PEDs are considered a shortcut to prestige, elevating fighters to unparalleled heights. However, the majority of these cases result in athletes ending in infamy. But we also have had cases where the brunt of these violations has fallen on the athlete even when they are not at fault. It has led to their ‘potential’ falling short, leaving their careers in thin air. UFC Light heavyweight title contender Khalil Rountree Jr. considers himself ‘lucky’ that his case has not blown out of proportion.

‘The War Horse’ is scheduled to take on Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira at UFC 307 with the division gold on the line. Right before his scheduled clash with Jamahal Hill at UFC 303, Rountree Jr. self-reported for a PED which won him praise within the MMA community. It soon came to light that the error was on the part of his supplement contractor and when the Nevada State Athletic Commission supported his version, the Californian native felt relieved. Moreover, he credited the UFC head honcho Dana White for having his back amid the entire situation.

Khalil Rountree Jr. credits Dana White for apprehending his PED botch

‘The War Horse’ recently joined SHAK MMA for an interview via YouTube and said, “It was 100 percent unexpected. I thought it would be something else like rescheduling the fight or even cancelling it but no. It was this one they offered. It came at the right time and was like when a ray of sun peeks through the cloudy skies. It was crazy and I was already training and it was a ‘godsend’ for sure and still had my mind in the same place”

Rountree further explained his initial fears of losing his ‘career’ and elucidated the difficulty in dealing with the substance scare. He credited the UFC CEO for apprehending his stance and helping to sort the mess. Talking about UFC’s new drug testing agency DFSI, he stated, “For one, they [DFSI] were super helpful in telling me what they needed from me like statements from the company. They were pretty comprehensive so that they could look at this correctly. They were on top of it and because it was through the UFC, it felt like home. I didn’t have any prior experience like this with USADA but I can tell that this was very helpful.”

The Commission eventually handed ‘The War Horse’ a four-month suspension, which will expire before the scheduled title fight with Alex Pereria on October 5. The implications of this bout are massive and will decide the future of the Light heavyweight division. Fight fans around the world are expecting a striking fest between two heavy hitters.

Can ‘Poatan’ break the ‘undefeated’ mold at UFC 307?

Ever since he debuted in 2021, ‘Poatan’ has hammered his way to the top and is now the undisputed face of the company. Despite being the most ferocious striker in the UFC today, the Brazilian will have to indulge all his ammo against an opponent who exhibits an ‘undefeated’ record against kickboxers. The Muay Thai-based striker boasts victories against legends like Gokhan Saki, Karl Roberson, and Dustin Jacoby.  Additionally, Rountree’s southpaw stance could prove fatal to the defending champion’s game plan as he has had problems with it in the past.

Rountree Jr. hinted at a barn burner in a recent interview and stated, “I think for one this [UFC 307 clash] is, you know, the highest-level fight that I’ve had in my career. So there’ll be the most eyes on this fight, especially for my fans. I think this is something that a lot of my fans are happy about and I think people are fans of me because of the way that I fight. So part of that approach is just giving people what they paid for, you know.” 

However, ‘Poatan’ feels that his opponent will not stay true to his proclamations of turning the match into an all-out brawl. Pereira even challenged Rountree Jr. to put up a percentage of his purse against using his grappling skills.

These mind games will surely erupt when the Octagon door closes for the main event at UFC 307. Do you think the Commission is justified in going soft on the title contender? How do you see the title fight going? Let us know in the comments below.