“Khalil will put him down” MMA Veteran Stuns with Upset UFC 307 Pick, Alex Pereira losing to Khalil Rountree
With UFC 307 right around the corner, many people are favoring current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira to easily defeat Khalil Rountree Jr. UFC veteran and former title challenger, Chael Sonnen, strongly believes Rountree will defy the odds and defeat the current champion.
It’s a bold prediction from Sonnen considering the tear that Alex Pereira is currently on. ‘Poatan’ is currently seeking his third title defense in the division after previously defending the belt against former champions Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill. Both fighters were top contenders when Pereira defeated them while Rountree is currently ranked No. 8 in the light heavyweight division.
Is Alex Pereira given a less challenging Fight?
While it’s fair to say no UFC title fight is going to be a ‘give-me’, most lower-ranked fighters aren’t given immediate title shots. In this case, Alex Pereira has been UFC’s cash cow headlining the biggest event in UFC 300 and taking a short notice title fight at UFC 303. Could Dana White be giving the Brazilian champion a lower-ranked fight in exchange for what he’s done for the company? Despite all that talk, Chael Sonnen believes Rountree can get the job done.
Stylistically, Sonnen believes Rountree possesses traits that can match up with Alex Pereira and give him problems. Both fighters possess one punch KO power as Sonnen spoke about it, “Finding yourself in a match that’s more dangerous than you’re aware, finding yourself in a match where this guy’s gonna play your game and I’m talking about the big heavy shots on the feet,” said the former UFC veteran.
Chael Sonnen proceeded to speak about both fighters but mentioned how Rountree’s power can put down ‘Poatan.’ “I’m not arguing that Khalil is cleaner or more talented of a kickboxer than Pereira, but I will argue for you Pereira can hit you one time and put you down, Khalil only has to hit him one time and Khalil will put him down,” said Sonnen. While both fighters possess KO power, it’ll be a fun matchup between a kickboxer and a muay thai specialist.
odds heavily favor Alex Pereira over Rountree
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Alex Pereira is currently a -500 favorite over challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. who’s sitting at +380 odds for UFC 307. While it won’t be a walk in the park by any means, many people are expecting Alex Pereira to continue his tear and add another title defense to his name. As for Rountree, it’s a great opportunity to pull off a major upset over one of the biggest names in the promotion.
