The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Daniel Cormier Show - Khalil Rountree on loss to Alex Pereira, Jiri Prochazka, UFC journey, losing father

Episode Date: September 29, 2025

In Episode 2 of The Daniel Cormier Show, DC's newest show where he talks to UFC and MMA fighters and athletes in the sports world, light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree joins the show! DC talks to Khalil about his upbringing in Las Vegas, and what impact losing his father to murder had on his life. Rountree dives deep into the moment he decided to become an MMA fighter, and why shortly before then he contemplated his will to live. Khalil also details his fourth-round TKO loss to Alex Pereira and what exactly he was thinking the moment he let that victory and a title opportunity slip away. Plus, Cormier and Rountree dive into his time on The Ultimate Fighter, his weight loss journey, love for music as a child, and so much more! #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

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And when you talk about inspiring, I get to sit down with an inspiring guy today in Kalil aroundtree, Jr. This is a man whose journey began with tragedy. Honestly, lost his dad when he was a kid. struggle with depression, weight, his identity. But 19 years old, Khalil Roundtree walked into a gym at 300 pounds, and he made a choice that ultimately it changed his life, and he never looked back. Khalil has now dropped over 100 pounds. He's fought his way through the ultimate fighter to a UFC championship,

and he's become one of the most feared guys in the entire sport. But what makes Khalil special is, that beyond the violence is his honesty and his message that men can be dangerous and kind. And I'm very honored to be sitting and joined today by the one and only Khalil Rauntree Jr. That was awesome. Thank you for joining my friend. Wow. You are the man, boy.

I'm so excited to be here. No, that was cool. Thank you. It's nice to hear that back, especially on the path and the journey that I'm. I am trying to create for myself. So to hear someone like you give an introduction like that, it's nice and it's, it feels good. It's just your work that you've done have put you in a position where guys like me want to sit down with you, talk to you, kind of get to know you a little better, man, because the things

that you have done in your life and the things that you have been through have truly been amazing and we will get there. But you grew up in Las Vegas. Yes. Growing up in Vegas, I mean, we all come here to fight, right? We come here to fight. People come here to party, right? What was childhood in Vegas like? It was very, it was very interesting. So, like you said, people usually come here fight, party, or some type of entertainment. So I moved. moved here in 95. So I was born in L.A.

My mom moved us here to, to Las Vegas to take care of my great grandmother. At the time my mom was doing hospice, she was, you know, in home nurse and stuff. So we came here to take care of my great grandma, 95. And then up until her passing, you know, we just, we were in school,

so we just ended up staying here. In those days, I mean, we had the strip and that was it. Yeah. You know, the strip. And the people who ran the city or who worked you know the locals here it's either you worked at like a bar you know your mom was a cocktail waitress or worked at like the hospital or some type of service job to just kind of serve the strip yeah um and everything on the outside was just really desert plots of land that people were

looking to like purchase and then build a housing development or a plaza or something like that so there's just a lot of desert land before you know before how it is today So we had the strip and we had desert. So as a kid, we kind of just, we grew up into heat, summer heat. Just a very dry place. Only visitors, you know, would come here to just celebrate. So it was just an interesting place to grow up, man. Like the influence wasn't really the best.

You know, like Sin City, you know, like all this stuff. What happens in Vegas? Stays in Vegas and people leave. So like we never really got to. It was hard to like form connections with people because they were just like in and out or family members would just come to be like in and out. We didn't have sports. You know, like we don't walk because it's just too hot. So it was interesting, man.

So I grew up just kind of trying to find my way through the desert, really. You know what's interesting about your life and your journey is that music was the influence in your childhood, not sports. We don't get that much in terms of athletes, right? Especially ones that compete at the level that you compete at. You and I were speaking before we went on air and you said, I never played football. And that to me is crazy because it's all I've done is play sports. So when you make the transition and you become a professional athlete, it's almost natural. But you didn't have that.

No, not at all. You said you had a fear of playing football? Yeah, both my brothers, my older brothers growing up, they played sports, every sport, baseball, basketball, football. And I would go to the games and support them. And people would always ask me, like, when are you going to get out there and go play? Because I always had size. I was always a big guy. Yeah.

So people would always ask me, like, when are you going to get in there? And I would just be like, no, I'm not interested. And it's because I never had that kind of courage instilled in me. I was a bit afraid because I knew that I was big, but I'd never really been used to for like my having to compete or having to interact with other people because I was really introverted. So a lot of sports and stuff kind of made me shy.

You know what I mean? Yeah, but Khalil, in that, right, in that learning to interact with people and compete at that young age, it allows for athletes to have. have that quality. Yeah. To have that quality, especially as they evolve into who they become as men and athletes. Has that been difficult for you to develop, right? Because if that's something that you didn't

have almost forced into you as a youth, how do you develop that as an adult? Because since I was six years old, I've played some sort of sport. So competition to me was natural. It came second nature that experience of competition and somebody in front of me that I have to beat how do you develop that as a man it's been a it's been a very interesting journey I think the number one thing that has helped me develop in that area is the people around me like my environment yeah I started to listen to you know guys that had experience in sports are older than me and I it was like influence but at an older age so now it's like 20 years old getting in my first one-on-one fist fighting an amateur you know what I mean I'm like I don't know confrontation but these guys are

telling me kind of what to do so okay I guess this is it you know what I mean yeah um it and then it just it came from that really it came from someone else acknowledging it in me and then just kind of be like, all right, like, you got to really bite down and find this fire to compete. I know it's in there. The music industry, though, played a massive part. Was that from your father? Yeah, my father, he was a road manager for Boys to Men and New Edition back in the late 80s, early 90s, and he passed away on tour.

He was murdered on tour with Boys to Men. And growing up, I had all of these plaques that were left for him from Boys to Men, New edition. Everybody who worked with anytime their album got, you know, gold, silver, platinum, they would always gift my dad with that. So my dad's name was always at the bottom and it's like 200 million records

sold, you know, Boystam End to Khalil Roundtree. And so from a kid, the only memories, the only tangible things that I had from my father were what he was awarded. Yeah. So I always was inspired by music

because I felt like that was my connection to my father. So I always just connected through, like, almost like spiritually through music. That kind of helped me fill that void of, I guess, emptiness that I didn't even really know I had. It was just, I was kind of born with it or it was taken from me. So then there was a hole that was left. And I filled it with music because of what my dad left behind.

So it meant to you just a connection to your dad, because I watched that, right? You did something called UFC Connections, and you said you were constantly buying instruments. I mean, could you play? Did your mom have the ability to show you how to use those instruments? Or were you trying to teach yourself? I taught myself. That spoke to you, right? Music spoke to you.

Yeah, I taught myself, really. What instruments did you play? So my first instrument was a drum set. I asked my mom if she could buy me a drum set for Christmas. That's all I wanted, nothing else. And she was able to do that one Christmas. And I would listen. I would just put on my headphones and put,

on one of my favorite songs and I would just try to follow the beat, you know, with the sticks until it became almost seamless and it fit right in with this with the song. And I started to figure out like, okay, cool. Now I can take off my headphones and now I can play drums and I can play this song specifically. And the drums got too loud. My mom was just kind of sick and me beat, you know what I mean? I would become annoying.

