Brazil’s Alex Pereira punches Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307.Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
In the end, fans who bought tickets to UFC 307 in Salt Lake City got their money’s worth.
That’s largely due to the latest impressive performance from light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who is now the frontrunner for this year’s Fighter of the Year award. With three fights and three knockouts in 2024, he is arguably the most exciting fighter the UFC has offered this year.
Pereira struggled a bit against Khalil Roundtree, but ultimately crushed his opponent in the fourth round with incredible efficiency. The challenger, clearly battered and exhausted, eventually succumbed to Pereira’s onslaught and was knocked out with a devastating body shot.
There was some backlash when this fight was announced as many felt the title fight should have gone to Russia’s Magomed Ankalaev, but now that the event is over, no one will complain about this matchup. Probably not.
A thrilling title fight between Pereira and Rountree was exactly what the Salt Lake City crowd was looking for.
By the time the main event began, fans in attendance were already suffering from lackluster matches and questionable judging decisions. They were hoping for some serious action, but Pereira came along to save the day. Pereira’s MO led to an exciting finish, with another “Poitan” delivered.
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Alex Pereira KOs Khalil Rountree Jr. in the 4th round to defend light heavyweight belt 😤 pic.twitter.com/ZOsDAT2eCQ
Almost everyone expected the title fight between Pereira and Rountree to unfold at their feet. Pereira is a Glory two-division kickboxing champion, and Rountree has spent years honing his Muay Thai skills in Thailand. There was discussion before the match as to which fighter was more likely to aim for a takedown, but neither was successful.
Contrary to oddsmakers’ expectations, Rountree was strong.
Arguably one of the greatest punchers in mixed martial arts today, the American arguably won the first round and dropped Pereira in the second round – albeit briefly.
For several minutes, it looked like this matchup, which many had labeled as a bonus for Pereira, would be his downfall. However, the champion quickly turned the tide in the third round, punishing an exhausted Rountree with leg kicks and punches.
Pereira’s attacks intensified in the fourth round, and Rountree never advanced to the fifth round. The champion ended things with a volley of uppercuts in the final 30 seconds of the round.
“I can tell you this was one of the toughest fights. I expected that,” Pereira told commentator Joe Rogan after the victory was announced. “(Rountree) has been training in some of the best places in Thailand and tonight he showed why he has such quality.”
It was a great performance from Pereira, reminding fans of the game how dangerous he is on his feet and reaffirming that he is more than capable of bouncing back from early adversity.
Bloodied Khalil Rountree stares at Alex PereiraJeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Rountree also requires props. Not only did he take on one of MMA’s pound-for-pound stars in the early going, but he also showed surprising toughness when things didn’t go his way, wearing a bloody mask by the end of the fight. Ta.
“My idea going into this fight was just to be grateful,” Rountree told Logan just before draining the bloody snot oozing from his crushed nose. “I was really excited to be here and just embraced the moment.”
This is exactly what a light heavyweight champion would do.
He headlined UFC 295 on short notice, knocking out Jiri Prochaska to win the vacant belt. He headlined UFC 300 on short notice, knocking out Jamahal Hill to defend his belt. He headlined UFC 303 on short notice and defended his title by knocking out Prochaska again. On Saturday, he headlined yet another card, scoring yet another stop at Rountree’s expense. And it’s been since November of last year.
There are several fighters who had particularly impressive years in 2024. Middleweight champion Doricus du Plessis is a perfect example. Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad is one of them.
But when it comes to determining the true Fighter of the Year in 2024, there is no debate. That’s Pereira. He’s the UFC’s deadliest knockout threat and most reliable source of entertainment. The 37-year-old had one of the best years in MMA history after a long and grueling kickboxing career.
It seems like he has no intention of slowing down either.
When asked who he would like to fight next, the champion expressed his readiness to continue defending his belt if necessary.
“I could move up to heavyweight, but this division is great,” he said as he left the Octagon with his belt firmly in his hands.
