Fighters don’t usually see their star rise following a loss, but Khalil Rountree Jr. isn’t like most fighters.
Scoring himself an unlikely UFC title opportunity in October, ‘The War Horse’ made the most of the moment, going toe-to-toe with then light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in one of the most exciting scraps of the year.
Rountree Jr. ultimately came up short against Pereira, but his willingness to slug it out with one of the most decorated knockout artists in MMA history immediately endeared him to fight fans, taking him from contender to superstar overnight.