It becomes annoying. Especially in the beginning when you're not very good at it. Yeah. But I was dedicated, you know, and she supported me. And I picked that up, but I realized like, okay, this is too loud. And so my next instrument, I believe, was a bass guitar. And then so, like, I started playing the bass guitar. And then I would listen to my headphones, you know, hear, okay, this is the baseline.

And then I would just practice over and over again until it sounded right. And I never had anybody teach me like, this is a chord, this is, you know, chord progression. this is the E string, A string. No one taught me that I just picked it up and tuned to what I heard, and then that's how I learned how to play instruments. And that's how I, that was like my escape or like my outlet to start collecting. Like, okay, cool, now I want a keyboard and I'd like learn a song or listen to it and just, okay, that's the note, that's a note until I can play it.

So you had like a musical ear, right? But like, do you really believe, like, do we believe that it's almost passed down to you? Like, can we, do you think we're stuff like that is passed down like a kid's father who's a great athlete is going to be relatively good athletically in most cases? Do you think that that was passed down to you a little bit? Because I can't listen to music and then play music. It doesn't work that way for me. Yeah. It could be.

I mean, it could be that's passed down. I don't know, and I'd never heard any stories of my dad actually playing any instruments. But some of the great stories I did here is that he was essentially a Renaissance man. Like he could cut hair, he could fix anything, you know, he could do it. He was a jack of all trades from everybody I heard stories from that knew him. That's what they said. But I never heard anything musically. So I always just say like because of what he left behind and the memories he left behind,

And then that just, it comes from him. Yeah. You know, whether he had the ability or not, just like his existence, that it just passed music down to me. Yeah. All right, guys, we're extremely excited to announce our new partner and sponsor Hard Rock Bet. So everybody knows and loves the Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos. But now you can use the top-rated Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook to place your bets all NFL season and beyond.

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Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas, we invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide. range of podcasts throughout there.

But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. We were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the

early names of our band before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast,

where people could call in and say, hey Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite.

Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer's Streeter Side help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast. deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore

higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized,

but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land, while doing the work to become whole. This podcast is for you. To hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a paramedipausal chin here you do.

So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with Deanna Maria Maria. Areva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How can it be getting naked at 50 with a new guy? That one's kind of hard.

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Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. When we were talking, I told you we have some things in common. your dad was murdered at a very young age. My dad was murdered when I was seven years old, right? So I was a little older. But your dad passed when you were two years old. But you didn't find out why until you were a teenager, right? You thought he was sick.

Yeah. And then you learned that he was murdered as a teen. Yeah. One, why so long before you found out? And two, how did you process that? How did you process that as a teenager finding out that it was violent crime? that got your dad. Because Khalil, as a black man, right?

We learn early that there's a lot of violence in our community, right? And my father passed to violence years did also. How did you handle that? When I got to be around, I think it was around like 11. I think 11 was the age that my mom told me, the truth. But up until 11, I mean, as we get older, we just get smarter, right? we just get a little bit more like tuned to things. And I just remember as I got older before I turned 11,

the thing that he like died from diabetes and stuff, like it really just, I didn't believe it anymore. Really? Yeah. Like it didn't make sense to you. It just, not that it didn't make sense. It was more just like how like when I was around or if I asked questions about my dad, people's responses about how he died, it just didn't seem genuine.

You know, like when you're a kid, you can kind of sense, you know, bullshit. Yeah, yeah, for sure. You know, so I just knew that, but I never knew exactly what it was. But I always knew like, maybe it was something else. They just don't want to tell me. So around the time when my mom did tell me actually what happened, I remember a sense of relief of like knowing like, okay, I know I'm not crazy. I knew it was something else.

But then like when she told me that he was murdered, that to me that's where like life really started to like hit for me that's where like anger and pain and resentment and you know what I mean like a hard look at life

hit me at 11 because of that because now I'm like I know murder's real I see it on TV whatever but it's like to be directly affected by it now it's like okay I don't have dad because he was murdered and then now I just think about like the world is a dark place or like you know my mind starts to make up whatever it is about murder and why it happened and yeah and so then that's kind of where like I guess I started to have a more pessimistic outlook

on life how old are you two brothers um my middle brother Donovan is five years older than me and then David is, I believe, around five years older than him. So there's like a 10-year gap in total. They were old enough to understand. Yeah. Did you ever find out what happened? Yeah. I know the whole story, all the details, everything.

Who told you? You know what? It took, I knew the basis of what happened. He was on tour. You know, he was a well-put-together guy, and some guys went to him. his hotel to rob him, essentially as a story that I heard, rob him, which turned into a fight, which turned into a gunfight in an elevator.

So, like, I knew the baseline story, and then as I got older, I started to look more into, like, the actual, you know, what's the, like, the court document. The report, the prime report. Yeah, yeah, yeah, like all that. You've seen it. Yeah, I've seen it all. Yeah.

You seek that out for some sort of closure, or, like, why did you see it? seek that out. Yeah, I mean, it's like, I'm a curious guy, you know. I'm a curious guy. I like to explore. It's good to read. I like, you know what I mean? I like to read as much as, you know, as I give myself time to. So, yeah, I figured like, instead of avoiding it, why not read what's like fact written by law, written, you know what I'm like? Because everything we get is a story. Yeah, exactly. Now you know the story because was that hard? to deal with? No, I actually feel like the more and more I look into things or like, or just kind of put

myself in that night. I think the more I'm at peace, you know? So many people couldn't do that. Yeah. It brings me more peace than anything. It brings me more peace and more pride. Yeah. You said that many of the stories you get from your dad is from.

people that knew him, they spoke of his kindness, they spoke about how he was a Renaissance man and all that. Has that served to shape you in terms of who you are today? Yeah, absolutely. Everything from like the way I speak to the people I surround myself with or books I want to read or, you know, the plans that I have for my life and all that stuff is like a direct, you know, I'm directly impacted by just the stories that I heard about that.

So let me ask you this, all right, because this is one thing that I didn't struggle with necessarily, but it always came up when people would speak to me about my father, right? When my father got killed, he was killed by the dad of his new wife, right, on Thanksgiving. And it was very sad for my mother because obviously it was the father. of her children, but so many people spoke of him in such positive light. And I'm like, well, if everything was so positive, like, when will somebody speak to me truthfully? Because nobody's perfect, right? You and I both make mistakes. And I'm pretty sure I know my father wasn't perfect. My father was a womanizer. That was his, his, has anyone ever had a real conversation? Like,

Has anybody ever said, did you ever go, because you're an intuitive guy? You ever go, well, tell me something that wasn't so bright and shiny. Yeah. About my father. Yeah, 100%. You have. My mother. And your mom was able to tell you those things?

Yeah. And did you appreciate that? Yeah. Yeah, right? I actually did. Yeah, it gave me a perspective, man, on love. Yeah. You know what I mean?

