

Nobody does it better than Khalil Rountree Jr. when it comes to brutal finishes. The memories of his nasty oblique kick knockout of Modestas Bukauskas are still fresh in the fans’ consciousness. While he has some deadly weapons in his arsenal to offload at his opponents, there is one particularly ugly weapon he keeps falling back on, soccer kicks.
Notably, ‘The War Horse’ earned his ticket to the UFC through The Ultimate Fighter in 2016. In the opening bout, he faced Muhammed DeReese, and the fight had a painful end for his opponent. In the second round, the American fighter lands a body kick that wobbles DeReese, and he soon follows it with a heavy barrage of punches before dropping him to the mat.
What followed next were two massive soccer kicks to the body that left DeReese in agonizing pain and prompted the referee to end the fight. The finish gave a glimpse into what kind of destruction the light heavyweight fighter was to cause in the promotion. The same clip recently made the rounds on the internet as fans hoped for another finish from the LA native.
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Fans left in a frenzy as Khalil Rountree Jr.’s first UFC knockout goes viral
The fans recalled his first appearance under the UFC banner and called him the “most brutal finisher”.
Most brutal finisher in the game
— Dustin champ szn 🏆 (@ALDEN_117) August 7, 2023
Least violent rountree finish
— B2BBenji (@Southmadeboi) August 7, 2023
What in the hell is this stoppage?
— Nick Mondl (@nmondl) August 7, 2023
A response referred to the scathing remarks UFC star Sean Strickland had once made against him. Their saga dates back to when Rountree Jr. opened up about his mental health issues after his spectacular TKO over Karl Roberson. Following this, Strickland then labeled it the “g*yest sh*t” he had ever seen.
How is he so brutal but sensitive af in real life per strickland
— 🐺 (@El_Lobo18_) August 7, 2023
A few responses revealed the painful nature of the soccer kicks.
Love those soccer body kicks he throws nearly every fight, they're so brutal yet totally legal
— Wilder FTW (@LNReacts) August 7, 2023
I would rather get shot by a gun multiple times than appear hurt in front of rountree
— UGLY (@SamHassanS) August 7, 2023
Lastly, a comment mentioned how Rountree Jr. throws every shot with the “meanest intentions”.
he hits guys like he hasn’t seen his dad in 25 years. he throws every shot with the meanest intentions
— Ligma Saka (@ligmasaka) August 7, 2023
However, this is not the first time his soccer kicks have seized eyeballs. His splendid finish of Roberson at UFC Vegas 50 even earned him praise from Conor McGregor. ‘The Notorious’, explaining the importance of soccer kicks, wrote, “A much under utilized legal strike”.
Therefore, it appears he’ll bank on his most reliable weapon once again as he prepares for his next fight.
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Who is Rountree Jr. fighting next?
The 33-year-old fighter squares off against Chris Daukaus at UFC Vegas 78. The pair was earlier supposed to meet at UFC 289, but an injury to Daukaus resulted in the shifting of their fight.

via Imago
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 23: (R-L) Khalil Rountree kicks Marcin Prachnio of Poland in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC 257 event inside Etihad Arena on UFC Fight Island on January 23, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
While Rountree is riding on three-fight momentum, Daukaus has dropped his previous three fights. Besides, a win against Daukaus might push him higher in the ranks.
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What do you make of this brutal finish by UFC star Khalil Rountree Jr.? Do you believe he’ll pick up a victory in his next fight? Let us know in the comments below.
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