UFC light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira delivered a striking performance against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307. Joe Rogan recently highlighted a comment from renowned referee Marc Goddard, regarding the immense power of Pereira.
Marc Goddard has officiated some of the most significant fights in UFC history. It is rare for a referee to highlight a fighter’s power. He remarked that Alex Pereira‘s knockout power is something he has rarely, if ever, seen in his 20-year career. Joe Rogan, who has seen countless fighters in his time as a commentator, echoed Goddard’s sentiment.
Headlining the main event at UFC 307, Pereira successfully defended his title by dismantling Khalil Rountree with a fourth-round TKO. The former kickboxing champion used his superior striking and body shots to wear Rountree down. While Rountree led in the early rounds, Pereira ultimately overwhelmed him, leading to a brutal stoppage at 4:32 in round 4.
😲👊Marc Goddard told Joe Rogan in the cage after the fight, that in his 20 years of refereeing he has never heard anything like the sound of Alex Pereira’s punches:
“I was in the octagon after the fight and Marc Goddard came up to me and he said, I’ve been doing this for 20… pic.twitter.com/aubkg4O6Dy
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 6, 2024
Pereira’s rise in the UFC has been meteoric. Debuting in 2021, he quickly established himself as a top-tier knockout artist. Marc Goddard’s remark is a testament to just how extraordinary Pereira’s power is. In his ten-fight UFC career, five have been title victories. UFC 307 alone was his third successful light-heavyweight title defense in the last three months.
Coach Glover Texeira compares Alex Pereira’s power to that of Jon Jones
Glover Teixeira has repeatedly praised Alex Pereira’s power over the years. ‘Poatan’s mentor has even compared his strength to some of the strongest fighters in the UFC heavyweight division. The former UFC champion has trained with many elite fighters, including heavyweights, but he ranks Pereira’s knockout ability above anyone else he has encountered.
Glover Texeira talked about it during his interview with ‘The Schmo’. In comparison to Jon Jones, Teixeira stressed that Pereira’s power is in a league of its own. According to him, Jones is highly skilled at reading and reacting to his opponents, similar to Pereira, but when it comes to raw power, Pereira has a clear edge.
The UFC veteran believes Pereira has what it takes to succeed in the heavyweight division and potentially defeat fighters like Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. Despite having just a few years in the UFC, Pereira has already eyed a third title. Now top contenders like interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall are ready to welcome him at the 265 lbs weight class.