On relationship, on reality. of seeing like it kind of for the longest time I you know idolized my father and then my mom you know kind of tells me some stuff and I'm like okay like everybody's human he was a man yeah yeah like honestly because we we are taught as boys to put these men on the pedestal at times and then you learn well but it doesn't change the love yeah right my mother who to me was the sweetest human being in the world I love my mom to death before she passed but my dad used to sometimes pop into the house, even though he was married to that other woman.

You know what my mom did once? What? Can I tell you what my mom did, Kalil? You always take some crazy shit? Did he hit him in the head with like a... Okay, no, Kalil was crazier than that. We were driving at a four-way stop in my hometown. Okay, four-way stop?

Yep. Envision it. Close your eyes. Lafayette, Louisiana, small town. Let's see, okay. She's driving the Plymouth. Okay. My mom's driving the Plymouth because we all had Plymits.

My mom sees the car of my father being driven by the other woman. Left hand, right hand or straight. Left hand, right hand. My mom's coming straight. The lady's coming from the other side. Okay. Mom hits her with the car. Oh.

She runs the car to the other car. I don't mean to laugh by the, like, damn. My mom was a saint to me, but I can't forget that she did that. Because you know what she told the police? That's my car. I'm driving my car. Why can't I wreck both of my cars? It doesn't change the love I have from my mom.

Yeah. Right? Obviously, I was. with my mom until I was 43 years old. So it's different, 42 years old. With my dad, I was going at 7. I wanted to know the truth. Right, but it didn't change the love that I had for.

Yeah, of course. Right? So you can look at all that and get those true stories. And you appreciate the true stories. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because only the good, not only can you be shaped by good, you can also kind of try to avoid some of the things that might have been bad. Yeah.

I mean, I think it's a part of, like you said, being a man, being a human. I mean, other people make mistakes and then try to pass it down so that we don't make the same. Yeah. You got to do something, you got to mess up to be able to pass something down. You know what I mean? Yeah, for sure. Like, we can't all be perfect. And yeah, I think it's always good to have, you know, a true perspective, man.

That was awesome. That's so crazy. Yeah, she was crazy a little bit. But again, you never know, right? but that will never change the way I viewed my mother because she protected me and she loved me. And that's one thing that in our community we get, our mom. John Jones's mom passed and you know him and I's history.

And I felt compelled to tell him, I was sorry I felt for him because I still had my mom. And we know how important they are to us. Your mom raised you and your brothers. She believed in you. I mean, she believed in you more than anyone. And at 14,

she even let you go off on your own. a little bit. Yeah. When you decided to play drum, she supported you. Yeah. How was that? Having that, like, just undying support by someone that could see greatness in you, even when at times, Kululul, frankly, you might not have seen it in yourself.

It's unreal, man. I'm eternally grateful for my mom. I still have a very close relationship with my mom. she holds a very, very deep, you know, the deepest part of my heart because of everything that she went through as a single mom to raise four kids. You know what I mean? Not Mary on purpose because she just would never put anything before her kids. It's hard.

You know, it's like very selfless. Yeah. And I just remember, yeah, when I was young, anything that I wanted to do, yeah, my mom always supported me. And that was where I was kind of speaking about, like, the sports earlier. Like, I didn't have the courage. I didn't have that courageous push from someone in my household. But I always had love and comfort. Yeah.

Comfort and love. Whatever I, if I was afraid, not like, oh, I'm afraid, mom, you know. But it's just like I just knew, even if my mouth was shut, whatever, I walk in the door and my mom kind of already knew. She had you. She had me. You get what I mean? So if I said, hey, mom.

I want to be in a band and these guys are going to California. This would be my first time traveling, playing on a stage, and she's just like, okay, like, if that's what you want to do, I support you. But just go and do your best and make sure, you know, make sure you do your very best on stage when you're performing. And here's the phone, like make sure that we stay in contact, but I want to hear all about it when you get back home. You know, like, and so I'm like, okay.

And then after high school, like I told my mom, because she told me, I just want you to graduate high school. Whatever you do with your life after that, you'll be 18. You're a man. You got to go. But my only dream is please finish high school. Like that's my only, like my living dream. Just finish high school.

So I finished high school and I didn't play music at the time. But my friends who I grew up with playing music, they made it. They were signed by a label. Label was paying for them to go on tour, all this. And they invited me to come out and still be on the road with them and selling their merch. This was fresh out of high school, so I told my mom like, hey, I got a new job. Going to be gone two and a half months out of the year at a time, traveling all around the

country via bus. This is what I mean. She's like, okay, like, that's amazing. You get to travel the world. You get to go to states I've never been to. She's like, that's so cool. Send me photos, take, you know? And that's just been my mom from the start, yeah.

Sounds like she's just like you're biggest supporter. Yeah, biggest supporter. The only thing that, like, she supports my fighting, but she can't watch it. I was going to ask you that. Like, how is it now, right? When you tell mom at 21, hey, I'm going to be a mixed martial artist. That's what I want to do. Hey, I've supported you in bands.

That gets scary. My mom would go to the fight because I wouldn't do it without her. But I don't know that she ever watched a fight because her head was down the whole time. She was so scared. How's that now, though? But not only the fact that she won't watch, but the fact that you can give her now. here mom this is me little calil the one that you believed in every step in away i can take care of you now like like how is that for you as a man i mean it it feels good and i definitely it's still a big part of

my uh my motivation yes because like i want to do more you know what i mean like from the outside you know from the outside looking in and based off where i come from and even just people in my family like i'm doing well i'm blessed you know i'm i'm i'm i'm grateful grateful but like when I think about moms I'm like okay like I can do more that's all every time I see my mom it's like I got I can do more and I will and I got it and like I got you I got you you know however it is you know maybe it's not a you know 10 million dollar house like I imagine but it's going to it will be something you know what I mean isn't that amazing yeah like you said amen I would walk in and she got me but now at this age

mom I got you yeah right one of my greatest accomplishments was by my own house. When I, when I grew up, my mom cleaned houses for a living. And I wanted to make sure that by the time she passed, she had her own house cleaners. And that meant something to her. Yeah, for sure. All the belts, all the other stuff. It didn't, matter as much as me giving to my mother what she gave to me. You know, remember the nutty professor, a little fat boy that Hercules, Herk. Yeah. My mom used to have me feeling like that. A little fat boy, it didn't matter what I felt. I'm, I'm a little nutty professor. I'm a little fat boy. I'm I'm picking up my muscles.

He's so strong, baby. And it just gave me this belief that I can do anything. That's just the craziest. That's so good. It is the craziest thing of all time. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news.

What's the news, huge news? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a... We're the first people to do podcasts.

Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how did we? How do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band.

Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title. for the podcast.

But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends.

Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel. Help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shake my behavior. And that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected.

We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole. This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with the Anna Maria Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate

midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How can it be getting naked at 50 with a new guy?

That one's kind of hard, now? Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask, How Hard Can It Be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva

as part of My Cultura Podcast Network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, Khalil, like, you're dressed. The way you dress has always been like, this boy got some style. You were in GQ. recently. GQ. Calil.

