At UFC 307, Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree will compete for the UFC light heavyweight championship. Pereira will defend his title for the third time this year, and the Brazilian hopes to extend his winning streak. With only a few days till the fight, Pereira has proposed a challenge to make it more interesting.
Khalil Rountree has repeatedly stated that he intends to fight Alex Pereira in a striking battle. The fighter has no plans to shoot for takedowns because it is contrary to his fighting style. Pereira recently shared his thoughts on the subject, stating that he doesn’t trust Rountree for not shooting for takedowns. The fighter also proposed a way for Rountree to make his claims official.
Honestly bro, everybody says that before trying to shoot a takedown against this guy, so it’s hard to believe. The only way [I’ll] believe [is] if Khalil goes public and say, ‘I promise that I’m not going to shoot a takedown on this guy, and if I do and I’m going to donate a percentage of my purse for charity,’ then [I’ll] believe it and say let’s bang
Alex Pereira via Kevin Iole’s YouTube channel
Over the years, Pereira has established himself as the most dangerous striker in the UFC with multiple knockout victories. Most of his fights have ended in the early rounds with the Brazilian dropping his opponent with his power. However, other than Israel Adesanya and Jan Blachowicz nobody has ever tested Pereira’s grappling skills.
Alex Pereira dares Khalil Rountree to bet a percentage of his purse that he won’t shoot a takedown in their fight 😭
🎥 @KevinI #UFC #MMA #UFC307 pic.twitter.com/bJFaMD4Yw1
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 29, 2024
Fight fans expected Pereira to face someone like Magomed Ankalaev, who is a wrestling threat. However, this did not materialize, raising some concerns about the UFC’s alleged protection of their champion. Nonetheless, it will be intriguing to see what new Khalil Rountree brings to the table when he faces Alex Pereira.
Khalil Rountree talks about his striking-only approach
Khalil Rountree, who draws a lot of inspiration from Muay Thai, has developed an amazing striking game. He mixes precise boxing combinations with strong kicks, especially his devastating leg kicks. Rountree’s knockout against Modestas Bukauskas is a great example of his killer intent.
After training in Thailand, Rountree’s style clearly shifted towards Muay Thai. His technique significantly improved, resulting in brutal head and body kicks. Rountree is a showman and wants to give fans a night to remember whenever he fights. As a result, the fighter sticks to his fighting style.
I think people are fans of me because of the way I fight. Part of that approach is just giving people what they pay for
Khalil Rountree via SHAK MMA
Khalil Rountree Jr. explains his striking-only strategy against Alex Pereira:
“I think people are fans of me because of the way I fight. Part of that approach is just giving people what they pay for…”
(via @Shak_Fu YT) pic.twitter.com/wOlQI8voEb
— Full Violence ™ (@Full_Violence) September 29, 2024
Rountree understands the wrestling weakness of Pereira and the potential exploit that. However, he wants to get a win in a way that excites his fans. Given the respective approach of both fighters, fans are expecting an early knockout and probably a brutal one.
