UFC 307 has it’s main event. The promotion returns to Salt Lake City on October 5th and today, Dana White announced on social media the main event and the co-main event. In the main event, light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira (11-2) will defend his title against the eighth ranked Khalil Rountree (13-5).
I have to say, I’m a little stunned by this development. Following Pereira’s knockout win over Jiri Prochazka in their rematch, the world figured that Magomed Ankalaev would likely be next as he’s the top contender in the division. Instead, Ankalaev is fighting Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308 while Khalil Rountree is getting this title shot.
Rountree has won five fights in a row including four by knockout. Most recently he knocked out Anthony Smith back in December. Rountree was supposed to face former champ Jamahal Hill in July, but a tainted supplement saw Rountree get a brief suspension. Now, he’ll come right back to the biggest opportunity of his life.
UFC 307
Alex Pereira will look to cap off an incredibly 11-month run when he makes the walk in October. Last November, Pereira took on Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 for the vacant light heavyweight title. He knocked out Prochazka in the second round to win his second world championship.
After that, he took on Jamahal Hill who was returning after having to vacate the title due to injury. Pereira knocked him out in the first round to retain his title. When Conor McGregor suffered a toe injury which forced him out of UFC 303, Pereira and Jiri Prochazka agreed to a rematch to save the card. Pereira knocked him out in the second round to retain his title.
After losing the middleweight title to Israel Adesanya last April, Pereira made the jump to light heavyweight. Since then, he’s 4-0 with three knockouts. All four wins came against former champions. Now, he’ll look for his third successful title defense.