Two of UFC’s top fighters, Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree, are set to headline UFC 307. The light heavyweight champ Pereira will defend his title against formidable contender Rountree.
The matchup promises to be intriguing, as both fighters are fierce and domineering. However, Pereira is confident he will defeat the title challenger.
“When I came to the UFC, everyone said, ‘He’s just a kickboxer, this guy won’t succeed.’ But, I overcame everything with dedication and heart,” Alex Pereira said on the UFC 307 promo video. “It makes me happy to know that I have achieved things that other people have tried and failed. Everyone has the same goal here, to win a title or defend it. And, if I can do this better than anyone else, that’s what I’ll do.
“Khalil is a strong, dangerous guy. Someone who is hungry, who has a dream,” Pereira continued. “But, I will use my fight IQ and my experience. I always put pressure on my opponents, and if they’re not ready for it, they break. It doesn’t matter if it’s by decision, knockout, or submission. My goal is to remain champion.”
It seems Rountree also plans to dominate his opponent, but his motive is for a nobler cause. Many have come to know the fighter as a formidable fighter in the cage, but many do not know the fighter’s history. Roundtree carries a musical legacy from his father, Roderick Khalil Rountree, who was the road manager for the iconic music group Boyz II Men.
The fighter unfortunately lost his father during an armed robbery in Chicago. The untimely death of his father led Rountree down a dark path where he struggled with substance abuse, but luckily, he found solace in MMA.
Despite his rocky past, the fighter reveals that he honors his father whenever he fights in the cage. In an interview with the New York Post, Rountree explained that the title shot is a tribute to his father and a climax of his lifetime of hard work.
“I think, for me, it’s everything that I’ve worked for, really. Not knowing my dad growing up, but knowing what happened to him,” Rountree Jr. said. “I always just wanted to — or, not always, but there came a time, especially when I started fighting, that I wanted to honor him and make something of myself so that I can imagine him looking down and being proud.”
“Like ‘wow, my son was this kid that had no courage and locked himself inside his room’ to — ‘wow, this guy’s fighting lions in the cage for a world championship.’ So it’s really big, and I’m so excited for this moment and just to be able to be in this situation to bring more honor and more light to the work that my father did and also the work that I’ve put in.”
Regardless of who wins, many believe the fight will be one for the books as both fighters have a good record. Alex Pereira held the UFC middleweight championship and is fresh off a TKO win against Jiri Proxhazka, while Rountree is currently on a five-fight winning streak.
