Khalil Rountree didn’t depart Salt Lake Metropolis with the UFC gentle heavyweight title this previous October following his brutal battle with Alex Pereira, however he believes he left the octagon with a complete lot of various accomplishments.
“First time in my life, I’d have by no means imagined that that end result of a loss — it was nice,” Rountree instructed MMA Preventing. “I didn’t come dwelling with the belt, however I got here dwelling with simply numerous followers and and respect from followers around the globe, and that, to me, it meant loads and it means loads.
“Even to today, it’s very stunning the quantity of followers around the globe that had been touched by that combat. So it’s good. It’s superb.”
Rountree is now set for his first combat of 2025 when he faces former champ Jamahal Hill in the primary occasion of UFC Baku. After competing in his first huge important occasion combat, and going through a man like Pereira who had captivated the minds and imaginations of so many followers — each previous and new — Rountree knew that when one other likelihood to headline for the UFC got here round, he can be doubly ready.
“Yeah, a number of ethical victories,” Rountree mentioned. “I believe that it allowed me to expertise the five-round combat for a title towards a man like Alex. So expertise was actually the the primary takeaway in that combat. What an unimaginable expertise and I discovered from it and and simply realized like, ‘OK, I acquired there, fell just a little bit quick.’
“I do know what it seems like, and it simply motivated me to only proceed to work arduous.”
Rountree had loads of up and down moments within the combat with Pereira however confirmed large 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 huge photographs, 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 believe that I proved to myself how far I used to be prepared to go,” Rountree defined. “Earlier than it was over, had he not put me down with that shot, I’d 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 harm after emotionally and bodily, however I rose up from it as a result of I went by means of the hearth. I believe going by means of the hearth actually builds character, particularly when, when that… I knew that I gave my greatest and I knew that [there was] not one second in that combat was I ever discouraged or needed to give up.
“It simply helped me form of have some delight and identical to this power. I acquired 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.”
