UFC light heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr. was in a peculiar spot in his fighting career after a devastating knockout loss to Johnny Walker in November 2018. Walker knocked out Rountree with an elbow strike that snapped the latter’s four-fight unbeaten streak.

After the knockout defeat to Walker, Rountree knew he needed to make significant changes in his approach to fighting and his overall growth. Defensive responsibility was a key theme of Rountree’s fight camp for UFC 236, as he took on former college football standout Eryk Anders.

Rountree was always an electric striker with one-punch knockout power, but needed to make a significant change to compete with some of the light heavyweight division’s elite contenders. Four months in Thailand learning the ins and outs of Muay Thai striking was exactly what Rountree desired.

When Rountree and Anders met at UFC 236, Rountree looked like he took a 180-degree turn in his standup approach. Showcasing a prototypical Muay Thai stance, to go along with impressive technique, Rountree battered Anders with nasty leg kicks that left his opponent limping out of the Octagon.