On October 5th 2024, UFC Light Heavyweight champion [#1] Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira will be defending his title against a 15-fight UFC veteran, [#8] Khalil Rountree Jr. Rountree had a somewhat rocky start to his UFC career; however he is currently on five-fight win streak with four finishes. While Khalil is an underdog in this fight, with the current odds having Pereira as -500 favorite, Rountree’s Muay Thai skills and power make him a dangerous opponent to even such a decorated striker as Poatan. It will be an uphill battle for Khalil, but I am hoping to see an entertaining stand-up fight while it lasts.
I think Khalil Rountree is a great Muay Thai fighter and wonderful mental health advocate and inspirational person. During a press conference, he opened up about how he had struggled with being depressed and overweight in the past. This hits hard to home for a lot of people in the United States and worldwide. He’s a very relatable individual to so many of us out there. With mental health illnesses still having a stigma, it’s impressive to see a public figure being so open and emotional on live TV, regarding his life struggles with depression and obesity.

MMA & Boxing Writer | Business Development Consultant
I have been an avid viewer of Boxing and MMA for decades. Judo is the martial art that I most admire. As a teenager I practiced for a bit. This piqued my interest in MMA since 2001. Now I am on a new journey, hitting the dojo when possible. Learning how to methodically adapt to Judo, currently is a hobby that I enjoy. At FightMatrix, I am the business development consultant. Additionally, I write about various martial arts and boxing.


