Last month, when Dana White announced Khalil Rountree Jr.’s fight against LW king Alex Pereira for the UFC 307 headline event on October 6th, it caused confusion among fans. It stemmed from Rountree Jr’s recent suspension after he mistakenly ingested a banned substance mixed into his supplement. This mistake led to multiple setbacks, including being pulled from UFC 303 and receiving an initial two-month suspension from USADA.

The Nevada Athletic Commission later extended the suspension to an undisclosed period, despite Rountree J’s proactive efforts to inform authorities of the mistake. This suspension cast a shadow over his anticipated UFC 307 fight. However, recently, reputed MMA journalist John Morgan provided some clarity on the situation. He revealed on X that Rountree Jr’s suspension would end before his UFC 307 fight.

Morgan wrote, “Khalil Rountree Jr. is now clear for his #UFC307 title fight after receiving a four-and-a-half-month suspension that terminates on Sept. 18 and prosecution fees of $157 after previously self-reporting accidental ingestion of a banned substance.”

This news is surely going to be a gut punch to Khalil Rountree Jr.’s rivals Jamahal Hill and Magomed Ankalaev, who have been constantly verbally attacking Rountree Jr. since the fight was announced. They criticize him being ranked #8 in the division and for his recent suspension due to a PED violation, arguing that they are more deserving. However, Rountree, known for letting action speak louder than words, recently delivered a one-liner response to his envious division.

Rountree Jr.’s bold message to his division

Everything was going smoothly for Khalil Rountree Jr. until the middle of May, when he was preparing to face his rival Jamahal Hill at UFC 303. However, things didn’t go as planned for Rountree, who found himself caught up in a PED controversy. He reported the issue to UFC authorities after realizing the negligence of the supplement company he was ordering from, which led to backlash against him.

Now, Rountree is focused on his upcoming title fight. In a recent interview with MMAFighting On SBN, Rountree addressed his critics, saying, “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.”

What are your thoughts on Khalil Rountree escaping any harsh punishment from the NSAC? Surely, it’s a relief for you as an MMA fan. Drop your comments below.

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