UFC’s #8 light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree has recently become a prime target for his critics. The reason is that UFC CEO Dana White announced him as the next opponent for division kingpin  Alex Pereira. Rountree is returning from a hiatus due to a tryst with banned substances from tainted supplements.

Now, Rountree is set to return to the Octagon against Pereira, a matchup that hasn’t pleased his critics, who question why he is being given a title fight despite his past PED use. Nevertheless, Khalil Rountree remains focused on his upcoming fight at UFC 307 against Pereira in October. He has recently sent a message to his critics throughout the UFC’s light heavyweight division.

Khalil Rountree sends a message to silence his critics

In a recent interview with the MMAFightingonSBN YouTube channel, Khalil Rountree addressed his critics. When asked by the host, “What’s your message to Alex and everybody else in your division?” Rountree responded without hesitation, “I got a message for Alex, and that’s, ‘See you in October.’ Everybody else? Nothing.” The host then confirmed the fight month, “They can watch you in October,” to which Rountree finally nailed the final nail in the coffin of his critics, acknowledging, “Watch me in October.”

Until May, Khalil Rountree was riding a wave of success with a six-fight winning streak, culminating in a high-profile match against Jamhal Hill at UFC 303. However, his momentum abruptly halted when a failed drug test revealed the presence of a banned substance. Rountree acknowledged the UFC’s anti-doping policy violation, attributing the contamination to a supplement. The supplement company later confirmed the presence of the banned substance in their product.

However, the biggest casualty of Dana White’s announcement pitting Khalil Rountree against Alex Pereira is the #2 ranked Dagestani fighter, Magomed Ankalaev. Widely considered next in line for a title shot, Ankalaev’s path to the championship has now been unexpectedly altered. The frustrated contender has recently voiced his disappointment about the situation.

Magomed Ankalaev’s reaction to Khalil Rountree’s next fight

It’s no exaggeration to call Magomed Ankalaev one of the unluckiest fighters in UFC history, perhaps even more so than Michael Chandler. Since entering the UFC, the Dagestani fighter remains undefeated, but a controversial draw against Jan Blachowicz denied him a championship opportunity. Since then, he has patiently awaited another chance to compete for the light heavyweight title.

However, Dana White’s announcement of Khalil Rountree as the title challenger for UFC 307 dashed the hopes of Magomed Ankalaev, who is set to face Austrian sensation Aleksander Rakic at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. Despite the setback, Ankalaev remained resolute. In a determined X post, he tagged Dana White and UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard, writing, “I Received a lot of messages today regarding the Light Heavyweight title fight, my job is to smash people’s face who they put in front of me, I will destroy Rakic in Abu Dhabi and I will not be denied, I don’t need nobody to feel bad for me @danawhite @Mickmaynard2.”

Now everything depends on Khalil Rountree. It will be intriguing to see how he proves himself by defeating Alex Pereira. Do you think Khalil Rountree can withstand Pereira’s striking power, which has become a nightmare in the light heavyweight division? Drop your comments below.