Khalil Rountree Jr. recently shared insights about his last encounter with former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, revealing that Strickland took the time to apologize for his past comments. This unexpected moment comes as Rountree Jr. prepares for his light heavyweight title fight against Alex Pereira at UFC 307 this weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Rountree Jr. has gained a reputation as a formidable striker, which led Pereira to invite Strickland to assist in his training camp for the upcoming title defense. Their history is noteworthy, as Strickland has previously been vocal on social media, making harsh accusations against Rountree Jr., including claims of him being part of a “cult” and even labeling him a “special needs” individual. Strickland also referred to Rountree Jr. as a “liberal c*ck beta male” during an interview, criticizing him for being perceived as too soft.

Despite this history, Strickland seemed eager to mend fences. In a recent UFC 307 media day interview, Rountree Jr. recalled the unexpected apology: “Honestly, the last interaction that I had with Sean Strickland was at the UFC P.I. Out of the blue, Sean Strickland comes up to me and said, ‘Khalil, I apologize, I’m a dumba*s. I actually kind of like you. I think you’re liberal, but overall, I like you, or I respect you,’ something along those lines. Almost squashing whatever beef.”

While Strickland has made peace with Rountree Jr., he remains confident about Pereira’s chances in the upcoming bout. In an interview with MMA reporter Helen Yee, Strickland predicted that Pereira would dominate the fight, stating, “I just can’t see Khalil pulling it off… Alex is going to make easy work of this fight.”

As UFC 307 approaches, all eyes will be on Rountree Jr. and Pereira, but Strickland’s unexpected apology adds an intriguing layer to the narrative.