Anderson Silva shares touching tribute for Khalil Rountree Jr. after UFC 307 battle, 'The War Horse' responds

UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva praised Khalil Rountree Jr. and Alex Pereira following their main event fight at UFC 307. Pereira beat Rountree Jr. via TKO at UFC 307 and successfully defended his title for the third time this year.

The bout saw both light heavyweights engage in a fierce battle before 'Poatan' upped the ante in the championship rounds. In the fourth round, Pereira walked down a fatigued and battered Rountree Jr., and secured the TKO win with a brutal combination to the body.

That being said, Rountree Jr. gave a great account of himself, and displayed tremendous heart and grit. In the earlier rounds, he even had some success against the champion, prompting many to take to social media and laud him for his efforts.

Among those who sang praises in favor of 'The War Horse' was former middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva, who recently went on Instagram and expressed admiration for the two men who shared the main event at the UFC 307 headliner. He wrote:

"I could say countless things about this incredible battle between these two giants. In my opinion, the perfect world would be not seeing my brother and my friend fighting. But on the other hand, that’s how the sport is."

'The Spider' congratulated his fellow Brazilian for the win, saying:

"Alex, you were impeccable, on an incredible rise. Congratulations, my friend."

Silva didn't forget about Rountree Jr., and had some words of encouragement for him. He said:

"As for my little brother Khalil, I am so proud of you, my brother. Thank you so much for being part of my life. Those who know your story know who you truly are: you are a giant. You walk away from this battle as a winner because you showed that fighting at a high level is not for just anyone."

Check out Anderson Silva's post here:

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Khalil Rountree Jr.'s wife Mia Kang shares heartfelt message after UFC 307

At UfC 307, Khalil Rountree Jr. was offered a title shot despite being ranked No. 8 in the division. 'The War Horse,' however, silenced his critics and showcased that he certainly belongs in the title picture.

Despite falling short on the night, Rountree Jr. earned the respect and admiration of many in the combat sports community. His wife, Mia Kang, took to Instagram to issue a heartfelt message. She wrote:

"My husband just showed the world he is one of the baddest men on this planet. When the whole world said he didn’t deserve it he proved to us that he undoubtedly deserves to be a championship fighter. He might not have gotten the belt on his first attempt but he gained respect from the world, and no one will doubt him again."