Kamaru Usman thinks Khalil Rountree will shock the world this Saturday night in Salt Lake City.
After scoring a pair of highlight-reel knockouts against Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka earlier this year, Alex Pereira returns to the Octagon at UFC 307 set to put his light heavyweight title on the line for the third time against heavy-hitting contender Khalil Rountree.
Currently, DraftKings sportsbook has ‘Poatan’ favored nearly 5-to-1 to come out on top and retain his 205-pound title. However, not everyone believes that ‘The War Horse’ will suffer the same fate that ‘Sweet Dream’ and ‘BJP’ did.
Looking ahead to this weekend’s anticipated title clash, former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman suggested that Rountree has as good a chance as anyone to find Pereira’s chin and send ‘Poatan’ crashing to the canvas.
Khalil Rountree’s explosive power could get the job done against ‘poatan’
Kamaru Usman thinks that Khalil Rountree is going to “shock the world” and beat Alex Pereira at #UFC307
“Crazy things happen in Utah… I’m telling you right now, Khalil Rountree is as dangerous as anybody that Alex Pereira has fought.”
@pound4poundshow #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/UpADk2mp0e
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 30, 2024
“I’m going to shock everybody here, I think you are wrong why you are saying that everyone stands and strikes with him and they lose? I think that Khalil Rountree shocks the world, shocks the world,” Usman said on his Pound 4 Pound podcast. “Crazy things happen in Utah and look at our champions right now. I think Khalil Rountree is extremely explosive, and extremely powerful. His Muay Thai is incredible and when he’s launching them (shots), he’s going to find your face. The problem is his pacing.”
“When Khalil lets go, he lets everything go. so how is he going to do in rounds three, four and five if the fight somehow gets there. That’s my only concern. But in those first two rounds, I’m telling you right now that Khalil Rountree is as dangerous as anyone who Alex Pereira has fought, I’m telling you right now. (h/t BJPenn.com).
After a rocky start to his UFC career, Khalil Rountree has finally found his footing, winning five straight fights including some earth-shattering KOs against Modestas Bukauskas, Karl Roberson, Chris Daukaus, and Anthony ‘Lionheart’ Smith.
Originally, ‘The War Horse’ was scheduled to face Jamahal Hill in a title eliminator at UFC 303 in June, but he was forced to bow out after being temporarily suspended due to consumption of a banned substance. Instead, he finds himself with an opportunity to do what no man has and hand Pereira his first loss in the light heavyweight division.