Khalil Rountree put on his career-best performance last weekend at UFC 307. The American fighter went toe to toe against Alex Pereira and pushed the light heavyweight champion to his limits. However, it was not enough for the challenger to beat the Brazilian. Despite the loss, Rountree greatly respected ‘Poatan’ and has now compared him to Jon Jones.
With the TKO victory, Pereira has now defended his title three times, all in 2024. The sheer dominance and activity have put the Brazilian fighter in the pound-for-pound No. 1 contention. According to Khalil Rountree, there is no doubt that Alex Pereira deserves that position over everybody, including Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev.
Based on what i’ve seen, based on performances, level of opponents. Yeah, I’d say right now for me it would be Alex.
Khalil Rountree via Pound 4 Pound Show
Apart from Rountree, many other UFC veterans have also felt the same. Kamaru Usman recently picked Pereira over Islam Makhachev as the new P4P king. Similarly, Conor McGregor stated that Pereira dominated 2024 and is undoubtedly the pound-for-pound number one.
⚡️Khalil Rountree called Alex Pereira best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
“Based on what i’ve seen, based on performances, level of opponents. Yeah, I’d say right now for me it would be Alex.”
🎥 @pound4poundshow ▫️ pic.twitter.com/zVDvH9yq5D
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 10, 2024
The clash between Pereira and Khalil Rountree was an absolute classic, and as expected, fans loved a striking showdown. Sean O’Malley mentioned it was nothing short of a legendary battle between two warriors. Rountree threw the kitchen sink but ultimately couldn’t keep up with Pereira’s brutal power.
Khalil Rountree praises Alex Pereira’s underrated aspect of fighting
Ahead of the fight, Khalil Rountree promised not to shoot for a takedown as it would be against his fighting style. Many fans and experts questioned this approach due to Alex Pereira’s superior quality striking. However, Rountree did what he promised and performed better than other top light heavyweights like Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill.
Alex Pereira has won the majority of his fights with his striking strength, but there’s much more to his technique than just that. Pereira possesses a stinging sidekick combined with a remarkable combat IQ, making him a fighting machine. Rountree discussed this in-depth during a recent interview.
I think one thing that is pretty underrated and that I got to experience for myself is really his IQ. The ability to mix up the strategy mid-fight and between rounds.
Khalil Rountree via Pound 4 Pound Show
🧠👏Khalil Rountree says he was surprised at Alex Pereira’s intelligence in their fight and believes Pereira’s fight IQ is underrated:
“I think one thing that is pretty underrated and that I got to experience for myself is really his IQ. The ability to mix up the strategy mid… pic.twitter.com/CtHMe8nqpt
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 10, 2024
Rountree’s next move is to face former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill in 2025. Pereira has already anticipated that Rountree will win this exchange with ease. After such a grueling combat, the fighters’ mutual respect is undeniable.
