Just a Kid on a Billboard: Can Khalil Roundtree Shock the World at UFC 307?
Photo from UFC.com
Salt Lake City- This weekend at UFC 307 two light heavyweight powerhouses prepare to collide in a fight where fireworks are sure to go off. On one side of the cage is the 37 year old mythical monster out of Brazil, Alex Pereria. Coming into this fight Pereria is a two division champion and current light heavyweight champion with 2 title defenses under his name. His lethal knockout power has him with three knockouts in his last four fights at light heavyweight and nine knockouts in his entire MMA career with only 13 fights. Already solidifying himself as one of, if not the best, mixed martial artist at the moment. So who is the brave soul facing Pereira?
Photo from TotalProSports.com
It is number 8th ranked fighter in the light heavyweight division Khalil Roundtree. Roundtree, like Pereira, has had many trails and tribulations growing up.
At the age of 2 Khalil Roundtree’s father, Roderick (Khalil) Roundtree was shot and killed in 1992 while in a hotel in Chicago. Khalil’s father was the manager of popular 90s R&B group Boyz 2 Men and was on tour with them at the time of his death. Roderick was trying to de-escalate a confrontation in the hallway of the hotel when he directed the men to go in the elevator to get them out and try to keep the peace but Roderick would be shot in that elevator and was killed.
Khalil’s mother initially told him that his father died of an illness and until he was in his teenage years he would find out the truth. His mother, Taryn Moret, was a role model for Khalil after his fathers death, keeping him from losing himself and keeping himself sane. The other role model for Khalil and arguably the most influential person for him was his older brother, Donavan Frelow. He introduced Khalil to MMA by playing a fighting game on the Sega Dreamcast that featured Pride fighter Wanderlei Silva and then actually going to Silva’s gym. Khalil also caught his brother watching a clip of Quinten Rampage Jackson on The Ultimate Fighter television show and was intrigued.
At that time Khalil was 19 years old and 305 pounds a day. He would smoke at least 2 packs of cigarettes a day, eat and drink nothing but junk food and soda and was addicted to pills. He stated “I remember that was the day that I got home and I threw out my packs of cigarettes and was like, ‘I can’t smoke if I’m gonna be doing this. It’s just so much on my lungs and I can’t breathe.’ That was just the start of it.” Khalil then started to train in Muy Thai on March 1st 2010 and guess where he started his training? Wanderlei Silva’s own gym. Khalil on Joe Rogan's podcast talked about seeing a UFC billboard with fighters on it living in Las Vegas and dreamed about being on that billboard one day.
Roundtree developed some great relationships in the gym sparring with legends like Wanderlei Silva, Lyto Machida and Anderson Silva with whom he had the best relationship with him actually living together and being a best man in Silva’s wedding back in 2017.
Ever since then Roundtree has been on a tear winning his last 5 fights and having an MMA record of 14-5-0. Khalil is known for his incredible Muy Thai and powerful kicks. His most recent win was a round 2 knockout of Anthony Smith. He was set to fight Jamahal Hill at UFC 303 but self reported an accidental intake of a banned substance
Can Roundtree get it done this Saturday in Salt Lake City Utah at UFC 307 we can only wait and see. But one thing is for sure no matter what the 34 year old challenger can finally see his face on that billboard.
