Khalil Rountree recently clapped back at critics who questioned his title shot against reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
Last week, UFC CEO Dana White made waves by announcing that Rountree will challenge Pereira in the headline bout of UFC 307, set for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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The fight announcement raised eyebrows, as "The War Horse" is still serving a suspension for the inadvertent use of the banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which was found in one of the supplements he was using while preparing for his scheduled bout against Jamahal Hill at UFC 303 this past June.
Rountree is still under suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission, which extended his two-month temporary ban during a hearing last month. With the 34-year-old Californian now slated to fight in October, it's likely he has already reached a settlement with the commission, though the official announcement is expected at a later date.
However, many from the MMA community, including fellow fighters, have voiced disapproval of the upcoming fight, citing Rountree’s suspension and questioning his place in the UFC light heavyweight rankings. Yet, "The War Horse" remains undeterred by the critics…
Rountree Admits Title Fight Opportunity Was Unexpected
During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Rountree opened up about the announcement of his title fight against Pereira. The seasoned light heavyweight contender revealed that he received an unexpected call from UFC CBO Hunter Campbell, who offered him the chance to face "Poatan" in October.
I got a call from Hunter,” 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.
"The War Horse" also responded to the naysayers who have been downplaying his title shot, acknowledging that it's out of his hands but making it clear that he's not letting the negativity distract him from his goal.
I understand that people are upset. Whatever. It’s not my problem, for one. It’s not my problem. It’s out of my control. They give me the call, 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.
Rountree is currently on a five-fight win streak, with four of those victories coming by knockout. His most recent triumph was a decisive win over former title challenger Anthony Smith in December 2023. He boasts a UFC record of 9-5 with one no-contest.