Say it again. You were a GQ. That's so cool. Like what did that mean to you to not only have the foresight to always keep yourself up, make yourself look nice, but life outside of fighting, this is not just mixed martial arts. You have built something to where that magazine and that platform is like, we want Khalil Roundtree Jr. And that's the matter to you.

It's so cool, D.C., because I just, I get to enjoy, like, all of these cool things and have all of these cool experiences. And at the end of the day, D.C., like, I'm just being myself, man. Yeah. Like, I fight in the cage. I've always, from since the first time I lost weight, part of my motivation to lose weight was I want to be able to shop in the mall. Yeah. I want to be able to wear the outfit. on the mannequin.

Yeah. And when I was so big, I couldn't. You know what I mean? Like the biggest size was XL. Here I am 4X. Like, so what am I wearing? You know, just like a blank t-shirt and you know what I mean? Some shorts from Costco.

Like, I don't know. But now, like, since I've lost weight, it's like, now I like, I like clothes. I want to wear, I want to dress like whatever I see on the mannequin or whatever, you know. And I'm still just being myself. And like, I'm, I'm just living life. and I'm blessed to be able to do what I do. And it's through fighting, through channeling that, you know, having the support, but stepping into that courage of like, I'm all this and I can fight.

And you know what I mean? And I'm the baddest man on the planet. Like, it's the best. No, it's just, it's so cool, man. Yeah. Yeah, it's so cool. Yeah. You spoke about men having a softer side.

You said, I am equally violent and dangerous as I am sensitive in kind. I mean, I honestly, it's like for a guy like me, right, or a guy that doesn't do what you do, they can't even really understand or comprehend that. But why is balance so important for you? Not only the violence, because the style is very violent, right? Inside the outgun, it's very violent. But you also want to make sure people understand that there's a different side to Khalil Rauntree. And I think that's why platforms like GQ are like,

that's what interests me because there are I mean there are 700 fighters on this roster yeah every one of them violent but I don't think everyone has that other side like you do hmm yeah it's it's it's it's definitely interesting I think that a part of a part of just my story like not having my dad and only kind of having my mom I think that helped me if my dad was around maybe I would have definitely been one one one one-sided, you know what I mean, more. Or I would have seen this guy, six, five, three, 20, you know, just built. And I'm like, who knows, my brain would have like, like, I want to be like, you know, you know what I mean? And like, my mom five foot, nothing. So like, here I am

sprouting up being loved by my mom. The only real love, true love that I knew was from my mom. So I think it's not very common. I know that there are other men like that in the world. I'm grateful for everything that's happened. And you know what I mean? Although it took a long time to get to where I'm at today, I can sit here and say, like, I'm grateful that for the journey and for everything that I've lost and everything

so that I can be the guy who I am today and have the good experience of both. Like the extremes of both, really. Yeah, for sure. And a journey's never taken alone. Your wife, Mia, has played a massive. apart in your journey. The dragon. I mean, how important has she been

in this whole thing? And how much has her presence and how much has their presence meant to you to become the person that you are today? Because you don't hide her. I was at the contender series and you were there with your wife. Like you guys are, you know,

at the golf simulator. You're there with your wife. Like how important has her presence been to Kalilu? Oh man. It's everything. It, you know, like, like she is uh she's the dragon man she's like you know what i mean it's like if if you see me you know flying in riding in like i'm with the dragon yeah that's how i look at it you know like and like i love her and we're best friends you know we're like we're ride or die we like we're

honest with each other we're as equally sweet with each other you know what i mean it's like it's just man like i'm so grateful for me me. She's smarter than anybody I've ever met in my life. We've got a great, like, communication, level of respect. It's just, I'm lucky. So it's like, yeah, if I'm going to contender series and I'm bringing my wife, we're going golf and bringing my wife because we, like, we're a unit, man. Like, we've, that's just kind of the life that we've chosen to build together is like, let's just do it together versus, like, you and me and, oh, it's just, let's ride together.

and make some dreams come true, you know. That's amazing. It's fire. It's fire. Definitely the healthiest relationship I've ever been in. With the healthy relationship comes to question, kids? Absolutely. In the future, like, are this something you're going to focus on when fighting's done?

Or do you want a family? Give me the belt. Give me my kids. No, I really, I want twin girls. Girls, you want girls? That's my dream, yeah. My dream, obviously, it's like, yes, twin girls. and I'm set for life.

The belt and then twin girls and like, I need nothing else out of this life. But yeah, we're playing, we're hoping. So the both of us have an understanding right now that I'm so close to getting to the belt again. Yeah. And there's some, you know, one to two big obstacles in front of that. And we've both decided that right now is this time.

is dedicated to me and you know the next the rest of this year for sure and uh i'd like to say by this time next year there's either one brewing or one coming out you know what i mean kids are one or two too like i said you know twin girls would be my absolute dream well you you got to have twins in your family do you have twins in your family my mom's a twin and then my mom's twin uh her daughter has twins. Okay. And like there's, it's,

it's in the blood. It's in the blood. So it might actually be a possibility. It's possible. So you and I met long time ago. Yep. At Vandali Silva's Gym. Yep.

I didn't recall that as, as much as you did. But that was after you had made a change in your life. You had decided that I'm done being heavy. I'm done smoking and just kind of wasting my life away. Like so many teens do. So many teens make bad choices early. that ultimately affect them.

Do you remember when you decided that enough was enough? Depression, overweight, doing the wrong thing, no true direction. Do you remember a time where you go, enough is enough? I want to change. I'm going to do something different. 100%. I was on tour with the bands that I was working with. And that time was like the darkest time in my life.

I remember sitting in the van, in the front seat of the car, just contemplating what the last week to two weeks looked like in my brain. You know, like, what was I experiencing? What was I going through? What was I doing? The environments that I was in. So I'm sitting in the front seat of the van. Got like the shade down. The guys have to play that night.

And I remember just like sitting there and I'm thinking about just all this stuff. past bars, you know, just conversations. I was like taking pills that I didn't even, I didn't even know what they were. You know what I mean? Like they were some, they were just pills, like prescription pills.

And it was just in the, you were lost. Yeah, it was just, you know what I mean? I was like on the road. I'm around a bunch of people who I like, I really, at the core of who I am, I really don't fit in here. But all of the layers of stuff

that I built over myself makes me feel like this is where I belong. You get what I mean? Yeah, yeah, for sure. My hatred for self, for people. Like, you know, I'm just like, I'm just covered in filth. You know, like, that's how I could describe myself at the time, just covered in filth. But I'm sitting in the front of this van. And I remember I was just like, man, man, I've never done this before.

But like, if there's a God, turn my life around because like this is terrible stuff you know what I mean and I'm like I don't even want to live anymore like yeah I just like I'm literally sitting front like in the front seat of this van just thinking like I don't even want to be alive and I was just like if there's anything out there now's your chance otherwise like I'm I'm done for you said you felt your heart almost stopped felt my heart almost stopped. That's around the same time. It's like that was like also in the,

it's all around the same time. You know what I mean? Like I'm feeling my heart's like, slow down. Do these bad things. I'm like contemplating everything that I've done bad, right? Trying to figure out why. Yeah, but also like not even really caring.

