FILE – Alex Pereira fights in opposition to Israel Adesanya in a middleweight title match throughout UFC 287 on the Kaseya Heart on Saturday, April 8, 2023, in downtown Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald by way of AP, File)
SALT LAKE CITY — Alex Pereira is gearing as much as struggle his fourth bout in lower than a 12 months when he seeks to retain his mild heavyweight championship in opposition to Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307 on Saturday evening.
Measured by any customary, it’s a brisk struggle schedule for a title belt holder. Pereira wouldn’t have it another method.
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“Normally after the fights I say need to take a while, give somewhat hole,” Pereira stated by means of a translator at UFC 307 media day Wednesday. “Then I come again to the gymnasium, and I begin coaching, and I begin seeing the place my evolution lies and see that I bought to maintain doing this extra usually.”
READ: Alex Pereira retains title with TKO of Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303
Returning to Utah to struggle Roundtree represents a real full-circle second for Pereira.
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His highway to turning into the sunshine heavyweight champion started a 12 months in the past at UFC 291 in Salt Lake Metropolis. Pereira defeated Jan Blachowicz by way of cut up determination in his first bout after transferring up from the middleweight division, the place he was a former UFC champion. A victory over Blachowicz didn’t come straightforward. Pereira weathered early takedowns within the first two rounds earlier than rallying and prevailing within the third.
Now he returns to Utah on a four-bout successful streak and is feeling in peak situation going into the struggle.
“The physique’s good,” Pereira stated. “Issues occur typically right here and there. That’s the worth to be preventing usually. However I feel all the pieces is nice. We’ve bought nice outcomes from it.”
Rountree is making an attempt to acquire his first profession UFC championship. The Las Vegas resident has gained 5 straight fights coming into Salt Lake Metropolis and is ranked No. 8 total within the mild heavyweight division.
READ: UFC 300: Alex Pereira retains title, knocks out Jamahal Hill
Rountree is a controversial option to struggle Pereria after getting chosen over larger ranked challengers and comes into the bout after serving a drug suspension earlier within the 12 months. He’s additionally a determined underdog in opposition to Pereria, a fighter whose prowess contained in the octagon has led some followers to label him because the “remaining boss” within the mild heavyweight division.
Nonetheless, Rountree has a historical past of pulling off main upsets in his UFC profession. He’s keen to indicate he can stand toe-to-toe with Pereria and dethrone the champ.
“That’s undoubtedly a enjoyable method to take a look at it, particularly from a fan standpoint, in the event that they see Alex as the ultimate boss and I get to go and take my shot on the remaining boss,” Rountree stated.
Raquel Pennington will search to defend the ladies’s bantamweight title from Julianna Pena within the co-main occasion bout. Pennington involves Utah on a six-fight successful streak. Pena, the No. 1 ranked fighter within the bantamweight division, is a former UFC champion trying to kickstart a second title run. She claimed the bantamweight crown at UFC 269 in December 2021 following an upset win over Amanda Nunes however misplaced the title at UFC 277 six months later in a rematch bout with Nunes.
Pena criticized Pennington at size on Wednesday, saying she is just not doing sufficient to advertise ladies’s MMA preventing away from the octagon.
“She has consistently carried out all the pieces that she will be able to to keep away from being the face of girls’s MMA,” Pena stated. “I need to be that individual. That’s my function and I can do it higher and that’s why I imagine that I’m going to have the ability to seal the deal on Saturday evening and be capable of get that gold once more.”
Pennington shot again at these accusations, noting she has tried to get a bout with Pena for 11 years with out success till now. She believes her document as a fighter speaks for itself and is assured about holding her personal in opposition to Pena.
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“All she does is speak (expletive). She retains herself related that method,” Pennington stated. “That is 14 years of exhausting work. I bought right here by staying in my lane.”
