‘Just light’… Khalil Rountree Jr. makes startling admission after potentially life-altering loss to Alex Pereira

Khalil Rountree Jr. had a chilling moment during his UFC 307 loss to light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

Khalil Rountree Jr.'s first attempt at UFC gold got off to a great start against Alex Pereira at UFC 307. He took heavy blows in the opening rounds, and at one point the forward-facing Pereira let his rear foot fight off in the competition. Octagon.

After being in significant danger in the opening minutes, Pereira continued it as the fight progressed. He turned Rountree's face into a horror movie-esque look as he finished off the title challenger in Round 4.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Despite the massive pre-fight criticism surrounding the bout, Rountree has made himself a household name with his performance at UFC 307. While Rountree's timeline for a return is uncertain, he wants a former titleholder for his next fight in an attempt to get back in to get into battle. the title mix.

The scars Rountree suffered at UFC 307 will stay with him forever. Some are wondering whether or not he will be able to return the same fighter in his next bookings after taking such serious damage against Pereira inside the cage.

As Pereira piled on the pressure on Rountree at UFC 307, the title challenger had a scary moment as the light heavyweight champion pushed forward.

Alex Pereira's power caused Khalil Rountree Jr. to go blind. in UFC 307 scrap

In a recent appearance on the JAXXON Podcast, Rountree revealed that Pereira caused him to go blind in their UFC 307 instant classic.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

“I got hit, and boom – I knew I was hit hard because I started to see my vision get a little blurry,” Rountree said. “But the second one that landed, the one that split my eye, I went blind right then and there. But fuck it, I'll keep going.

“I didn't see anything after that, just light,” Rountree continued. “I didn't see any shadows, I didn't see anything. It was like someone put up a matte film. So I can't see, I'm damn blind. But anyway, I'm not going to give up. The feeling, I didn't feel anything, the adrenaline was too high, but I realized it was there. My eye was ruined, but I'll deal with it later. (h/t MMAmania)

Rountree did not go into detail about the visual damage he suffered against Pereira at UFC 307, but he will likely need surgery at some point to repair his affected eye.

Khalil Rountree Jr. underwent extensive surgery after the fight with Alex Pereira

Before UFC 307, Rountree earned the title he earned over top contenders like Magomed Ankalaev and Jamahal Hill by reeling off five straight victories. He last faced former title challenger Anthony Smith last December and was set to face Hill at UFC 303 before being suspended for obtaining a controlled substance.

Meanwhile, Pereira will likely return against Ankalaev in his next light heavyweight title defense in 2025. Ankalaev recently defeated Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308 to earn his likely next title shot.

Rountree's line skip at UFC 307 instantly turned into a classic fight with Pereira. But the consequences of the damage he suffered against Pereira could potentially be long-lasting.

Rountree's confession details the trials and tribulations that fighters undergo when competing in the Octagon. As he prepares for his next fight camp, Rountree will remember his clash against Pereira and the temporary period of blindness he suffered.

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