Khalil Rountree can break a UFC light heavyweight record at UFC 320

Khalil Rountree can potentially leapfrog a pair of former UFC light heavyweight champions in the history books if he shows out at UFC 320. Rountree battles former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka in a consequential contest for the 205 pound title hunt following this card.

There is even more proximity minded importance with that idea being that the light heavyweight title will be contested for in the UFC 320 headliner with Magomed Ankalaev defending his belt against Alex Pereira. Chuck Liddell and Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua are tied for the most knockdowns in the promotion’s light heavyweight history with Rountree also being in lockstep with those two for most knockdowns among 205 pound fighters in the organization of all time.

When MMA Junkie‘s Mike Bohn asked him what it would mean to break beyond the status of being tied for most knockdowns landed in light heavyweight history with Mauricio Rua and Chuck Liddell at 14 to become the outright record holder following this Prochazka fight, Rountree said,

“It would be amazing. I love that. Like when I heard the first time that I; I think I was like right behind Chuck. I think the knockdown against Jamahal [Hill] or something like that, it kind of helped the numbers go up, I thought it was cool. To be mentioned amongst Shogun Rua and a Chuck Liddell and then to like even surpass that, that would be great.”

“That would be something that I’d be proud of it would mean a lot to me… I would say now that you brought it up, I’m gonna digest it and really take it in and appreciate it. Because it is a cool thing, it’s a good thing, and often times I can get so caught up on other stuff and being so focused on fighting, you know what I mean? So thank you for actually bringing that up because today I’m gonna hold that I can walk away with something that I can be proud of today.”

Khalil Rountree’s historic shot this weekend, the last knockdowns recorded by Rua and Liddell

Khalil Rountree could carve out a place in the history books and catapult himself toward a sophomore crack at the UFC crown potentially. But it is key to remember those who laid the ground work and it is directly important to look back on the last times that the aforementioned pair of former UFC champions secured their last knockdowns.

Chuck Liddell’s last knockdown inn the UFC transpired almost twenty years ago as ‘The Iceman’ made his arch rival Tito Ortiz touch the canvas during their widely hyped contest in December 2006. For Rua, the last knockdown he secured in the octagon came in December 2018 in a clash with Tyson Pedro.