Salt Lake City — Like many, UFC light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira was surprised to see Khalil Rountree Jr. paired up with him at UFC 307.
The fight’s main event was something of a shock given Magomed Ankalaev for one appeared to have the stronger resume. Ankalaev, however, is not that far removed from a disappointing draw with Jan Blachowicz for the then-vacant UFC 205lb title, a fight that both saw him come up short for gold, and disappointed fans.
The UFC, perhaps with that in mind, gave Rountree, a more exciting, explosive, stand-up fighter the nod instead.
“No I did not envision that,” Pereira admitted during Wednesday’s UFC 307 media day, when asked about the match-up. Noting that Rountree was “far behind in the rankings,” the popular “Poatan” added that you’ve “gotta be prepared for everything.”
Heading into the fight, Pereira has been labelled the “Final Boss” for Khalil Rountree Jr., after the American’s success opposite other former kickboxers. That’s a storyline Pereira himself can get behind, though he questions Rountree’s win over Dustin Jacoby.
“I enjoy the narrative. I saw his fight with Gokhan Saki, I saw some things Khalil had done there, things I studied in that fight which he won. I saw the fight against Dustin Jacoby, and I think he did not win that fight.”
In recent months, there has been talk of Alex Pereira both chasing a third title at heavyweight, and returning to 185lbs to reclaim his middleweight championship, now in the hands of Dricus Du Plessis.
Asked about his preference and whether he’d go up or down, Pereira chose a third option. “I would actually choose to defend my [light heavyweight] belt. For me to go in a lower weight class would take some time, need some more preparation. For me to go to a higher weight class, it also takes more preparation. So now the way that it is, light heavyweight’s perfect.”
Pereira actually bumped into UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones at UFC 306 last month, but added that his only thought when it comes to “Bones” was on training together, not about a fight.
“I was only thinking about training, because Jones, he said that his next fight might be his last fight. So I want to go over there and learn a little bit from him. I’m a guy that has an open mind, and I think it would be great.”
Watch the full UFC 307 media day appearance by Alex Pereira above.
