Tag: Khalil Rountree

Nevada Athletic Commission monthly meeting video: Mayra Bueno Silva, Khalil Rountree, Justin Jaynes

Watch the Nevada Athletic Commission review disciplinary matters regarding current and past UFC fighters.

LAS VEGAS – The Nevada Athletic Commission reconvened Tuesday for its monthly meeting where it discussed a handful of topics.

Pertinent to MMA, items related to potential disciplinary action included hearings for UFC fighters [autotag]Mayra Bueno Silva[/autotag] and [autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag], as well as former UFC fighter [autotag]Justin Jaynes[/autotag].

MMA Junkie was in attendance for the meeting and recorded the discussions for all three items. Details for all three matters were revealed, though decisions on these items were continued for future meetings.

The next NAC meeting takes place Aug. 27.

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Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Islam Makhachev submits Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor parties, Nick Diaz returns, more

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses Islam Makhachev’s win over Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor’s partying videos and more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Mike Bohn will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] remains the champion at 155 pounds. The Khabib Nurmagomedov protege completed his third title defense at lightweight, submitting longtime contender [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] in a thrilling bout in the main event of UFC 302. After the fight, Makhachev called for a chance to fight for the welterweight belt. Should the UFC grant this wish to Makhachev? Where does Saturday’s win put Makhachev in the pound-for-pound conversation? Should Poirier retire after the loss? We discuss.
  • UFC 302 saw other results outside the lone title fight, as [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] got back to his winning ways; [autotag]Kevin Holland [/autotag] picked up a first-round submission win in his return to middleweight; Jailton Almeida continues to be a threat at heavyweight; and more. We revew some of the other highlights of Saturday’s card.
  • The card that will be hosting [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]’s return to the octagon has finally taken shape. The promotion added an intriguing welterweight bout between [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag], while also getting [autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag] to step in for [autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] to take on [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag]. The panel discusses the latest additions to the event, along with the videos that surfaced showing McGregor partying weeks away from his return.
  • [autotag]Nick Diaz[/autotag] is back and so is [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]. The two beloved MMA veterans make their return on Aug. 3 at UFC on ABC 7 in Abu Dhabi. On that same card, two big bouts pitting Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Marlon Vera, and Mackenzie Dern vs. Loopy Godinez were also added. How do we feel about Diaz and Ferguson’s return bouts? What do these other matchups mean for their respective divisions? We cover it all.

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With Khalil Rountree out, Carlos Ulberg steps in to face Jamahal Hill at UFC 303

Carlos Ulberg will get a massive opportunity at UFC 303.

[autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag] will get a massive opportunity at UFC 303.

[autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] announced that he has withdrawn from his June 29 co-main event vs. [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas due to a failed drug test. Stepping in to face the former UFC light heavyweight champion will be City Kickboxing’s Ulberg.

Two people with knowledge of the booking recently confirmed the matchup to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. The news was reported Thursday by the New Zealand Herald.

Rountree’s girlfriend, Mia Kang, revealed that the suspension will be for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a hormone that is banned in and out of competition. The UFC has yet to officially announce Rountree’s withdrawal or Hill’s new opponent.

Since dropping his UFC debut, Ulberg (9-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) has been on a role having won six straight. He’s coming off a 12-second, Performance of the Night knockout of Alonzo Menifield at UFC on ESPN 56 earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) will look to rebound from his title loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 300 in April. After over a year away from competition due to a ruptured achilles tendon, Hill attempted to reclaim the light heavyweight title he vacated, but was knocked out in Round 1 by Pereira.

With the change, the UFC 303 lineup now includes:

  • Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler
  • Jamahal Hill vs. Carlos Ulberg
  • Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson
  • Andre Fili vs. Cub Swanson
  • Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Joe Pyfer
  • Gillian Robertson vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez
  • Carlos Hernandez vs. Rei Tsuruya
  • Yanis Ghemmouri vs. Payton Talbott
  • Andrei Arlovski vs. Martin Buday
  • Vinicius Oliveira vs. Ricky Simon
  • Charles Jourdain vs. Jean Silva

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

UFC: Khalil Rountree failed drug test due to supplement company’s mistake, suspension reduced to 2 months

UFC light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree failed a drug test after a supplement company’s “massive oversight,” according to CSAD.

