“Congratulations to Khalil and his team,” Lionheart wrote on social media. “Hell of a performance – you deserved it. I apologize to everyone who supported me. I gave everything I had. But sometimes that’s not enough.”
Recall that the American welterweight fight, which became the second most important event of UFC Fight Night 233, ended at the 0:56 mark of the third round with a technical knockout defeat for Smith. Rountree, who sent his opponent to the canvas with a left jab, did not finish him, giving the referee time to assess the situation and stop the fight.
With the loss, Smith suffered his third defeat in his last four fights, while Rountree extended his winning streak to five fights and likely secured a spot in the top 10 of the UFC’s bantamweight division.