Former UFC champion Michael Bisping praised unbeaten fighter Khalil Rountree as he prepared to face lightweight champion Alex Pereira.
The match promises to be interesting, as both opponents are formidable in their own rights. Fans know “Poatan” for his relentless attack and he has successfully defended his title twice. The fighter recently had a rematch with Jiri Prochazka and dominated the fighter with a second-round knockout.
Pereira is known for his impressive takedowns and world-class kickboxing. However, his opponent, Kahlil Rountree, has said he will not be resorting to takedowns and will keep the battle grounded.
Michael Bisping believes that the fight will keep both opponents on their feet and that “The War Horse” shouldn’t be overlooked. Kahlil Rountree has proven his savage nature by defeating top kickboxers like Gokhan Saki.
“Anthony Smith was able to land some straight rights, and if Smith can land them, you’ve got to think that Pereira is going to land them,” Bisping said. “But if we dig a little deeper, if we look at some of the other people that he’s [Rountree] beaten, there’s a name that stands out, and that name is the one and only Gokhan Saki… When he went up against Khalil Rountree, he got knocked out in the first round.”
“Who is Khalil? Well, Khalil was a kickboxer. He has the confidence to put it out there and truly mean it by saying that he’s not going to shoot. He’s going to stand there, go toe to toe, and try to beat Pereira at his own game.”
After a long successful run, UFC banned Rountree for failing a drug test in May. The fighter has made an impressive comeback and has had a five-fight winning streak, four of which have been via knockout. Although Pereira has faced many elite strikers, Bisping believes Roundtree is one of the best, and this fight might mean much more for Pereira.
“Khalil might be the best striker in mixed martial arts that Alex Pereira has fought. When you look at Khalil, he is so shelled up he’s like a teenage mutant Ninja turtle. His chin is tucked in. He’s got good power. And he’s fast. He’s got a massive opportunity. I don’t think it’s a wild thing to consider that Khalil might go out there and beat Alex Pereira.”
