Three Potential Opponents for Khalil Rountree at UFC 289

It was previously reported that Chris Daukaus has withdrawn from his bout against Khalil Rountree at UFC 289 due to an injury sustained during fight camp.

Chris Daukaus out of Khalil Rountree fight at UFC 289 https://t.co/jNTgJIXrWH pic.twitter.com/NMk3hGGJfR

— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) June 2, 2023

This now leaves a gaping hole in next weekend’s PPV event UFC 289. There has been a ton of fight cancelations over the last few weeks and losing another fight for the UFC’s return to Canada will just put a damper on the whole thing.

The UFC is set out to attempt to find a replacement to fight the No. 13 ranked light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree. There may not be a ton of fighters lining up to fight him on just a week’s notice but we take a look at three potential opponents that make sense as they try to contend for a title shot.

Dominick Reyes

Dominick Reyes was once thought to be the one to dethrone the GOAT Jon Jones and many thought he did in his one and only title fight but since that loss, he’s been on a downward spiral. He has since been knocked out in three straight fights. Going against another elite striker may not be ideal but it would be a way for him to get back into the thick of things in the light heavyweight division. Reyes is an exceptional fighter when he is at his best and a fight with Khalil Rountree makes sense and it would be a good fight for the fans.

Azamat Murzakanov

Azamat Murzakanov is on the verge of title contention already with just a couple more wins in the shallow light heavyweight division. He looked phenomenal in his last fight against Dustin Jacoby and a win against Khalil Rountree who already has a win over Jacoby would be a good resume builder to continue his move up the rankings. Also, it would make for an exciting fight for the fans as both fighters are knockout artists and can end the fight with just one single strike.

Ryan Spann

Ryan Spann was looking like a true contender coming into his last fight with Nikita Krylov. He has Krylov in trouble early but then ultimately was tapped out in round 1 via triangle choke. Spann would need a big win to get back to where he was prior to his loss to Krylov. This fight with Khalil Rountree would be that win that he desperately needs to get himself back into title contention and it would be an absolute barnburner.