Alex Pereira looks to extend perfect year at UFC 307
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Alex Pereira said at the pre-fight press conference that he greatly respects Khalil Rountree Jr. for accepting the fight.
SCREENGRAB: UFC/FACEBOOK
LOS ANGELES – Alex Pereira will make the third title defence of his light heavyweight title when he fights Khalil Rountree Jr in the main event of UFC 307 on Oct 5 in Salt Lake City.
Pereira (11-2 MMA), a 37-year-old Brazilian, is fresh off back-to-back knockout victories against ex-UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) light heavyweight champions Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 in April and Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 in June.
Rountree (14-5 MMA), a 34-year-old Los Angeles native, is rated No. 8 in the light heavyweight division, having won five straight fights. In his latest outing, he finished Anthony Smith via a third-round TKO in December, earning the title shot.
Pereira said on Oct 3 at the pre-fight press conference that he greatly respects Rountree for accepting the fight and his willingness and belief as one of the division’s best fighters.
“Khalil’s up there,” he said via a translator. “You can’t deny that any more. For all the work he’s put in, he is a great striker in this organisation. He got the shot, and I am grateful (to fight him).”
Pereira is one of nine UFC fighters to capture championships in multiple weight classes.
He won the UFC middleweight title at UFC 281 in November 2022 with a stunning TKO of long-time rival Israel Adesanya. His reign was short-lived, however, as he lost the belt to Adesanya in an immediate rematch at UFC 287 in April 2023.
The Brazilian is a -470 favourite at DraftKings and a -520 favourite at FanDuel, with Rountree a heavy underdog at +360 and +350.
Rountree, meanwhile, said he is remaining loose and relaxed ahead of the biggest fight of his career. He said he wants this fight remembered as a vehicle for those who can achieve anything.
“Everybody in the crowd asks yourself this question, ‘What do you want in life?’ Like, what do you actually want? Not material,” he said.
“When it comes down to a feeling, a vision that you see for yourself. What do you want? And what’s stopping you?
“That’s what I’m asking myself right now, and that’s what I’ve asked myself all the way up until this point. What’s stopping me from getting what I want?
“For me, the answer has been myself. I think that it’s the same for a lot of people. A lot of times, it’s ourselves in front of us that’s stopping us.
“And I’m at this point right now. The challenge is not done.”
REUTERS
