didn’t come house with the belt, however I got here house with simply numerous followers and and respect from followers around the globe, and that, to me, it meant lots and it means lots.
“Even to this present day, it’s very stunning the quantity of followers around the globe that have been touched by that battle. So it’s good. It’s excellent.”
Rountree is now set for his first battle of 2025 when he faces former champ Jamahal Hill in the principle occasion of UFC Baku. After competing in his first massive primary occasion battle, and dealing with a man like Pereira who had captivated the minds and imaginations of so many followers — each outdated and new — Rountree knew that when one other probability to headline for the UFC got here round, he can be doubly ready.
“Yeah, a number of ethical victories,” Rountree stated. “I feel that it allowed me to expertise the five-round battle for a title towards a man like Alex. So expertise was actually the the principle takeaway in that battle. What an unimaginable expertise and I realized from it and and simply realized like, ‘OK, I received there, fell a little bit bit brief.’
“I do know what it appears like, and it simply motivated me to simply proceed to work onerous.”
Rountree had loads of up and down moments within the battle with Pereira however confirmed super grit and dedication all through.
Within the fourth spherical, the tide turned within the favor of “Poatan” for good, delivering an ungodly beating on Rountree that busted up the challenger’s face to the purpose the place he was practically unrecognizable. Regardless of taking so many massive pictures, Rountree stored coming, stored taking punishment, and when he had any opening, tried to ship it again.
As he prepares to face one other knockout artist in Hill, Rountree now realizes how far he can take issues if hazard presents itself.
“I feel that I proved to myself how far I used to be keen to go,” Rountree defined. “Earlier than it was over, had he not put me down with that shot, I might have simply stored going. My whole face would have in all probability been much more mangled than it was. I wasn’t going to surrender and, clearly, it damage after emotionally and bodily, however I rose up from it as a result of I went by means of the fireplace. I feel going by means of the fireplace actually builds character, particularly when, when you realize that… I knew that I gave my greatest and I knew that [there was] not one second in that battle was I ever discouraged or wished to stop.
“It simply helped me sort of have some pleasure and identical to this power. I received this rock of gold, and I used to be like, ‘Oh, OK, cool, I can retailer that and I can maintain on to that for myself.’ [That’s for] nobody else however myself.”
