UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira puts his title on the line for the third time in 2024 when he takes on No. 8 ranked Khalil Rountree Jr. in the main event at UFC 307.
Fans were a bit shocked when the fight was initially announced due to Rountree Jr's low ranking and the fact that he was returning from a PED suspension. Rountree Jr. self-reported an accidental PED ingestion due to a tainted supplement and was suspended for two months. This will be his first fight back.
Pereira has run through each of his two previous opponents this year, both taken on short notice in order to save a massive fight card. Pereira defeated former champion Jamahall Hill via a first-round knockout at UFC 300 in April and then stepped up on just a few week's notice to fight former champion Jiří Procházka at UFC 303 after Conor McGregor was forced to pull out. He defeated Procházka via a second-round knockout.
Here's what each main event fighter needs to do in the hopes of getting their hand raised on Saturday night.
Alex Pereira's keys to victory
Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Stay focused
One of Pereira's biggest assets is his stoicism. He's always laser-focused and he's proven time and again he will not falter.
For example, in his fight with Hill, he was kicked in the groin and instead of taking his time out, he waved off the referee and then knocked out Hill seconds later. He never once lost focus. If he can keep that up, he might just be unstoppable.
Keep the distance
Pereira is known for his striking range and ability to control distance, which is something he'll need to utilize with Rountree Jr. who is great at leg kicks. Maintaining distance will help him set up counters nicely and stay out of too much danger.
Leg kicks
One of Rountree Jr.'s assets is his kicks but Pereira's might be better. If he can kick early and often he might be able to immobilize Rountree Jr.'s power.
Khalil Rountree Jr.'s keys to victory
Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Don't wait
Khalil Rountree Jr. cannot wait to get working. Sometimes fighters take their time in five-round fights, testing and gauging their opponent for a round or two.
This could be a bad strategy for fighting Pereira who is known for early finishes. Rountree Jr. needs to act fast to get in front of Pereira and make him fight on the defense.
Body shots
If Rountree Jr. is able to land on Pereira, going for the body will be the way to go. This will make Pereira gas faster and leave him open for follow-up strikes.
If Rountree Jr. can go for the body, he can follow up those strikes with big shots to the head.
Pressure
Rountree Jr. can't let Pereira get into a groove. He can eliminate Pereira's control by pressuring him and putting him into the clinch as often as possible.
Watch Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol live October 12 on DAZN. Click here for details.