Khalil
Rountree learned some valuable lessons from his championship
opportunity last October.
The Tiger Muay Thai representative received a surprise title shot
at UFC 307,
where he enjoyed some moments of success before falling to then
champion Alex
Pereira via fourth-round technical knockout in Salt Lake City.
That snapped a five-bout winning streak for Rountree, but he
believes the experience helped him understand where he needed to
grow in his fighting career.
„I think one of the most important things after the Alex fight, for
me, was to continue to progress,“ Rountree said in a video on his
YouTube channel. „So, after even talking to my wife and breaking
down the video, thinking what could I have done better? Even though
I put in a really good camp and I did my best in that camp, but I
always try to think there’s always room for improvement, no matter
what.
„And so, a few of the things, I felt like I could have improved in
my strength. I think I could have had an extra ear in my corner to
let me know moments when my opponent was hurt that I could have
capitalized on. And I think just a little bit more support. So,
right after the fight, that’s immediately what I went after.”
While Rountree has long been known for his striking, he realized he
needed to bolster his ground skills. He has done so by working with
coach Bernardo Tavolaro and multi-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu and ADCC
champion Marcus
Almeida.
„Another thing that I wanted to improve on was my grappling,“
Rountree Jr. said. „As I climb the ranks and get closer to becoming
the champion, knowing that there’s going to be guys coming after me
to get the belt, I want to be a well-rounded fighter – and I want
to be the best version of myself that I can be, in all areas.”
Rountree exited his encounter with Pereira — where he buckled the
Brazilian with a counter right in Round 2 — with confidence that he
has what it takes to reach the top of the
UFC’s light heavyweight division.
“My goal is to the be the UFC champion at light heavyweight very
soon. I really plan to have one fight — but if it takes two to get
there, then so be it,” Rountree said. “My plan is to just show up
and be the best version of myself. Putting in these hard hours
every day at the level I’m training at, I think the title is
inevitable. Even if it’s a challenge, I’m prepared for that
challenge. I’m not done climbing the mountain. After the Alex
fight, that just showed me what I’m capable of. It didn’t show me
that I didn’t belong, it showed me that I do belong there. And I’ll
fight hard to get it.”
Rountree will return to action for the first time since that bout
when he meets Jamahal
Hill in the UFC Baku main event in Azerbaijan on June 21. It’s
a matchup that he believes will keep him in contention at 205
pounds.
“I think that beating a former champion like Jamahal
Hill puts me back into the conversation and keeps me in the
conversation, especially after my last fight,” he said. “Since it’s
been so long, maybe people have forgotten. I think going against a
former champ next is a great time for me to prove what I’m capable
of again. A victory over him I believe should put me in title
contention talk very soon.
“I think it’s a great matchup. He’s a heavy hitter. He’s got
explosive power, but no one has more explosive power than I do. I
plan to bring it all that night.”