Fresh off the biggest win streak of his career, Khalil Rountree Jr. will step into the spotlight this Saturday at UFC 320, taking on former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka in a high-stakes clash with major title implications.
Rountree Jr. (14-6) kept his assessment of Jiri Prochazka straightforward ahead of their UFC 320 showdown. He acknowledged both the excitement of the matchup and the challenges that come with facing such an unpredictable opponent.
“Big fight. Big fight. Strong competitor. Great matchup, exciting matchup,” Rountree Jr. told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
“I see methods to the badness, but it doesn’t take away the fact that yeah he can be very unpredictable.”
Fans are anticipating fireworks when Prochazka steps in, with many expecting a finish one way or the other. Still, there’s always the chance this turns into a grueling war, much like Rountree Jr’s battle with Alex Pereira at UFC 307.
Rountree Jr. says he’s prepared for that kind of fight, but he’s certainly not seeking it.
“I hope not,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m ready for whatever. Honestly, everything right now is light-hearted, but like I’m prepared for whatever. I think that after that Alex fight I proved to myself how far I can go and how far I’m willing to go if the fight goes there.”
While Rountree Jr. is prepared for the chaos that often comes with a Prochazka fight, he made it clear he isn’t chasing one. Instead, he stressed that he’ll be ready if the bout turns into a brutal war, but it’s not what he’s hoping for.
“Am I praying for this like violent, bloody match? Absolutely not,” said Rountree Jr.
“If it goes there, it goes there. Can it go there? Absolutely, and I’m prepared.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Khalil Rountree Jr. above. He faces Jiri Prochazka at UFC 320 on Saturday night.
