Khalil Rountree stepped into the Octagon at UFC 307 with high hopes. The light heavyweight contender faced off against the formidable champion Alex Pereira. Little did he know, he would leave with more than just a loss on his record. The ‘War Horse’ started strong, landing some heavy shots on the Brazilian champ. But ‘Poatan’ weathered the storm and turned the tables as his devastating striking prowess came to the forefront as the fight progressed.
Now, weeks after the bout, Rountree has opened up about the aftermath. And it is not for the faint of heart! The fighter revealed he underwent surgery to repair his septum. Apparently, Pereira’s punches had twisted it into a “C” shape. He further revealed cuts and bruises on his face that he got in the fight.
“Did some damage to my nose. So I had my septum replaced because it was crooked like a letter ‘C’ and I couldn’t breathe… Yeah, people mentioned that maybe the calf kicks were damaging me. I’ve dealt with calf kicks before, and my leg is totally fine. Everything was just like the cuts on the nose. The nose was the worst thing,” said Rountree via MMA Junkie.
Interestingly, Khalil Rountree downplayed the impact of Pereira’s infamous calf kicks. He claimed his legs were fine, no swelling or bruising. The nose, however, was a different story. Despite the gruesome injury, Rountree’s spirits remain high.
Khalil Rountree’s experience at UFC 307 highlights the brutal reality of MMA. These warriors step into the cage, knowing they might leave with more than just bruised egos. It takes a special kind of person to willingly sign up for that kind of potential damage.
Dana White Vows To Fix The Ranking System After UFC 307 Fiasco
UFC CEO Dana White is at it again. Known for his fiery temper and no-holds-barred approach, his latest outburst targets the UFC ranking system. This came in the aftermath of UFC 307’s light heavyweight title bout between Pereira and Rountree.
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Khalil Rountree, the underdog, put up one heck of a fight against Pereira. Despite losing by TKO in the fourth round, Rountree’s performance was nothing short of impressive. Fans and even Dana White thought such a gutsy showing would bump him up in the rankings.But, he remained stuck at number eight. This didn’t sit well with the UFC boss.
“The morons strike again. Khalil Rountree fights that bada** fight against [Alex] Pereira, and the morons keep him at number eight. Literally this week, I have a meeting to try to fix the rankings and get all of these no-nothing, do-nothing motherf***ers out of it.” said White via IG.
This isn’t White’s first rodeo with ranking controversies. He has been vocal about other ranking decisions, too. White’s been beating that drum for a while now. It’s worth noting that these rankings aren’t just numbers on a board. They impact fighters’ careers, negotiating power, and matchmaking opportunities.
Also Read: Khalil Rountree Chases 2025 Q1 Comeback Against Former Light Heavyweight Champion After UFC 307
