Khalil Rountree Jr. Gains Lessons in UFC 307 Loss

Khalil Rountree Jr. may not have captured the light heavyweight title at UFC 307, but he walked away with invaluable insights from his hard-fought battle. Facing off against Alex Pereira, one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, Rountree showcased tremendous heart and determination, despite coming up short.

“I didn’t win the title but I grew last night,” Rountree shared on Instagram following the bout. “Alex Pereira, thanks for helping me see that I’m ready to take on the world. You showed amazing skill, you brought out a version of me that I needed to experience. You’re the champ for a reason, much respect. But I now know what I am capable of.”

 

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Rountree’s reflection didn’t end with his personal growth. He extended his admiration to Pereira’s home country, acknowledging Brazil’s pride in its champion. “Brazil, you guys have a strong champion, be proud,” he added. “I will take time to heal from this, I’ll be back even better, it’s inevitable. I’m grateful. Never give up on yourself, always fight hard, uplift your communities, and find ways to make the most out of life.”

While Rountree didn’t walk away with the belt, his performance has only elevated his profile. Fans and analysts alike believe this fight, though a loss, could be a stepping stone toward future big opportunities for the Las Vegas native. With his resilient mindset and ever-improving skillset, it’s likely Rountree will return to the octagon stronger and more prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.

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The announcement that Alex Pereira will defend his light heavyweight title against Khalil Rountree at UFC 307 raised some eyebrows, as many believed Magomed Ankalaev was the rightful No. 1 contender.

Ankalaev, currently riding an impressive 12-fight unbeaten streak, was instead matched against Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308. Despite the disappointment, Ankalaev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, remains optimistic that a title shot is just one win away.

“Listen, I’m happy for Khalil,” Abdelaziz told MMA Fighting. “It’s funny how Magomed Ankalaev is now rooting for Alex Pereira. At the end of the day, it’s the UFC’s decision. It wasn’t my decision or Ankalaev’s. But I’ve been assured that if Ankalaev wins, he’ll get the next shot at the title.”

Abdelaziz dismissed any notions that Pereira was avoiding a fight with Ankalaev, attributing the decision to the UFC’s matchmaking. He emphasized the respect he has for Pereira, acknowledging the Brazilian as a tough opponent but also highlighting that Ankalaev presents one of the most challenging fights for the current champion.

“I don’t think Alex is ducking him,” Abdelaziz said. “It’s just the UFC’s choice. Pereira knows that Ankalaev is his hardest fight. But if we beat Rakic and Pereira beats Rountree, the two best light heavyweights in the world will fight.”

Pereira, who has expressed interest in possibly returning to middleweight or testing himself at heavyweight, put those speculations to rest during the UFC 307 media day.

He affirmed his focus on the light heavyweight division, stating his intention to defend his title. “It takes planned work to change weight classes,” Pereira explained, “but this division is perfect for me right now.”

This news was music to Ankalaev’s ears, as it reaffirmed his path to a title shot. Abdelaziz, who has had conversations with UFC officials, is confident that Ankalaev’s performance against Rakic will secure the long-awaited opportunity.

The UFC’s decision to pair Pereira with Rountree instead of Ankalaev has sparked discussions, with some speculating that Ankalaev’s fighting style may have played a role. Pereira himself suggested that Ankalaev’s perceived “boring style” might have cost him the immediate title shot.

However, Ankalaev and his team counter that narrative, pointing to his six knockouts in the UFC—matching Pereira’s knockout tally—as evidence that he is just as exciting.

“Nobody can say Ankalaev is boring,” Abdelaziz argued. “He has six knockouts, just like Pereira. He’s fought everyone, and there’s no hard feelings. We’ll just keep moving forward.”

With UFC 307 on the horizon, all eyes will be on Pereira and Rountree, but Ankalaev remains firmly in the title picture. Should he emerge victorious at UFC 308, a clash between the two top light heavyweights could be the next marquee matchup.

