Khalil Rountree couldn’t care less if a handful of fans — and the UFC light heavyweight champion — didn’t appreciate his latest performance.
Saturday’s UFC Baku main event saw Rountree cleanly out-strike Jamahal Hill for three rounds en route to a unanimous decision win. It was a bounce-back result for Rountree, who suffered a hard-fought loss to Alex Pereira when he challenged for the light heavyweight title this past October at UFC 307.
Though Rountree dominated the action, his output didn’t satisfy everyone, including UFC champion Magomed Ankalaev, who tweeted he was “falling asleep” watching the headlining contest.
Rountree responded to Ankalaev’s comment at the evening’s post-fight press conference.
“It’s expected,” Rountree said. “That guy talks about me more than I talk about him. He says so much and it’s, like, bro, you’re the champion. Why are you talking about me? Get away. Go enjoy being the champion. Quit talking about me on Twitter. No more Ankalaev questions today. If you ask me, I’m putting the microphone down.”
Prior to Rountree shutting down the Ankalaev chatter, he said he welcomed the possibility of fighting for the title again, but wasn’t openly campaigning for it. Rountree won five straight fights to book his shot against Pereira and likely needs one win away to move into the No. 1 contender spot.
For now, he is content leaving his career in the hands of the matchmakers.
“Where does this victory put me?” Rountree said. “Wherever the UFC puts me. I say it over and over again, what I want, I think it’s clear. What I want and what I’m aiming at. But it is up to the UFC.”
According to one reporter, Ankalaev’s sentiment was echoed by some members of the audience that allegedly made their exit during the main event.
None of that bothers Rountree, who wasn’t aware of what was happening in the stands as he focused to fight Hill.
“They started to leave the arena?” Rountree said. “During the walkout? Did I offend someone or something? I didn’t even see. When we’re walking out, the camera light — hey, they need to start turning these camera lights because I can’t see anything. I was like almost tripping, it’s so bright in front of you, I couldn’t even see the crowd. But it doesn’t matter, I was ready to go fight.
“Whoever left, hey… everybody else who stayed, thank you.”
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