A failed drug test forced [autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] out of UFC 303, but he won’t be on the shelf for long.

Rountree was suspended just two months as the result of a positive test for anabolic steroid DHEA, UFC anti-doping program Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) announced Wednesday. Rountree was first to announce his drug test failure and withdrawal last week.

According to CSAD, Rountree self-reported accidental ingestion of a blended supplement that contained DHEA. A May 4 sample tested by Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory (SMRTL) was consistent with Rountree’s claim.

Through documentation provided by Rountree, CSAD confirmed a supplement company sent the fighter “therapeutic blend” products “without prior approval.” CSAD wrote that the supplement company owner called the error “a massive oversight on our part.”

“CSAD has determined that Rountree’s actions after he determined the error, and the evidence of this case, fit these criteria, and thus CSAD is reducing the sanction against Rountree to 2 months,” CSAD said in a statement.

The doses Rountree ingested are not believed to have any significant performance benefits, CSAD determined after consultation with SMRTL.

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Since he had a June 29 bout vs. Jamahal Hill booked for Las Vegas, Rountree could face additional discipline from the Nevada Athletic Commission, which plans to discuss the matter at an upcoming monthly meeting.

The disciplinary action handed out marks the third since CSAD’s conception at the beginning of 2024. The program, which is headed by former FBI agent George Piro, began after the UFC split from long-time anti-doping partner USADA. Rountree joins Walt Harris and Khusein Askhabov as the three fighters flagged thus far.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Khalil Rountree says he’s out of UFC 303 co-main vs. Jamahal Hill due to drug test failure

It looks like the UFC’s International Fight Week will need to be retooled after one of the fighters said he failed a drug test.

It looks like the co-main event for the UFC’s International Fight Week will need to be retooled after one of the fighters said he failed a drug test.

[autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) on Saturday posted on social media that he is out of the UFC 303 light heavyweight co-feature against former champion [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC). His girlfriend, muay Thai fighter/TV host/model Mia Kang, posted on social media details of what she said will be a suspension for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a hormone that is banned in and out of competition.

UFC officials have not made a formal announcement that Rountree is out of the event, which takes place June 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The card is headlined by Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler and has been projected to be the new all-time gate leader in UFC history.

Kang said Rountree took a custom supplement that contained the banned substance, and that the damage to his reputation already has “caused us a pain we have never felt before.”

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Rountree has a five-fight winning streak, including four finishes. In his most recent fight, he had a third-round TKO of Anthony Smith in December.

Hill was knocked out by Alex Pereira when looked to regain the light heavyweight title in the UFC 300 main event in April. The loss snapped a five-fight winning streak.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Jamahal Hill books quick turnaround for UFC 303, faces Khalil Rountree

Six days after UFC 300, Jamahal Hill is back on the books.

Six days after UFC 300, [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] has his next fight on the books.

Hill (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) will face [autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) on June 29 at UFC 303, the promotion announced Friday. The event takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and is headlined by Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler.

A former UFC light heavyweight champion, Hill, during his April 13 bout vs. Alex Pereira, looked to regain championship status he vacated. However, the current champion Pereira ended the attempt with a first-round knockout. The loss snapped a five-fight winning streak for Hill.

Rountree rides a five-fight winning streak into the showdown with Hill. Four of the five fights were finishes, including a third-round TKO of Anthony Smith in his most recent outing in December.

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The current UFC 303 lineup includes:

  • Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler
  • Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree
  • Andre Fili vs. Cub Swanson
  • Gillian Robertson vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez
  • Carlos Hernandez vs. Rei Tsuruya
  • Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Joe Pyfer

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Anthony Smith knew fighting Khalil Rountree on short notice was an ‘uphill battle’: ‘It was shocking how fast he is’

Anthony Smith was fully aware that facing Khalil Rountree on short notice wasn’t ideal.

[autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] was fully aware that facing [autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] on short notice wasn’t ideal.

Smith (37-19 MMA, 12-9 UFC) replaced Azamat Murzakanov on two weeks’ notice against Rountree (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 233 co-main event. He was stopped by TKO less than a minute into Round 3.

“Lionheart” took a risk fighting a dangerous, lower-ranked opponent on short notice, but he knew that going in.

“I knew I was in an uphill battle,” Smith said on the “Believe You Me” podcast. “I knew the position I put myself in was not going to benefit me. I knew that I would kind of put myself behind the gun, and I was fine with that. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, and I knew what I was up against. I had quite a bit of weight to cut. That was the bigger issue.”

Other than the weight cut, Smith explains that he had issues seeing the left hand in practice, which ended up being a problem for him in the fight.

“He was just way faster than I had anticipated,” Smith said. “I knew he was going to be fast. It was shocking how fast he is, how he goes from 0-100 so fast. I struggled with the speed in the fight, and I didn’t really have any other options.

“I wasn’t seeing the left hand. He was faster than I was, and he was faster than I prepared for. Some of that is I wasn’t in fight shape. I was seeing things, but my body just wasn’t reacting fast enough because I haven’t been in camp, and that’s no excuse. That’s my fault. I put myself in that position. I knew it was a possibility.”

Although Smith was on a two-fight winning streak prior to the loss, he admits self-doubt started creeping in after getting stopped by Rountree. However, the former title challenger has no intentions of walking away.

“I still want to fight,” Smith said. “I’m not going anywhere. It’s probably the worst loss I’ve ever taken. If I had more time, or I was in better shape, or I had a whole training camp, or a lot of things are different, I think the whole thing looks different. I don’t think I aged overnight. I think I put myself in a tough spot.”

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USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Dec. 12: Song Yadong, Khalil Rountree move upward

Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings following UFC Fight Night 233 in Las Vegas.

The UFC’s penultimate event of 2023 in Las Vegas produced a few moves in this week’s rankings update.

UFC Fight Night 233 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and was headlined by a bantamweight bout between [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] and Chris Gutierrez.

Song, who entered the week at No. 9 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie bantamweight rankings, soundly defeated Gutierrez by unanimous decision. As a result, Song’s performance was strong enough to climb one spot in this week’s update, settling in at No. 8 behind former champion Petr Yan.

Also making waves at the event was light heavyweight [autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] in a bout against short-notice opponent Anthony Smith. Rountree badly rocked and dropped the former title challenger in Round 3, leading to a walk-off TKO stoppage. Rountree entered the week at No. 12, but climbed up one spot for the easy swap with Smith, who held No. 11.

Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings above.

Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Khalil Rountree after UFC Fight Night 233 win?

Khalil Rountree missed with the callout of Alex Pereira after his TKO of Anthony Smith at UFC Fight Night 233, but he still has something big in store.

[autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] was the shining star on UFC’s penultimate event of 2023 on Saturday when he registered the biggest win of his career to date at UFC Fight Night 233.

Rountree (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) extended his winning streak to five fights in the light heavyweight division when he dropped and stopped former title challenger Anthony Smith (37-19 MMA, 12-9 UFC) for a third-round TKO finish at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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After the fight, Rountree called his shot in a big way by making a case to leap the rankings for a title shot against reigning 205-pound champ Alex Pereira. It’s unlikely that will come to fruition, but Rountree is most certainly on the way up, and has something big in store next.

What should that be, however? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Rountree’s next move after UFC Fight Night 233.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 233.

4 biggest takeaways from UFC Fight Night 233: The fallout of Khalil Rountree punishing Anthony Smith

Analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC Fight Night 233, including the fallout of Khalil Rountree battering Anthony Smith.

What mattered most at UFC Fight Night 233 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas? Here are a few post-fight musings …

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