- The UFC light heavyweight title match between Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree Jr. headlines UFC 307.
- Both fighters are on win streaks, with Pereira at four and Rountree Jr. at five.
- Pereira is the -470 betting favorite, and Rountree Jr. is the +360 betting underdog.
The Delta Center in Salt Lake City will host the UFC light heavyweight title match between defending champion Alex Pereira and No. 8-ranked divisional contender Khalil Rountree Jr. This marks the third championship defense of Pereira since becoming the undisputed king of the weight class.
Utah, we are back! ๐๏ธ@AlexPereiraUFC vs @KhalilRountreej AND @RockyPMMA vs @VenezuelanVixen is happening this SATURDAY!
[ B2YB @CryptoCom | #UFC307 ] pic.twitter.com/m8B51kPXQG
— UFC (@ufc) September 30, 2024
Because of his three consecutive finishes in title fights, Pereira heads into this bout as the considerable betting favorite at -470 UFC odds. Meanwhile, the challenger will be the +360 underdog despite his recent resurgence.
Alex Pereira Recent Fight Results
Since moving up to the 205-pound weight class, Pereira has taken the division by storm and has won all his four fights en route to becoming the undisputed light heavyweight king. His last defeat was courtesy of Israel Adesanya in April 2023 in their UFC middleweight title fight, where he was knocked out in the second round.
Pereira made his light heavyweight debut against former champion Jan Blachowicz and won a close split decision. In November, he was pitted against another former champion, Jiลรญ Prochรกzka, for the vacant belt, and he won via second-round knockout.
There's no one like Poatan ๐น@AlexPereiraUFC looks for his THIRD title defense in 2024!
[ Watch #UFC307 on @ESPNPlus PPV | Saturday | 10pmET/7pm PT ] pic.twitter.com/Ywoo2yAFOQ
— UFC (@ufc) September 30, 2024
Since then, the Brazilian MMA superstar has successfully fended off two challengers to retain his belt. He defeated Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC 300 in April and once again knocked out Prochรกzka in the second round of their title rematch at UFC 303 in June.
Khalil Rountree Jr. Recent Fight Results
Rountree Jr. was a former The Ultimate Fighter 23 finalist in July 2016, but dropped a unanimous decision loss to Andrew Sanchez. Despite the defeat, he was awarded a UFC contract and cracked a roster spot on the leading MMA promotion in the world.
He's a scary scary dude ๐ช
Khalil Rountree Jr. looks to become the light heavyweight champion at #UFC307!
[ Live on @ESPNPlus PPV | Saturday | 10pmET/7pm PT ] pic.twitter.com/wlOyg6I5FJ
— UFC (@ufc) September 30, 2024
He has experienced an up-and-down journey as a light heavyweight contender, but he has made a resurgence in 2021 and won his last five fights. During this stretch, he defeated Modestas Bukauskas, Karl Roberson, Dustin Jacoby, Chris Daukaus, and most recently, Anthony Smith to earn this title shot with Pereira.
Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.: Tale of the Tape
| Alex Pereira | Khalil Rountree Jr. | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 37 | 34 |
| Height | 6โ4โ | 6โ1โ |
| Reach | 79 inches | 76.5 inches |
| Leg Reach | 44 inches | 44 inches |
| Record | 11-2 | 14-5 |
| Fighting Style | Kickboxing | MMA |
| Finishing Rate | 82% | 71% |
Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.: Fight Analysis
The advantages of the physical attributes in this UFC light heavyweight championship match favor Pereira. Heโll enjoy 3 inches of height and 2.5 inches of reach advantage against the challenger.
Both fighters have a solid striking base stylistically. Pereira is a former kickboxing world champion, and Rountree Jr. has a solid Muay Thai background. This similar stand-up approach will make this fight a potential barnburner.
Pereiraโs key to victory in this match will be his range utilization. He should maximize his reach advantage to keep Rountree Jr. at bay and prevent a firefight from close range since the challenger has a one-shot knockout power that can put any fighter in the division.
Furthermore, the Brazilian defending champion should use his patented kicks to mix things up and keep Rountree Jr. guessing throughout the exchanges in the match. This could also add more threat to his attack since he has an enormous power behind his head kicks.
On the other hand, Rountree Jr. should immediately close the range between him and Pereira to have a more solid chance to connect his atomic punches. As mentioned earlier, he can send any contender in the division to the shadow realm with one clean strike.
However, I think Pereiraโs championship experience and more accurate strikes will be the difference-maker in this match. Not discrediting the pile of wins of Rountree Jr., but Pereiraโs competition was better because he had faced several champions before and gained significant experience performing under the bright lights of a pay-per-view headliner.
Official Prediction: TKO/KO victory for Alex Pereira.
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