UFC light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree is still sporting the wounds of what a war with champion Alex Pereira will bring.
Rountree had his first title opportunity on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage early last month in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he headlined the UFC 307 pay-per-view in competition for Pereira’s 205-pound strap.
While his shot came as a surprise to many given his position in the rankings, “The War Horse” rode a wave of confidence into the chance for glory owing to a destructive five-fight win streak.
And against the odds and expectations of many, the challenger got off to a strong start and was on track to extending that run with the addition of some gold.
But Rountree’s early lead was quickly pulled back in the third frame as “Poatan” began to find a home for his strikes. In the fourth, the show was closed by a brutal onslaught from the Brazilian that left his American opponent bloodied and bruised.
Rountree wasn’t short on gruesome battle scars in the aftermath, with the worst injury being a severely deviated septum that required a painful procedure to fix.
And almost exactly a month on from his setback in the “Beehive State,” the 34-year-old has provided the latest update on his condition, posting an image on Instagram of the scars that remain on his nose and around his eyes.
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While he ultimately did not leave the Octagon with the light heavyweight title wrapped around his waist, it certainly seemed that Rountree boosted his stock among the MMA masses with a valiant display at the Delta Center.
He’ll look to build on that with a return to winning ways in his return. Pereira, meanwhile, appears likely to meet the challenge of Magomed Ankalaev in his fourth defense of the 205-pound championship next year.