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UFC Bantamweight fighter Umar Nurmagomedov is not holding back in his ongoing heated feud with the current champion, Merab Dvalishvili. The feud began when Nurmagomedov accused “The Machine” of avoiding a clash with him. This didn’t sit well with Merab and he called Nurmagomedov a liar. He even asked to show the contract that UFC has allegedly sent him. 

The Machine slammed Umar on X 

Dvalishvili also took X and claimed that he accepted the fight against the Russian despite suffering from a hand injury. 

“Umar now not only are you disrespectful, you are a liar. If the UFC offered you to fight me two times, show the fans the contract and the dates,” wrote Dvalishvili. “The Machine” stated that he defeated Petr Yan with a broken hand in six weeks and verbally accepted the fight even though he was the number 1 contender and Umar was ranked 13. However, the doctor said no and asked him to have surgery. 

“So let’s see the second offered contract?!!! So if the UFC is gifting you the title defense- wtf are you talking trash and with disrespect? I’m done with you now because you keep lying–you lost my respect as a man and as a martial artist. I will wait to hear from the UFC,” Dvalishvili wrote further. 

Nurmagomedov responded back to Dvalishvili 

“Young Eagle” countered back and even casted doubts on Dvalishvili’s hand injury. Nurmagomedov claimed that it didn’t bother him when he was ready to fight Cory Sandhagen.  

“Is that the same injury you were prepared to fight Cory with? I am just basing this on the manager’s words. Since prehistoric times no one cares about the respect of cowards,” wrote Nurmagomedov. 

Also Read: UFC fighter Colby Covington seen enjoying football game with Donald Trump

On September 14, 2024, Merab Dvalishvili defeated Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 to win the Bantamweight title and also extended his undefeated streak to 15. He also called out Suga for a rematch despite many contenders waiting in line, which led to many thinking that “The Machine” is turning down worthy opponents. Among those contenders is Umar Nurmagomedov, who stated that Merab is avoiding a clash with him because he knows what will be the outcome of the match. Nurmagomedov is undefeated in his professional MMA career with a record of 18-0-0. He is unofficially confirmed for a title shot against the Georgian fighter. 

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UFC Welterweight fighter Colby Covington recently got the company of former US President Donald Trump during a football game. After a presidential rally in Wisconsin, Trump appeared at the Bryant-Denny Stadium at the University of Alabama to watch the Alabama Crimson Tide facing off the Georgia Bulldogs. 

On Trump’s arrival, he got a great cheer of support from the audience. However, he was not alone. Along with Covington, who is one of the notable supporters of Donald Trump, American Music Kid Rock was also present, and all three were enjoying the game from the secure box. 

Covington has a good relationship with Trump 

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The game ended in the favor of the Alabama Crimson Tide, as they got the win by 41-34 points over the Georgia Bulldogs. “Chaos” is one of the most vocal supporters of the former US President, that he even adopted Trump as a major aspect of his gimmick, which he has used to become a trash talker. After winning the interim UFC Welterweight Championship by defeating Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 225, Covington took his belt to the White House. 

He presented his newly won title to Donald Trump and also took a photo with the then president. Covington’s loyalty for Trump has remained constant since then, so much that he even used it as an excuse after his defeat to Leon Edwards at UFC 296, saying the judges don’t want to crown a Trump supporter as UFC champion. 

The two also played Golf together 

Colby Covington and Donald Trump share a good relationship, with the UFC fighter having great admiration for the former US president. The two have also been often seen playing golf together, once after Covington’s interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. “Chaos” captured this moment by snapping a picture of himself standing next to Trump, with both men dressed in golfing clothes.  

Also Read: Kamaru Usman compares UFC Champion Jon Jones with NBA legend Michael Jordan

If we talk about Covington’s UFC career, his last appearance in the Octagon was on December 16, 2023, at UFC 296, where he faced Leon Edwards for the UFC Welterweight Championship and lost the match via unanimous decision. Since then he has been on a break and there is no update on his UFC return for now. 

