Alex Pereira closing as massive betting favorite to beat Khalil Rountree at UFC 307
Ahead of his return to action next weekend in the main event of UFC 307, former two-weight champion, Alex Pereira is closing as a massive betting favorite with the bookies to land a victory over incoming championship challenger, Khalil Rountree in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Pereira, a former undisputed middleweight champion and the current undisputed light heavyweight titleholder, is set to return for his third Octagon walk this year in the main event of UFC 307 at the Delta Center, taking on number eight ranked contender, Rountree in another trip to altitude.
Sidelined since he featured against former title chaser, Anthony Smith back in December of last year, Syndicate MMA stape, Rountree turned in a dominant third round knockout win over the Nebraska veteran — earning himself a surprising title charge.
Alex Pereira closing as betting favorite to beat Khalil Rountree at UFC 307
And ahead of the event, Alex Pereira is closing as high as a stunning -500 betting favorite to beat Khalil Rountree, who is drawing odds of +350 — with sports betting sites still taking action on the high-profile title fight between the two in the main event of UFC 307 next month.
Most recently headlining UFC 303 back in June in a short-notice rematch against Jiri Prochazka at the end of International Fight Week, Sao Paulo knockout artist, Alex Pereira made light work of the Czech Republic native with a thunderous knockout win.
Dropping the former champion at the end of the first round, early in the second frame, Pereira sprung with a stunning high-kick dropping Prochazka for the second time — before landing a slew of ground strikes to land a second win over the former since November of last year.
And in a massive year for the former GLORY Kickboxing star, Pereira headlined the monumental UFC 300 card back in April, stopping former titleholder, Jamahal Hill with another devastating knockout stoppage in the opening round of the pair’s grudge fight.
While exclusively showing off his formidable striking prowess inside the Octagon since his move to the promotion, Pereira has been surprisingly backed by Rountree’s head coach, John Wood to shoot against his trainee for a take down — in a fight which is largely expected to take place exclusively on the feet for however long it lasts.
In a nutshell, yes [it’s a kickboxing fight],” John Wood told ESPN. “I believe honestly in my guy, I think (Alex) Pereira shoots on Khalil (Rountree), I think he’s the one that breaks game first and shoots on Khalil to try and get that takedown.”
“That’s actually something he has done, I mean, we ain’t shooting over here I can tell you that — Khalil can, it’s not like we don’t train MMA or wrestling,” Wood explained. “I think Alex shoots first, but yes, I would be shocked if this fight goes five rounds, someone is going out on their shield, it’s gonna happen.”
Launching himself into the light heavyweight title picture last summer with a victory over ex-champion, Jan Blachowicz in Salt Lake City in the same venue as hie championship defense against Rountree, Pereira will look to turn in his fifth successive victory at 205lbs since his move to the weight class.