You get what I'm saying? Like does that make sense? Like yeah. Like kind of trying to kill myself in a way. You know what I mean? Because like obviously I know it's bad for me. but that's all I was going after. I had nothing else to go after.

So I was like, okay, if this is my fate, this is my fate, until, yeah, I was like, kind of like heart scare and I was just like, okay, I mean, this has to be a turnaround. Like, this has to be a turnaround. I've got to do something different. I guess I don't really want to die. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah, like I'm too young. My mom would be so sad.

just start thinking about all that stuff, other people, and then trying to find a way. And eventually that way was my brother Donnie watching UFC and kind of showing me, hey, this is what I'm interested in. And maybe one day I can do this or we can do this. And it started from there. And 11 months later, you're down to 100 problems. How hard was it in the beginning on that journey to not get discouraged? And honestly, give up because when you're heavy, right, you're not starting from any

type of cardio base. No, not at all. You're literally, every single thing you do is the hardest thing you've ever done. And it hurts. It hurts. How hard was it to not give up in those moments? Because like I said, 11 months later, you're down 100 pounds. Yeah. Was it seeing the results that propelled you forward? Can you remember that? Yeah. I remember, okay, so the day I joined the gym and I took my first Muay Thai class, I, that's the day I stopped smoking cigarettes. because I just felt like couldn't breathe couldn't breathe at all you know two kicks on the pad three kicks on the pad and the coach is telling us we got to do 20 each leg I was just like well if like I like I like being able to kick the shit out of something but I can't breathe I can't

do it so then that day I was just like okay that's got to be out of the question because like I like were you smoking cigarettes or just weed two packs of cigarettes. So cigarettes. Futs 40 cigarettes. Here's the problem. You knew what cigarettes do to you. Yeah. You know that cigarettes kill you. I didn't care. That's the thing. I didn't care. Like, I just

didn't care. I could see this stuff. It says on the package this and that. And like, I see people like, you know, talk. Yeah. The hole in the neck. Yeah, the hole in the neck. And like, I've seen, I saw the effects. Like, there is no positive from it. But I didn't care. You get like, I'm just like,

who cares? I have nothing to look forward to life anyway. I'm going to die in this one bedroom apartment with five of my family members anyway. You know, like I just had this pessimistic outlook until I started training. And Muay. M.M.A.

Safe. Saved you. Yeah. Vandrele's place. Like that was like kind of like our safe haven. My brother and I both. We both we saw pride I think on YouTube or something. And we saw Vandrelea Silva, the axe murderer. We loved his style. We

started looking up more stuff and then we found out wow vanderle de sova just opened up a gym in las vegas if we're going to do this let's go there yeah and then we started going there right on the freeway yeah and um we started going there man and that's everything that like the people that we met there and just like the the training and just the lifestyle itself is what would change us how far into your journey did you and i meet i would say like within that first 11 months you were still an amateur I didn't even have my first fight yet. Oh, okay. I had no idea.

It was like literally DC, like I'd probably been in it for three months, four months. Really? Yeah. That's awesome. Yeah. And then you come across just vandal and guys that are just passing through. And then we train and you see what I've been coming. You're like, I can do this.

Yeah, you slam me all over the ground. Well, you hadn't wrestled. Made me borderline tear up. And then I had to find out that I just went with, you know, this Olympic wrestler. Yeah. Oh, yeah, you hadn't wrestled before. Yeah. But then you watch those guys passing.

Like, all right, man, I'm on the right track. Because then it's easy to go forward when you're rubbing elbows with these people. We probably had a conversation after practice. We might have, yeah. Yeah, sat and talked. Yeah. And that's like, that's what's important on that journey of, man, I wish I knew, right? I wish I could have known in that moment what you had been through or the journey.

you were on because I would have tried to do something to help motivate you. Especially knowing that mindset that you were operating with at that time, right? As a young man that was trying to truly turn his life around. So now looking back and thinking back to that where you're just kind of passing through, it feels like an opportunity missed because not everybody's going to be you that gets it right and grows to be who you are today. So I think you now in this position, when you're in a different gym, you got to make sure that you're super aware of the surroundings because maybe a word with a guy.

Yeah, it could be everything. It could be in the world to him. Yeah, for sure. No, that's deep. And that, like, I'm definitely going to take that into consideration. And like, not even consideration. Just keep that in my brain. Present.

Yeah, keep it present. Yeah, for sure, man. Because it's like that moment is cemented in my memory bank. Yeah. You know what I mean? I remember I was wearing yellow moit Thai shorts. You know what to me? Yeah.

And then I was like, that's the day that, you know, that I sparred with Daniel Cormier, and I remember exactly how it felt. But, like, that's a part of my story. So the same thing can be. You can do that for someone now. And that's an amazing thing. On the ultimate Friday, you had a very, very emotional moment discussing your father. That was a big stage to really open up.

Yeah. Is that a part of that balance, right? Being able to be emotional on such a big stage. Because at that point, the ultimate. fighter was the biggest thing you had ever done in your entire life. Yeah. Even though you'd played in bands, even though you'd done music, you'd never done it at that level. Yeah.

Was that hard to do or does the emotion just kind of guide you at times and you do it on that stage? I had no choice. Yeah. Like, I had no choice in the Ultimate Fighter. I mean, there's everything. They're filming nonstop. You know what I mean? I even tried to, I tried to get away from the cameras and go outside and, you know,

and have my moment. But, you know, so there was really no escaping it. But I never, I never regret it, you know. I think that, man, my mom always used to tell me, like, you know, don't it. When people say, like, boys don't cry. Yeah, I know. She's like, don't ever believe that. You know, she's just like, humans cry.

Human beings, male, you know, it doesn't matter. Skin color, nothing. Everybody cries. And when you feel it's coming up and you're going to cry, then like, you know, let it out and then be done with it. Yeah, yeah, for sure. You know what he's like, let it out and be done with it. Like, don't cry for pity, but like if it's coming up and you feel so strongly about

something, let it out. It doesn't change who you are as a person. So like, I was just like, okay, cool. So obviously in a sport like this, we know we want to hold on to our stuff and we want to be as stern as possible. I'm not saying cry about everything, but like for me at that time, I just, I couldn't hold it back. It was my dad's birthday, and I was so trapped in, you know, being on the show and stuff that I forgot it.

I didn't even, it didn't even cross my mind. And so when I had the moment, it just hit me, you know what I mean? And that was it for me. The moment you realized you were in the UFC, from that dream of your brother watching and going, this is our avenue. This is our way, right? Obviously, your brother isn't in the UFC, right? while you guys might have started that journey together, your journey veered off and went to the heights of this sport.

When you realize I'm a UFC fighter from the scared 19-year-old boy that's sitting in that van, heart about to stop, what did that feel like? At the time when I first got signed to the UFC, I felt like, oh, I'm the man. Yeah. You know, little did I know, D.C., but I thought I was the man.

