Since UFC head honcho Dana White announced #8 ranked light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr. as the opponent for division king Alex Pereira in the headline event of the highly anticipated upcoming UFC 307, ‘The War Horse’ has become the main target of his critics. They have repeatedly questioned his eligibility for a title shot despite not being in the top 5 of the division. However, White has remained unaffected by this criticism and continues to stand by his decision to promote Rountree Jr. as the perfect opponent for Pereira, once again echoing this sentiment at the recent DWCS post-fight press conference.

After successfully organizing Season #8 of the Dana White Contender Series, the UFC CEO, as usual, entered the media room after the conclusion of the event. The media seemed more interested in UFC 307, which is just two days away, rather than the DWCS event. One of the reporters asked White, “What do you think a win for Khalil Rountree Jr. would do?” emphasizing the fact that both White and ‘The War Horse’ come from Las Vegas. The reporter continued, “I know Khalil got emotional when speaking about potentially bringing the title back to the city of Las Vegas. What do you think that would do for him?”

To this, White replied, “It’s life-changing for him. I mean, if he wins this fight, it’s literally life-changing. It will completely change his life.” There is no doubt that Khalil Rountree Jr.’s win against Alex Pereira would surely change his life, especially considering the struggles he has faced throughout his UFC journey. The first half of this year did not go well for him; he was knocked out at UFC 303 against Jamahal Hill after mistakenly consuming banned substances. Later, he faced criticism for getting a title shot after coming from a background of PED usage. However, having grown up with challenges, Rountree Jr. remains unfazed by these situations.

Khalil Rountree Jr. looks back at the biggest struggle of his life

At 34 years old, Khalil Rountree Jr. is now a 6.1 ft powerhouse with a physique that rivals that of a supermodel. However, just a few years ago, his situation was entirely different. The ‘The War Horse’ we know today at 205 pounds was once “a 300-pound kid on the brink of suicide.” So, what happened that saved this light heavyweight star? The answer is quite simple: ‘MMA.’

Two years ago, Rountree shed light on his transformation while speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. He stated, “Until one day, my brother was watching MMA. I saw a little bit about what that was and kind of attached to this aggression and anger that it seemed like these guys had, especially after seeing ‘Rampage’ [Quinton Jackson] rip down a door on The Ultimate Fighter. I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s what I want to do.'”

Now, all eyes are on the upcoming UFC 307, where Khalil Rountree Jr. will face Alex Pereira to claim the title and silence the critics who have questioned his worthiness for a title shot. Who are you rooting for, ‘The War Horse’ or Alex Pereira? Drop your opinion in the comments.