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Conor McGregor has issued a challenge to UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, urging UFC president Dana White to schedule a world title fight between the two. McGregor, 36, hasn’t fought since his devastating leg injury at UFC 264 three years ago, when he faced Dustin Poirier.

The Irish fighter was on track to make his return earlier this year, with a bout against Michael Chandler set for UFC 303 in June. However, McGregor was forced to pull out after breaking his left pinky toe in a final sparring session. The injury even led to him going up a shoe size, but McGregor insists he’s still ready to compete.

Now, with Chandler preparing to fight Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 in November, McGregor is left without an opponent. 

In a recent interview with SunSport, McGregor called out Muhammad and proposed a fight for the welterweight title. “I want to fight him. Chandler’s matched, let’s schedule Belal-McGregor, UFC welterweight world title on the line,” McGregor stated.

Despite primarily fighting at lightweight, McGregor has had success at welterweight, where he has secured multiple knockouts. He expressed confidence in his ability to perform at 170 pounds, stating, “I’m a force to be reckoned with at 170.”

Muhammad won the UFC welterweight title after defeating Leon Edwards at UFC 304 in July, but McGregor was dismissive of the champion’s record, calling him “woeful” during a recent appearance on a Duelbits Kick stream.

McGregor added, “I do damage at welterweight, check the stats. I’ve done them at 100 percent accuracy. This man doesn’t even have a knockdown in UFC history.”

As of now, there is no official response from Muhammad or the UFC regarding McGregor’s challenge, but the Irishman’s callout has certainly raised the stakes in the welterweight division. Fans will be eager to see if a McGregor-Muhammad bout could take place, potentially marking the Irishman’s return to the octagon after a prolonged absence.

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The former UFC Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman recently expressed his praise for Jon Jones and compared him to the NBA legend. He recently sat down with Daniel Cormier on the Pound4Pound show, and while talking about the number of topics, Usman called Jon Jones the Michael Jordan of MMA. This was such a huge compliment that Cormier could not keep up with the comparison. Over the past few years, “Bones” has been facing mixed reactions from the MMA community. He has been the undisputed heavyweight champion for some time, but on the other hand, he hasn’t been too good for the champion. 

UFC President also believes Jones is the GOAT 

Jones has often been involved in failed drug tests. One of these incidents involved a match against Daniel Cormier, which led to a defeat overturned in favor of DC. Thus, Cormier’s reluctance to consider Jones as the greatest is understandable. Talking about Jones’ praise, he has received a lot of it even UFC CEO Dana White believes that Jones is the GOAT. While White has stated this several times, fans also continue to criticize the UFC president for his fanboying towards “Bones.” 

When White was asked why he thinks so, he stated that he did not consider all the outside noise Jones has been a part of. Considering how he has defeated some of the most incredible fighters in the heavyweight division while maintaining consistency. 

Joe Rogan praised Bones as well 

Interestingly, Joe Rogan also praised Jon Jones. Speaking on his podcast, he shared an interesting perspective. Rogan said that although Jones was found to be consuming banned drugs, the amount in his system was so low that he had to give the crown to Jones. Currently, “Bones” is preparing for his match against Stipe Miocic. However, with Interim Champion Tom Aspinall, who is waiting for a long time to face Jones, things have gotten quite complicated. Also, with Jones’ retirement rumors, it now remains to be seen how things will go in the future. 

Also Read: Alex Pereira calls Strickland for special sparring session ahead of next fight

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UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is seeking special help to polish his skills ahead of his next fight. In a span of 3 years, “Poatan” has evolved significantly to emerge as one of the top attractions in the UFC. In such a short time, Pereira has won championship belts in two weight classes. Currently he is enjoying his run as the UFC light heavyweight champion. He is set to face Khalil Rountree Jr. as his next opponent. Although this matchup was a surprise, Pereira is not taking his opponent lightly. 

