Alex Pereira returned for his third main event of 2024, topping UFC 307 against Khalil Rountree Jr.
It was a match made for entertainment’s sake, not meritocracy, with Rountree selected over the higher-ranked Magomed Ankalaev. Still, fans in Salt Lake City, not to mention those at home, didn’t seem to mind.
What played out was exactly what had been hoped for – an impressively violent, blood striking war, with Pereira’s light heavyweight title on the line.
Pereira came out early, charging across the cage only for Rountree to nearly catch a kick. A bit of a surprise start, but they settled down after that. “Poatan” was meticulous and methodical, walking forward, but Rountree was tight and technical. Towards the final minute of the round, the challenger connected with a solid right hand. Pereira wore it well, but it was clear Rountree was prepared to go toe-to-toe with the champ in a stand-up battle.
Round two saw Pereira find a home for his right hook, backing Rountree up against the fence in the process. Rountree circled out, and now it was the leg kicks and left hand from Pereira that were causing problems. Rountree was still there, answering back every time Pereira moved in. But his lead leg was starting to show damage, his movement seemingly hampered. Still, towards the final minute, Rountree clipped the champ! Pereira tumbled, though he was right back up, and whether it was a knockdown or Pereira being off-balance wasn’t clear. Then, at the end of the round, Rountree connected with a clean head kick – which somehow, rather incredibly, Pereira ate.
Round three found Rountree on a roll. He went to the body with a punch. Then upstairs with a kick that was blocked. Pereira found success with his right hand, and his jab; Rountree landed a left hook. If there was a key difference between them, it was the continued leg kicks by Pereira, which again in round three were forcing Khalil Rountree Jr. to shift his weight distribution. The champ turned it up at the end of the round, connecting more than once, with Rountree showing damage to the face. “Poatan” capped it off by putting on a Thai clinch, firing knees.
The championship rounds were not new for Alex Pereira; he’d gone five with Israel Adesanya after all. Early in the fourth, he connected with a jab, hurting Rountree. He’d hurt him again near the midway mark, then unload, drawing Rountree into a firefight! Rountree was bloodied and busted open, his shorts sprayed with blood. Pereira was a shark smelling blood in the water, moving in for the kill. It seemed as if the champ couldn’t miss, connecting with every shot fired. Rountree was covering up, circling, belabouredly, and firing blind.
Ref Marc Goddard had his eye on things, with 90 seconds still on the clock. A right, then a left, both connected for Pereira. Rountree fired back, but for every punch he landed, or even threw, Pereira seemed to have unleashed five. A knee to the midsection by Pereira took more out of Rountree, but somehow, he wouldn’t go down. Pereira then dug the body twice, ripped off a combo upstairs including an uppercut, and finally, Khalil Rountree Jr. went down! Perhaps one of the tougher fights of the past 12 months for Alex Pereira, with some early adversity, but he comes away with another impressive stoppage.
Official Result: Alex Pereira def. Khalil Rountree Jr. by TKO, Round 4, 4:32
