UFC Baku headliner Khalil Rountree Jr. changed the trajectory of his life and career while spending four months in Thailand.
UFC light heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr. was in a peculiar spot in his fighting career after a devastating knockout loss to Johnny Walker in November 2018. Walker knocked out Rountree with an elbow strike that snapped the latter’s four-fight unbeaten streak.
After the knockout defeat to Walker, Rountree knew he needed to make significant changes in his approach to fighting and his overall growth. Defensive responsibility was a key theme of Rountree’s fight camp for UFC 236, as he took on former college football standout Eryk Anders.
Rountree was always an electric striker with one-punch knockout power, but needed to make a significant change to compete with some of the light heavyweight division’s elite contenders. Four months in Thailand learning the ins and outs of Muay Thai striking was exactly what Rountree desired.
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Khalil Rountree Jr. returned from Thailand with beautiful display of Muay Thai striking
When Rountree and Anders met at UFC 236, Rountree looked like he took a 180-degree turn in his standup approach. Showcasing a prototypical Muay Thai stance, to go along with impressive technique, Rountree battered Anders with nasty leg kicks that left his opponent limping out of the Octagon.
Rountree dropped Anders twice in the final minutes to solidify a unanimous decision victory. While Rountree didn’t get the finish, he was one of the biggest talking points after UFC 236 for his career-best performance.
Joe Rogan, a longtime UFC commentator and avid Mixed Martial Arts fan, was left in awe by Rountree’s precision in the Octagon. Throughout Rountree’s win, Rogan expressed giddiness in watching the light heavyweight’s destruction of Anders, as you can watch/hear below.
Khalil Rountree Jr. returns for the first time since Alex Pereira loss
Rountree will return to the Octagon this Saturday at UFC Baku against former UFC champion Jamahal Hill in a main event booking that promises fireworks. This will mark Rountree’s return to the cage for the first time since a title loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 307 in October.
Since the Anders fight, Rountree hasn’t slowed down in his UFC career, winning five of his last eight fights overall. He amassed five consecutive wins before the Pereira fight, including knockouts of Anthony Smith and Chris Daukaus.
In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, heavyweight Muay Thai champion Lyndon Knowles said Rountree should pursue a career in Muay Thai kickboxing once his MMA career concludes. It was a massive endorsement from one of the most dangerous strikers in Muay Thai today.