Alex Pereira saved the UFC in 2024! That’s not too wild a statement to make, considering the number of times Poatan had to step in to headline a fight card this year. If it wasn’t for the Brazilian, UFC 300 would have lost its main event! And, it’s not just that he’s stepping up to the plate every time and coming up short. Far from it. Alex Pereira has carved a path of destruction through the 205lbs division that is nothing short of incredible. Apart from one split decision win against Jan Blachowichz, he’s been crushing top-tier opposition en route to three title defences. In fact, since the man walked into the UFC, he’s had 6 title fights and won 5 of them with the lone blemish coming against Adesanya. This past Sunday at UFC 307 though, Poatan was tested and walked through the fire to come out unscathed on the other side.
Poatan crushes Khalil at UFC 307
Khalil Rountree was not given a chance by many pundits and rightly so. The inconsistent kickboxer has had a rough start to his UFC career but his aggressive style and headstrong attitude always made him a fun watch. No one thought that he’d have a chance against Poatan on the feet but a clever mix of 3-4 punch combos as well as excellent footwork saw him hurt Pereira with multiple left hands and he even dropped the Brazilian after a failed head kick attempt. Khalil was also very defensively sound, not taking the bait and rushing in to be countered by Alex’s nuclear left hook. That was until the 3rd round. Up in Utah, the air is thin and makes mice out of even the best of men. Poatan went back to the basics and used a stinging jab to piece Rountree up and unleashed a barrage of strikes to end the round. It was in the 4th that Alex’s championship experience came into play.
What’s next for Alex Pereira?
In what can be described as a thorough out-classing, Periera laid on the punishment with a calculated attack against Rountree. A series of thudding jabs finally opened up the opportunity to land a series of powerful hooks that had Khalil on the backfoot. Peppered in with beautiful parries and a series of stinging knees thrown in for good measure, Periera broke down Rountree, battered his face and finished off the American with a series of punches to the body and an uppercut to the face. The ref had finally seen enough and Periera racked up a third title defense. Rountree put up a valiant effort but ultimately was just outclassed by a more experienced fighter in Poatan. The power and fight IQ were too much for Khalil to overcome.
Well, for what it’s worth, it’s the Poatan era and we’re all along for the ride. Further down the card, Jose Aldo was on the wrong end of a split decision against Mario Bautista. It’s a cruel sport we love but at the end of the day, the judge’s scorecards are the final word. Appealing losses barely works so that’s that. It’s a tough pill to swallow but the King of Rio will be back.
We’ve got two weeks of Fight Night cards before Ilia and Max meet each other on October 26. The Abu Dhabi cards usually deliver and UFC 308 looks like it’s primed to be an incredible night of fights.
