UFC’s ranked #8 light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr. silenced his critics last week by pushing division king Alex Pereira to the limit. As ‘Poatan’ is known for making quick work of his opponents, it made Rountree’s performance even more impressive. Although ‘The War Horse’ ultimately lost the title fight that day, his explosive outing earned him respect from UFC superstar Conor McGregor, who praised him by saying, “Never settle for that other bullshit, @ufc fans! Never! Bravo, Khalil.”

Riding high on the accolades from around the world, Rountree Jr. is now looking to get back in action against Jamahal Hill next year. While speaking to Kevin Iole, Khalil Rountree Jr. stated, “I think he’s ranked No. 3. I think anyone up there in the top five is kind of inevitable, so let’s see what happens. I think pretty shortly here, I’ll be talking to the matchmakers and the bosses to see what they think.”

His interview spread like wildfire, catching the attention of Alex Pereira. Impressed with Rountree’s performance against him, Pereira issued a warning to Hill based on his own experience through Instagram, claiming, “If Jamahal accepts this fight, he won’t be able to handle Khalil.”

As Jamahal Hill is currently returning from a hiatus since being knocked out by Pereira at the historic UFC 300 back in April, he has once again come into the limelight this week. Enjoying the Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. fight from the crowd, Hill expressed his boredom by yawning, hinting that he found the fight unexciting. This comment has recently come under scrutiny from fans and MMA pundits alike.

Jamahal Explains His Yawn After Pereira’s Knockout of Rountree Jr.

After failing to recapture the Light heavyweight gold against ‘Poatan’, Hill has been critical of the champ ever since and has taken the defeat personally. Over time, his animosity towards Pereira has been highlighted in his YouTube videos, where he occasionally raised questions over Rountree Jr.’s matchup with Pereira, labeling him undeserving of a title shot or supporting claims from Pereira’s rivals that he uses shamanic rituals during fights.

This hatred towards Pereira resurfaced at UFC 307 with Hill’s actions after the conclusion of the event, leading fans to label him as jealous of the Brazilian’s success. Triggered by the criticism, Hill recently spoke on his YouTube channel to clarify the situation. He stated, “Now to the yawn. The yawn at the end was, was it entertaining? Yes. Was I impressed? No. The yawn was, ‘I’m not impressed.’ I’m not impressed. I’m ready to go. Was it entertaining? Yes. Am I impressed? No. Did I see anything in the cage that scared me or that I didn’t expect to see? No.”

What are your thoughts on Alex Pereira’s remarks? Do you believe that Khalil Rountree Jr., who is not even on the top contender list, can take down ranked #3 contender Jamahal Hill? Drop your opinion below.