Khalil Rountree doesn’t believe newly crowned UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Magomed Ankalaev came up against the same beast that he did inside the Octagon.
Ankalaev got the better of Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 313 last month, ending the Brazilian’s reign on the 205-pound throne in the process.
While “Poatan” had successfully pushed through three challenges, including opposite Rountree last October, he fell at the hurdle that had long been tipped to be his tallest in the division given Ankalaev’s well-rounded arsenal and wrestling prowess.
During a recent interview with MMA Today, though, Rountree somewhat put the result down to an off night for Pereira, whom “The War Horse” suggested was way off the level of performance he displayed to retain the belt in Salt Lake City five months prior.
“It was hard for me to watch that fight and score it,” Rountree said. “The Alex that walked out that night was a different Alex than the one that fought me. My experience was watching that fight in frustration.
“I was kind of confused because I was expecting the same guy that came and fought me to go there and do the same thing. I wanted to see what that experience was like from the outside,” Rountree added.