I was still nervous to be there, but I thought, like, this is my dream come true. You know, I thought that I had reached a pinnacle. And I think I took a lot. I think I got into the UFC with only four fights. Yeah. You know what I mean? You're a baby. Yeah, super baby.

Only four professional fights and then like seven amateur fights. So anyway, I get there and I'm like, I'm in UFC now. Yeah. You know, I'm in the UFC now. And little did I know, like, I was like, no, you're in the UFC now. Wake up. Yeah. Get to work.

Like, you know, it took me a long time to, like, get smacked in the face and realize, like, you can also not be here tomorrow. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Because it didn't start great. No, man. Like, it started like this, you know? Up and down.

Up and down. Our big fight. Go Kansaki. Johnny Walker. You know, it's like, but it's because I really wasn't like, I wasn't really locked in. I wasn't really like fully grateful or I was just in the mixture. Like I was right in the middle of like, I guess transitioning, you know, like just becoming more mature, becoming, you know what I mean? Grown, grown, grown man, you know, like life experience, everything.

Because I was 24, 25. Yeah, you're a baby. Yeah. But since 20. 2021 though you kind of got it going in the right direction right you're 6-1 the only loss a world heavyweight title fight where many believe that going into the fourth round you were winning right yeah can you go back to that and think like what you were thinking going into that round like man I'm beating alex perrera especially with the way that he was viewed at the time and how people gawked at you getting a title fight you're like

wait a minute. Not only did I get this fight, I'm winning this fight. Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk through what you were thinking going into that fourth round and what it was like to share the cage of Pereira. Every single round of that fight, I was thinking, how amazing is this? Every time I got, every time I got punched, every exchange, I was in my mind thinking, like, how amazing is this? The exchanges in what was happening, I can't really tell you much, about what I was plotting in this and that, but I just remember, like, how amazing is this? And I'm the main event right now in Salt Lake City

against Alex Pereira. Like I said, I was going to be, like I asked for, and like, and it's happening now. Knowing, too, that I had full belief in myself that I could win this fight, you know? So, like, I'm just, I was in it. I was locked in, like, how amazing is this? And then even coming into the fourth round,

third the half of the third round was pretty bad that's when he really started to sting me yeah you know what I mean I really started to like get dizzy and fatigue like not cardio fatigue but like boat you know because you when you start taking damage you start taking damage your body just says do preserve yourself you know what I'm saying um and I remember going into the fourth um I was just I was thinking 15 or 10 minutes left and I was like I can do anything for 10 minutes yeah and so essentially the story that I like to tell is that I just I treated the fourth round like the fifth and I just let it all out in the fourth yeah and that's not what I should have done what I should have done has was know that I'm up to possibly three yeah

cool off in the first, cool off in the fourth, and then take it to him in the fifth. That would have been a little bit, you know what I mean? But I hadn't had that experience yet. I was, I was so pumped up. I was so fighting for the title, I know I can beat this guy. You know what I? I was just, I was all heart. Yeah.

You know what I mean? It was, it was, it was all hard. It was all hard, but it was very, it was honestly kind of scary. Right? It was honestly kind of scary because, like you said, you started stinging you, you had the cuts, your nose was messed up. And then it seemed like you took more damage later when you were like, I'm going to let it all hang out.

I know you won't quit. I know you'll never quit. But that had to be hard for the people that love you to watch that. And then you had to go to them after the fight, and they have to see you in that state. And that has to suck a little bit because I got knocked out once. And when I went to the back, I was with my children, and they were crying, bro. And that's hard to deal with.

and it makes you kind of think, it made me kind of think, man, I put my kids through this. Did you have that moment after, like, it was awesome for me, but that had to be hard from people that love me to watch. Hey, your mom doesn't watch fights? Thank God she never watched that. Yeah, she didn't watch that one.

Right? Yeah. You know what? I didn't really have to think about that too much because I got to experience it right there. I mean, my strength and conditioning coach Lorenzo, my wife, my brother, my sister-in-law, they were the ones that went to the hospital with me. Yeah.

You know, I got rushed to the hospital right after that fight, and they were in the hospital with me until 5 a.m. And I just saw it on their faces. You know what I mean? No, for sure, bro. You know, we didn't even have to have that combo. I think for the most part, you know, like they, from a deep place, I could feel that they were hurt. But they were still just like, I'm proud of you. You know?

But it was with like a. It was like, but to even look at your face right now, you know, it pains me. But like, I'm proud of you, you know. I know you, right? And I've interviewed you and I've talked to you. And even I was like, I don't love this. But I got to tell you, when I walked out at a hotel on Sunday morning to go home, I left at 5 a.m.

I was kind of shaking my head and I was smiling. Like what Khalil really did. Like, fight. Like, I left that place in Utah with a sense of, Khalil fought his ass off. And he did a great job. And even though he didn't win, it doesn't feel like he lost.

Yeah. But that was the overwhelming sentiment for most. Could you feel that fan appreciation, even in defeat, that it might have been even greater than some of the fight that you've won? The fans helped me so much in that fight, D.C., like in in many in many different ways i think that the fans helped me help me process that loss

the reaction from the fans really helped me process that loss and and help me to grow from it to have some more like belief you know like it was it was had i not had that reaction man i think you know i would have had a definitely a different type of fire lit because I wouldn't I wouldn't give up I'd still keep going for the for the belt but I think that it just it gave me a big appreciation for the fans and like I think all of the new fans and the past ones for you know what I mean for supporting me and a loss like that and really building me up in a loss like that because yeah I mean it motivated me more you know it made me want to keep fighting more you know I mean I just yeah keep going for it because now like

there's just so many more fans behind me now yeah yeah Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news? Huge news. We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts.

Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. And, well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down?

Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy. Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel

and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel. Help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and

explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more.

Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network. on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with Deanna Maria Riva, where I call on my GenX squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS.

All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess. happening on my I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that Ness was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, Fupa's, sex drive,

wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How can it be getting naked at 50 with the new guy? That one's kind of hard. That's what? Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears or tears of laughter, and dive into it unfiltered and unbothered

and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of My Cultura Podcast Network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Then you go to Baku and you beat Jamal Hill. Yeah.

Was that a fight a little easier than you expected? Because, boy, when we watched that, I got a group message and my friends, they were like, Khalil just dogged his dude out. It didn't seem like he had anything for you. Were you surprised that that fight played out in the way that it did? Or do you believe now you've elevated it to a point that if you're not one of the absolute best in the world, they can't really compete with you? That's a tough one to answer.

I don't really remember what I expected of that fight. I guess I can say that I had a little bit of an expectation of it being. Of it being a little harder. Yeah. Yeah. I did think, but like, okay. Because you watched him. I went into this fight, prepared.

You know, like, I wasn't overlooking this guy at all, former champion. Because you guys have been scheduled to fight before also. Exactly. With reach, you know, with punching power, with decent head movement. So I knew what I was up against. And when I went into that fight, I just did what I needed to do. Yeah.

