Video: Khalil Rountree had no idea if this knee strike was legal since 'I was just in the moment'

HOUSTON – Khalil Rountree delivered two brutal – and seemingly legal – knees to get the win on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 104. During the heat of the moment, though, he said wasn’t entirely sure if they were clean blows.

In a UFC Fight Pass-streamed bout that kicked off the card at Houston’s Toyota Center, Rountree (5-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) halted a two-fight skid and likely saved his UFC job after delivering a pair of flush knees to Jolly (5-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) – first to his head, and then to his chest – for the 52-second knockout win.

The blows connected crisply and rather violently, and despite some initial confusion, both strikes appeared to be legal (via Twitter):

However, Rountree, a runner-up in “The Ultimate Fighter 23’s” light-heavyweight tournament, couldn’t necessarily determine that while the fight was happening.

“My body just reacted,” Rountree, who said he spent much of his training camp working on wrestling defense, told MMAjunkie. “I just saw a head.”

As for the second blow that went lower and connected to the chest (a shot to the head would have been illegal since Jolly had a knee on the mat), Rountree could do little but shrug.

“I think (it was legal); I’m not sure,” he said. “Man, I don’t know. I’m in the moment, you know? I’d have to go back and (re-watch) the fight. I don’t know where it landed.”

Rountree then clarified that he knew he landed the first blow to Jolly’s head – and that it was legal – since he saw his opponent’s eyes roll back into his head. Still, Rountree considered himself “in survival mode,” and he thought Jolly could still attack despite being dazed by the first shot. Hence the immediate followup shot.

“When you’re in survival mode, things just happen,” he said.

Check out the full conversation above.

And for more on UFC Fight Night 104, check out the UFC Events section of the site.