"At 19, I was in the most depressed state that I've ever been in my life, Rountree Jr. said. I didn't have any direction, I didn't have any spark, I didn't have any hope to even see the next day. Everything changed when he found MMA at 20 years old. I think the sport allowed me to find my inner strength, Rountree Jr. said."
"I didn't grow up playing sports or anything competitive, so when I started MMA, it was kind of a shot in the dark. But being able to train MMA and be around a bunch of guys in the gym teaching me how to do these things, I was able to find that I'm capable of more than I thought I was."
"Now, during Mental Health Awareness Month, Rountree Jr. is speaking openly about those experiences in hopes of helping others do the same. That shift is now part of a broader message he is sharing this month through a Mental Health Awareness Month campaign with UFC, Paramount+, and the Child Mind Institute centered on Mental Health Fitness."
"Alongside Rountree Jr., the project features UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg, former flyweight champion Alexa Grasso, and lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett, each of whom appears in videos sharing how they approach mental preparation inside and outside the octagon. Rountree Jr.'s video has not yet been released, but is expected to be posted soon."
Khalil Rountree Jr. spent years quietly battling depression before becoming a top UFC light heavyweight. At 19, he described being in the most depressed state of his life, with no direction, no spark, and no hope to see the next day. He said his life changed when he found MMA at 20, and that training and being around people in the gym helped him discover inner strength and realize he was capable of more than he thought. During Mental Health Awareness Month, he shares these experiences through a campaign focused on mental health fitness with UFC, Paramount+, and the Child Mind Institute. Other UFC athletes also share approaches to mental preparation, and community events included opening a youth wellness center in Newark.
Read at www.amny.com
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