To win the fight. Like that was my take on everything and my approach is that the only thing that mattered to me was to win that fight. Yeah. So there was no need to really chase him down or go overly crazy. I could just pick them apart. And you did. And for me, you competed at such a high level right after the, Pereira fight. One, how are you able to bounce back so quickly? And two, how are you able to not

have any residuals from that fight? Because I remember when I did get knocked out, when I walked to the octagon, I'm like, until I got into the fight, I was like, man, I got to make sure I don't get hit with this. I got to be careful because of what happened prior. And then when the door locks you fight, right? But when you go through what you went through with the, the, the confidence issues. How do you make sure that that's all locked away, and you don't deal with any of those second thoughts? Because, dude, you operated like you had never went through the Pereira fight and taking the

damage that you took. Everything that the world experiences when watching me fight in the cage live, everything that I am in that cage is just a, it's a product. of training. Yeah. It really is. The preparation and, and, uh, it's my job to show up that night and be 100% confident in my abilities.

And the only way that I can be 100% confident in my abilities is to put in the, like really put in the work during the training and, um, and be truthful to myself when I ask the question like, did I do enough to, yeah, you know what I mean? Did I actually do enough? And did I push myself to the limit every day? And did I put intention behind every movement? And you know what I mean? Did I properly prepare for this moment right now while the world's watching?

And if the answer is yes, then I'm okay. Kalil, you have put yourself in situations where every moment is intentional, where every spot is a big spot and the world is watching. And now we're on the verge of another one. You have C-320, you're fighting, you're a pro-hasker. He is one of the most unorthodox guys you've ever seen in the octagon. Him and Jamal Hill had a very fun fight also. But he didn't dominate Jamal in the way that you did.

What are your thoughts heading into the fight with Prohatska, another former champion, and a guy that is a very difficult guy to prepare for in his own regard? Prohastka is dangerous because of many different things. His strength. his physique, his what people like to call weird, an unorthodox type of style. It's a dangerous fight for me. And I'm, and I say that because I'm the one stepping in there.

Yeah. And I'm prepared. Khalil, Uri's only lost twice in 10 years. And that's only the Pereira. What would it mean to you to be, you know, Uri's lost in 10 years to Pereira and Kalil Roundtree. Because that's a feather in the cap, right? To beat a guy like that, that doesn't suffer defeat.

What would that mean to you to add that? And would that, or at least in your opinion, be enough to warrant another opportunity at the championship? I think that it would really solidify my number in the top five. Yeah. You know, beating him, gives me that number, like, respectfully. Yeah.

His only two losses. That's crazy, right, in 10 years. But you guys don't lose. That's the thing about the best guys in the world, right? You don't really lose, but in a decade, no one's beating Prohaska. It says a lot. Yeah. It says a lot.

But your intention is to go beat him and say, now it's Khalil and Pereira. But you aren't ready to say, I deserve a title shot after that? I don't like to say that I deserve anything. You know what I mean? Like, and maybe that's just my own, like, you know, self-sabotage or, I don't know. I don't know what to call it. But, like, I don't naturally just think about, like, what I deserve. I do dream of a second fight immediately after with Pereira.

But Pereira isn't the champion as we speak today. Yeah, yeah, as we speak today. True. but I guess the only way that I really would like that fight again is if he was the champion. Yeah. Because at the end of the day, that's my focus. That's my goal.

You know, like the belt is what matters to me. And who holds it is just, you know, we're all kind of placeholders. Does Uncle I of having the belt make it more likely that if you win, against your prohasker that you fight for the championship? Because again, you have defense support. You have the audience, right? And that matters in today's UFC. Yeah, it really does.

I didn't really give it too much thought, but I don't see why it wouldn't make sense for me to win this fight and then go into a title fight, whoever it is that goes home with the belt that night. Yeah. I could see how that would make sense to make that happen. You are a tremendous moitai fighter. I remember when you first came back from Thailand,

me and Rogan were like, who in the hell are we watching? It's so crazy. It was crazy. Like the differences that you made, but you brought in Jonathan Haggerty? Did you bring in, why would you bring in an,

you bring in an unbelievable moitai striker? Like, what does he mean to this camp? And why? When, honestly, I believe that in the UFC, your moitai is as high level as anybody we have in there. D.C. first and foremost, thank you for saying that I have, I think you said incredible moitai. That means a lot to me because I think my moitai is trash. Really?

In comparison to like guys that I admire and that I watch and I like, like the real Muay. So thank you. And then as far as Haggerty goes, Haggerty and I, we, we, we, We share the same coach, Christian Knowles. And so while Christian is here with me for training camp, Jonathan also has a fight coming up in Japan in November. So Chris, you know, being the coach that he is, being like the team that we are, it's like, okay, Haggerty, like, I'm in training camp right now.

You've got to get your training camp started. So you've got to come to Vegas because this is where we are. Yeah. And so we have, you know, we're not sparring. You guys don't spar? No, no, no. I mean, Haggerty fights at 135. But you can still spar them a little bit.

Yeah, we could. But, you know, it's not really anything that's... Moving around or sparring. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We both, we train together, but it's not something that, like, I specifically brought in, you know, Haggerty for this camp. It's just how we regulate and how I kind of run the team and stuff. It's like, Christians here.

You know, my guy Lamb is here who does all of our content. Like the team's in Vegas, bro. You got a fight coming up. Okay, you got to come to Vegas. And then, you know, we'll go to Thailand after or whatever. Yeah. Do you build your fight camp within the fight camp at Syndicate? Like, do you have a, like, I had fight camp within the camp.

So I had my own partners, I had my other coaches. Do you build that inside of the camp and syndicate? Yeah. Yeah, Syndicate. I started training with John 10 years ago. He's the man. Yeah, I love John. He's always been a great guy to me, a great mentor and friend and coach.

So he's always – syndicate has always been my home gym so long as I'm in Vegas. And John allows me to bring training partners in. And I make sure everything I run through him and kind of – have him analyze what's going on, game plan, strategize, and it seems to work. It's been working for it. Isn't it great to have a coach that has no ego? All he wants is the best for the athlete.

He really does, man. Yeah. Yeah. And he coaches everybody, you know, very, very differently and very specifically. It's nice to, and he's been in the game for so long. And he's friends with guys like you. And, you know, he's just been around. He's been in the game for a long time.

He's been dedicated to, you know, syndicate and making MMA. grow in Vegas and he yeah it's it's so cool man but yeah we bring guys in um if i need extra bodies uh extra coaches whatever whatever keeps camp i couldn't imagine sparring with you kicking me the way you kick now it's crazy you would need some extra bodies calil as we start to run and and head home uh you said one of your main goals in life is to inspire to inspire that kid that's 19 that's going through some of the things that's that you might have gone through in your life. Kids that are in that same place, right?

