Khalil Rountree Responds to Criticism of Title Shot Booking Against Alex Pereira

Khalil Rountree Jr. receiving a title shot did not sit well with some other light heavyweight contenders.

It was announced on Friday that Rountree will challenge Alex Pereira for the 205-pound crown at UFC 307 on Oct. 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Former champs Jan Blachowicz and Jamahal Hill immediately took issue with the announcement.

Blachowicz believes the Pereira is receiving “special protection” from the UFC , which the Brazilian doesn’t need.

“With all due respect to Khalil but there are at least two higher ranked contenders who are ready to fight Poatan,” Blachowicz wrote on X. “He doesn’t need special protection.”



Meanwhile, Hill, who was scheduled to fight Rountree at UFC 303 in June, brought up this would-be opponent’s anti-doping suspension. Rountree was pulled from the Vegas card after accepting responsibility for ingesting a banned substance through a supplement before failing a drug test. “The War Horse” was suspended for two months by the UFC, although he still remains under suspension in Las Vegas. While Hill was later matched up against Carlos Ulberg , a knee injury forced the former champ out of that contest. Regardless, Hill claims Rountree getting a gold bid after a drug testing failure reflects poorly on the sport.

“Can’t believe what I just saw announced!!!” Hill wrote. “So a guy pulls out of a contender fight because of failed drug test for a banned substances and gets rewarded with a title shot?!! This is terrible for the sport and makes the rankings completely pointless!!!”



Responding to the criticism, Rountree claims if anyone isn’t excited about his matchup against “Poatan,” perhaps they are the problem.

"It doesn’t affect me,” Rountree