Jamahal Hill blasts UFC over Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree announcement
By Amy Kaplan
On Friday morning UFC president Dana White announced the next UFC light heavyweight title fight between reigning champion Alex Pereira and No. 8 ranked contender Khalil Rountree. The news came as a bit of a shock to many considering how low in the rankings Rountree is, and the fact that he's coming off a PED suspension.
But no one was more upset about it than former champion Jamahall Hill who took to Twitter to black the matchmakers over the matchup. "Can’t believe what I just saw announced!!! 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!!!"
Can’t believe what I just saw announced!!! 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!!!
— Jamahal Hill (@JamahalH) August 16, 2024
Hill fought Pereira in April 2023 and lost in just over three minutes via viccious knockout that Hill contests even to this day. Pereira has gone on since to also defeat Jiří Procházka, who he finished just 13 seconds into the second round. Hill was supposed to fight Rountree at UFC 303 but Rountree was forced out of the bout dur to testing positive for a banned substance.
That banned substance was due to a tainted supplement which Rountree self-reported. This is why he was suspended just two months for the infraction. The maker of the supplements admitted he sent Rountree the supplements by mistake.
Fans call for Magomed Ankalaev to have next title shot
Hill wasn't the only one bothered by the match-up. Several fans also reacted to the news.
The promotional ducking of Ankalaev is crazy. It's the bad style matchups that build your legacy in this "sport." Booking the actual #1 contender 2 weeks later making him unavailable Oct 5th wasn't some coincidence.
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) August 16, 2024
Gotta say, if you'd asked me what was next for Khalil Rountree Jr. after withdrawing from a fight and proactively admitting to an accidental anti-doping policy violation I would not have said: title shot.
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) August 16, 2024
This wacky sport, man.
That has to be one of the more surprising title fights in recent memory. It's legitimately guaranteed violence, so that's a plus. At the same time, Magomed Ankalaev should've been next, imo #UFC307
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) August 16, 2024
> beats Anthony Smith
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) August 16, 2024
> scheduled to fight Jamahal Hill
> tests positive for PEDS
> suspended 6 months
> Title Fight pic.twitter.com/yqmeA9BPtO
Many pointed out that the fight should have been No. 2 ranked Magomed Ankalaev's. Which, if you are going by rankings, it should be. But like we saw with Sean O'Malley and Marlon Vera (passing up Merab Dvalishvili) that's not always what happens. And not everyone was all that excited to see Ankalaev in a tile shot just yet.
Love it. Khalil has won his last 5 in a row. People will cry for Magomed Ankalaev. Both deserve a shot. This fight is a lot more fun. Take my money. https://t.co/gaZFbT1xOh
— Brendan Schaub (@BrendanSchaub) August 16, 2024
UFC 307 takes place on Oct. 5 and will alos feature a com-main event between UFC bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington and former champion Julianna Pena, Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland, and Joaquin Buckley vs. Stephen Thompson.
feed