There are so many distractions for kids today, video games to drugs, to everything. What does it mean to you to be that person that can inspire the next generation, especially being one that lived that life, right? 19, I was in college, right? I was chasing NCAA championships. But there was a Khalil Roundtree,

and there was a Kalilatriuantree out there right now. What do you tell that kid? Hmm. You know, without saying directly to the kid, like, do this, because I really don't have, you know, a specific answer. But I have, like, a way of going about things. A lot of the times, do you see that, that young kid that's that I talk about or that young kid, eight, nine, ten, eleven years old, even in the teenagers, I think about it because there's still that part of me that exists, like, in my mind, in my spirit. You get what I mean? He's still there. He's still there.

Yep. So it's kind of like, it's almost like inception because a part of what I'm doing also is for that kid, that for that little me. You know what I mean? Yeah. For the four-year-old who, you know, who didn't know what it's like to have, you know, a father's embrace or a father to give you encouraging words, blah, blah, blah. A lot of times I speak to that kid. Sometimes it's the 19-year-old kid where I'm like, hey, get your shit together really like what are you doing with your life you're you know like think about it

you're you're wasting away or doing this like come on life happens and 10 years you're going to be you know 30 years old and you're going to wish that you would have done something differently and sometimes it's like you know the the 35 year old me or you know i'm just like so i look at it is like for one don't be afraid to be yourself but also like work to be work to be someone who like you wish you had you get what I mean like I try to be the father that I never had I try to be the the role model that I never had I tried to be the friend that I never had you know like to myself and to others and it seems to kind of work for me you know like I'm I'm intentional about like I said the things that I say or the things how I

treat people. If I leave the building, I'm like, okay, is everything okay? You know, like, did I, you know, did I, was I respectful? This and that. Like, those things really make sense. They make a difference. Live authentically. Be yourself. Carve your, like, carve your own path. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, we're doing everything we can to help inspire and all this stuff but we all have the ability to carve our own paths and to be our own sense of inspiration. You get what I mean? It comes from work. It comes from, you know, dedication and discipline.

But if there's something that you want in life, it's people say it all the time. It's absolutely possible. But your actions and intentions, everything has to line it. I can't be the champion if I'm like, yo, do you see after this, we go into the bar and like, you know what I mean? or like, hey, you know, instead of training today, I'm going to do this, like, that's just not really helping you on your path. So start to make decisions that point you in the direction of your vision.

We all have a vision. Hit me up. You know, I always try to ask guys this, when it's all said and done, right, when you look back on everything, the music, the struggles, the weight loss, journey, what do you hope people get from the Khalil Roundtree story? Because it ends for all of us, right? When you're done, what do you think people want, what do you want people to take from what they saw in Kalil-Roundry, Jr.?

I want them to create their dream lives. You know, like, if there was like, if you could package it up And someone said, like, I've been following you. I have been inspired by your story. I used to be this. And now I'm this. And my life is in a complete different place. That's all I want.

You know what I mean? Like, when you're stuck, you don't really know where you're at. You don't know what you want to do with your life. But you kind of have a dream and you want to get there. I just want to be the example of like. It's possible. It's absolutely. possible. Less than, you know, 15 years ago I was living in an apartment at 20 years old with my mom and

my brother and my sister and my niece in a one-bedroom apartment with no money to even pay the rent. That was only $800 and like just broke with nothing. But my brother and I were like, yo, this fighting thing's kind of cool. Let's try it out. And we go to a gym and we join a gym and allow ourselves to like be in it, you know, like, oh, we're learning. We're picking. picking up. Should we do this? Yeah, let's give it a shot. Okay, but we got to do our all. We got to be dedicated. And then it's like that constant dedication to one thing. And then along the lines, like meeting people and just being dedicated to like, we are going to get ourselves out of wherever we are today, however we need to do it in a legal way, in a safe way, in a healthy

way. We're going to get ourselves out of this one bedroom apartment. And we are going to just make something out of our lives. And here I am today. and here we are today. And that's what I want, like, my kind of testimony to be for anybody who feels stuck, you know, like stuck in the mud. Get out of the mud. There's ways. I don't have the answers, but I have the experience of, like, I've done it, and I know

that is the truth. Yeah. You get what I mean? Yeah. That's, like, the best way that I could put it. It's awesome. Well, I have one, two quick things. It's Monday after UFC 320, right?

you have fought your prohaska and you've lost the fight what are we telling people what are we telling our supporters if it didn't go our way and it's monday after the fight or is that such a as of now as of now it's not even possible yeah i like that as of now it's not possible um i don't even choose to like make it a reality. Yeah. So what I would say is call me on Monday. It's Monday after the fight

and you just beat your prohaska. What are we telling our supporters? Are we screaming from the mountaintop? I'm fighting for the belt next and I'm going to be the champ. Are we a little roundtree junior? We're operating with grace and we're going to see where everything falls.

My heart's leading more towards the second option because there's still a lot more work that needs to be done after during Prohaska and I think no matter what I kind of plan to go a little silent after this fight. Why?

You will be hot as you've ever been you'll be, you'll be, kerosene will be set to you. You win this fight. Everybody will be calling for you to fight for the belt. can't disappear. We won't disappear. Why do you want to go silent? Because there's work to do. Yeah.

There's work to do. Talk to me when I'm the champion. Yeah. You know? Like, if just there's work to do, do you see, like, I got to get the belt, and I know, like, people want to talk and, you know, and this and that, like, but I have a dream. The dream is to be the champion, not to talk to people, not to do these interviews, not My dream is to be the champion. And like, if you can respect that, then, like, then you can respect that, like, after this fight, like, I'm chilling, you know?

I'm enjoying what it's like to have a holiday for once. And, like, you know what I mean? Like, this will be, like, I know that I'm not going to fight for the rest of the year. So, like, this is my time for me. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, for me, man. I love the people.

I love the support. But, like, there's 700 fighters on the. roster too you know what I'm saying like they can share the fans they have a lot of fight cards a lot of other title fights a lot of you know I anticipation is good um but like as far as I go like I've been training my ass off getting ready to fight you know this this dangerous guy um my my life my career everything's on the line I think uh afterward like I think it'll suit you too Because I think when guys were getting more, they weren't as present. Whenever you take a little break at times, it makes people long for you

and want to see you, and I believe that it might be good for you. But I think that you get the job done. People will be calling to see you back in a title chance. Hey, man, thank you so much for joining me. You are the man, bro. Like honestly, all. Thank you. It's inspiring what you have been through.

I use that in the opening. I said, inspiring. This man is inspiring. I hope that you got something from Kalil-Rondtree because I absolutely did. He fights at UFC 320 next week, but just sitting here truly does propel me forward, and I'm a guy that doesn't struggle for inspiration

when I can take it from someone like this. It just makes me better in everything that I do in my life. So thanks to Kalil-Rondry for joining me on the Daniel Kornier show, and thank you guys for always watching and supporting. Until next time, like and subscribe and tell you friends that we're doing stuff like this, We're sitting now with people like the great Khalil Rangtree Jr. Until next time, peace.

Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast?

Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast.

or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel.

and friends on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown if you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole. This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

I'm Joey Dardano, and on my new podcast, Hope From a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice

known to me. This is Help From a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hippocrite Wednesdays on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed Human.