Kamaru Usman is expecting an upset in the UFC 307 headliner.
Alex Pereira (11-2) defends his light heavyweight title against Khalil Rountree (13-5) in the main event at UFC 307 on Saturday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. There was lot of criticism when Rountree was initially granted a title shot over Magomed Ankalaev, widely considered the rightful No. 1 contender.
However, the tide is gradually shifting as fight night draws near, with even Pereira feeling fans’ excitement growing. In addition to the hype behind the fight, some also expect Rountree, who has been tabbed as a significant underdog by oddsmakers, to upset the heavily-favored “Poatan.” That includes former welterweight champ Usman.
UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!
Usman notes that “crazy things” happen in Utah, referring to his upset head-kick KO loss against Leon Edwards at UFC 278 in 2022. “The Nigerian Nightmare” believes Rountree is skilled and powerful enough to catch Pereira in the first two rounds. However, Usman is skeptical about “The War Horse” maintaining his usual pace in the later rounds at a elevation of more than 4,000 feet.
“I’m gonna shock everybody here… I think that Khalil Rountree shocks the world,” Usman said on the Pound 4 Pound podcast. “… Crazy things happen in Utah… I think Khalil Rountree is extremely explosive, extremely powerful. His muay thai is incredible, and when he’s launching them, he’s going to find your face. The problem is his pacing. When Khalil lets go, he lets everything go. And how is he going to do in Rounds 3, 4 and 5 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 that Alex Pereira has fought.”
Riding a five-fight winning streak with four finishes, Rountree has never shot for a takedown in the UFC and vows to maintain that streak against Pereira. Meanwhile, five of Pereira’s nine UFC outings have been title fights. He’s won four of those championship bouts — all via stoppage.