The two fighters were seen sparring together 

In a recent video uploaded on X by Championship Rounds, the Brazilian was seen sparring with Sean Strickland. “Tarzan” is a former UFC Middleweight champion and is known for his striking ability. In the video, both fighters were seen exchanging light punches and kicks before getting into the real fight. 

Strickland, who is seeking a rematch for the UFC middleweight title against Dricus Du Plessis, also posted a photo of training with Pereira on Instagram and wrote, “@cesinha_almeida and @alexpoatanpereira ready for wars… Let’s go Dutch man.. we’re waiting for him to say when… it’s time Dutchman”

Poatan is set to fight for the third time this year 

The announcement of the bout between Rountree Jr. and Pereira has surprised the UFC fraternity. Initially, Pereira was supposed to face Magomed Ankalaev, who has been creating a stir with his grappling skills. Surprisingly, Ankalaev was matched up with Aleksandar Rakic, while Pereira got “The War House” as his opponent. Talking about the matchup, Pereira said that despite being surprised himself, he got an idea why Dana White chose Rountree Jr. 

Khalil Rountree Jr. is a great striker just like “Poatan.” So, when the two face off, the audience will get to see a tough fight from each other. Now, while Pereira seems quite happy to face “The War House,” Ankalaev also seems unconcerned. The Russian fighter said that if he is still the champion, he will win against Rakic and then focus on Pereira. 

Also Read: Michael Chandler reacts to his comeback fight against Charles Oliveira

The Brazilian has already fought twice this year. Facing Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka, Pereira defeated both of them with relative ease. Thus, coming in for his third fight of the year, Pereira will look to win the match and cement his legacy as one of the greatest champions in UFC history. 

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Michael Chandler is finally happy after his upcoming fight is announced. His last fight in the UFC Octagon was in 2022, where he suffered a submission defeat to Dustin Poirier. Since then, it has been a long wait for Chandler. The former Bellator champion was scheduled to face Conor McGregor in the season finale of TUF 31, but the Irishman failed to join the USADA testing pool in time, thus, the fight was canceled. 

White’s announcement has changed the whole dynamic 

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Recently, Conor McGregor also withdrew from the main event fight of UFC 303, which enraged the fans. MMA fans also taunted Chandler by saying that he is being played by Dana White and McGregor. However, everything changed when Dana White announced the fight between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler. This announcement changed the whole dynamic, as this match is for the lightweight title contender. 

In a recently uploaded video on X, Michael Chandler was seen smiling while his match with “Do Bronx” was being announced in the background. Chandler and Oliveira have already come face to face once in the past. The two clashed at UFC 262, where Oliveira scored a knockout victory. The match back then was also a title fight. Now while “Iron” is on cloud nine, his moving on from the McGregor bout is a bad sign for “The Notorious.” The Irishman currently has no opponent or return date to the UFC. 

McGregor’s UFC return remains uncertain 

While it is expected that the “Mystic Mac” will return to complete the remaining two matches in his UFC contract, it is unknown when that will happen. McGregor has been facing criticism from several top UFC fighters. Speaking on this matter, the current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev said that McGregor returning to the UFC is nothing short of a fantasy. Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria also echoed similar sentiments and said that he would turn down an offer to fight McGregor. Meanwhile, “The Notorious” has reportedly approached Turki Alalshikh for help in finding a match in the UFC. It remains to be seen what happens next. 

Also Read: Ilia Topuria issues stern warning to Max Holloway ahead of their title fight

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UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has given Max Holloway a stern warning ahead of their highly anticipated clash. After stunning everyone with his knockout at UFC 298, the Georgian fighter has taken great pride in his punching power. However, stylistically, both Topuria and Holloway are somewhat similar. Both fighters rely on their striking the most, which has led fans to speculate about a potential dogfight between the two. But “El Matador” has claimed that this will give him an edge against Holloway in the upcoming matchup.  

