Khalil Rountree needs Magomed Ankalaev to maintain his identify out of his mouth.
The sunshine heavyweight division is about for a shakeup at UFC 320 on Oct. 4, when Ankalaev defends his 205-pound championship in a rematch with Alex Pereira, and Rountree meets fellow contender Jiri Prochazka on the undercard. Relying how these two bouts play out, Rountree might discover himself in one other title alternative quickly.
Ought to it’s Ankalaev he challenges for the belt, there’s loads of unhealthy blood between the 2, even with Rountree beforehand deflecting questions concerning the gentle heavyweight king. In a latest interview on the The Joe Rogan Expertise, Rountree was pressed for his opinion on Ankalaev and he didn’t maintain again.
“He simply talks shit, and I hate those who discuss shit,” Rountree stated. “I simply don’t prefer it. I don’t like individuals who discuss shit for no motive. If I didn’t say something to you, if I’ve by no means f*cking talked about your identify, then why are you speaking shit to me or about me or disrespecting me?”
Ankalaev took to social media to mock Rountree for his workmanlike win over Jamahal Hill in the principle occasion of UFC Baku this previous June. The feedback have been a part of a latest development for Ankalaev, who has steadily taken public jabs at his divisional rivals.
Rountree believes Ankalaev is making up for an in-cage fashion that’s but to seize the creativeness of the followers and he has a easy resolution for Ankalaev to repair that.
“Combat higher,” Rountree stated. “I hate [the trash talk]. I f*cking hate it. It actually bugs me. I simply hate it as a result of it’s f*cking pointless, and at the same time as an grownup, I needed to cope with this shit my entire life and it’s a f*cking poisonous method of f*cking being and it’s passing alongside by means of social media and youngsters are f*cking getting beat up for it and we’re f*cking grown males on a big platform the place persons are wanting as much as us for a lot of various things and so they envision us as these f*cking gladiators and that is what you’re selecting to do.
“We now have a accountability. I really feel like as athletes, as champion quantity f*cking one, as champion, you’ve got a accountability. You could have a belt round your waist and all these eyes and microphone and that’s what you’re going to decide on to say is discuss shit and degrade my identify and I’m not even above you. I’m not even difficult you for a battle and also you wish to point out me? That, to me, is rather like, dude, spend your time correctly. So in a method it’s motivation for me as a result of I’m like, I simply received’t try this. I feel that there’s so many alternative issues that may be executed when you’ve got that belt. That belt is an honor to have that. There’s a accountability that comes with that, there’s issues that you are able to do with that. It’s not nearly you. Understand the accountability you’ve got while you carry that title.”
The budding rivalry between Rountree and Ankalaev might go nowhere if Ankalaev fails to defend his title towards Pereira. That’s not an issue for Rountree, who really has a plan for the rest of his UFC deal, which he estimates has has six or seven fights left on it.
Rountree misplaced a thriller to then-champion Pereira at UFC 307, so he’d wish to rematch Pereira, grow to be champion, after which shut out his profession on his personal phrases.
“Right here’s a super scenario,” Rountree stated. “Win over Jiri in October. Alex beats Ankalaev. Rematch for the belt towards Alex someday within the first half of subsequent 12 months. Beat Alex within the rematch. Get the belt. I’m the champion all summer season. Then someplace in between summer season and fall, there’s a baby that comes into play. My spouse’s not pregnant but, however it could be good. … That is my imaginative and prescient, however there are objectives in between.
“Objective: Beat Jiri. Objective: Get one other shot on the title. Imaginative and prescient: Begin my household. End my battle contract. Be executed with combating. Reside in Asia.”