Topuria’s warning to Holloway 

Recently, in an interview with Marca, Topuria warned Holloway not to get too close to him. “As soon as Max starts to fight me and exchange blows, that’s the end of the fight. Nobody can exchange blows with me because of my power and the technique I apply to each movement,” said Topuria. He further stated that if “Blessed” makes his iconic ‘pointing to the middle’ gesture, the match is over. 

For those who don’t know, Topuria was referring to Holloway’s gesture at UFC 300. When Holloway faced Justin Gaethje, he dominated the entire five rounds of the fight. However, in the final moments of the match, Holloway suddenly pointed to the middle of the ring and asked “The Highlight” to box. Considering the fact that Gaethje is a great boxer, such an invitation could have been suicidal for Holloway. But what followed left the audience stunned. The two exchanged wild punches. Eventually, one of Holloway’s punches hit Gaethje’s chin and he fell to the ground, giving him a brutal knockout. Since then, Holloway’s boxing ability has become a hot topic in the MMA community. 

The matchup will be exciting 

However, Topuria’s art of trash talking took over from the moment the fight between the two came to light. Initially, both fighters accused each other of trying to avoid the matchup. But when the UFC made the fight official, “El Matador” went ahead and said that it was the UFC that had pressured Holloway to agree to the fight. However, disagreeing with this narrative, Dana White said that a fighter of Max Holloway’s caliber doesn’t need to be forced to accept a matchup. Thus, while things are heating up, it remains to be seen how the fight will go on. 

Also Read: Islam Makhachev reveals potential date for his UFC return post surgery

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UFC Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has dismissed any possibility of fighting Sean O’Malley. Initially, Suga called out “El Matador” after the former Bantamweight champion won his fight against Marlon Vera. Citing his desire to move up in weight, O’Malley aspired to become a two-division champion. However, Topuria did not seem interested in the fight and asked Suga to defend his belt against Merab Dvalishvili. 

Topuria claims he is better than Suga 

Unfortunately, his fight against Dvalishvili did not go as expected. Sean O’Malley suffered a huge setback after losing his belt at UFC 306. Reacting to the prospects of a Topuria vs. O’Malley bout, the Georgian fighter spoke to Marca and said, “Some other better fight will come along. It’s the same with Paddy. It seemed like a super attractive fight, but if you are not at the level what can I do? You get defeated even before you get into the Octagon with me. I don’t even need to go in there to tell people that I’m better than you. So why fight?”

Topuria’s claims are not vague. Before the UFC 306 bout, O’Malley was being considered the clear favorite between him and Dvalishivili. But as soon as the bout began, “The Machine” looked totally dominating and he even implied a clever strategy of staying out of Suga’s reach. The moment O’Malley moved to land punches on his opponent, Merab swiftly attacked him with takedowns. During the five-round fight, Dvalishivili landed a total of over 12 takedowns to put an end to O’Malley’s chances of winning. 

El Matador is set to face the BMF champion 

With Sean O’Malley now out of the equation, Illia Topuria will face Max Holloway next. The BMF champion is coming off a dominant KO win against Justin Gaethje, so he is expected to give a tough fight to Topuria. Both Holloway and Topuria have been going back and forth on social media, accusing each other of avoiding the fight. Now that the matchup is official, Topuria will have to be extra careful not to suffer the same fate as Suga. Furthermore, Topuria will also face former champion Alexander Volkanovski next if he is successful in defeating “Blessed.” 

Also Read: Islam Makhachev reveals potential date for his UFC return post surgery

After defeating “The Great,” Topuria was expected to have an immediate rematch with him. However, after suffering two consecutive knockouts, Volkanovski decided to take some time off to rehabilitate himself. Thus, with challenges for both El Matador and Suga, it remains to be seen how things progress in the future. 

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