There’s not a lot left to be mentioned about Alex Pereira besides Chama!
The signature catchphrase from the sunshine heavyweight champion appears becoming after he delivered one other beautiful efficiency within the UFC 307 major occasion. It was a really mature struggle from Pereira, who fended off a quick begin from Khalil Rountree Jr. solely to pour on the punishment with every passing minute.
By the point the motion moved into the fourth spherical, Pereira actually started damaging Rountree together with his punches because the challenger’s face changed into a bloody mess from a number of cuts. Lastly, Pereira backed Rountree towards the cage, uncorked two brutal physique pictures adopted by an uppercut that dropped his opponent to the bottom in a heap.
The struggle was stopped at 4:32 within the fourth spherical with Pereira shifting to 3-0 with three title defenses in 2024.
“I can say that this was one of many hardest fights,” Pereira mentioned following his newest win. “I anticipated that. He confirmed tonight why he’s received a lot high quality in right here.”
A battered and bloodied Rountree had nothing however respect for Pereira as he nonetheless loved the second regardless of developing quick in his first try at turning into UFC champion.
“My thought coming into this struggle was simply to be grateful,” Rountree mentioned. “I used to be actually excited to return in right here and I simply embraced the moments. I don’t suppose I used to be stunned in any respect. I assumed I used to be going to have the ability to hit him much more. He did a extremely good job of evading the punches.”
There was no worry from Rountree when the struggle began as he got here after Pereira with blazing quick punches from the skin. Pereira countered with a stiff calf kick whereas ensuring he stayed out of Rountree’s vary with the exchanges on the ft.
Roundtree began to discover a dwelling for his lead left hand however he was nonetheless developing simply quick from actually touchdown on the chin as a result of Pereira’s top and attain benefit. As the primary spherical ended, Rountree appeared winded as he headed to his nook after exerted a lot power chasing after Pereira.
At all times harmful, Pereira appeared like a cobra simply ready to strike as he continued to let Rountree exert himself whereas he appeared for openings to unleash his greatest strikes. Pereira began throwing a head kick to maintain Rountree guessing after which going low to the leg once more.
One other kick from Pereira missed and Rountree countered with an enormous proper hand that caught the Brazilian flush as he dropped to the bottom momentarily. Pereira recovered shortly however Rountree positively received his consideration with that shot landed.
Rountree opened the third spherical with a nasty physique kick that confirmed extra selection together with his offensive assaults. In return, Pereira continued to chip away at him with these calf kicks and the going again up high with a heavy proper hand.
The fixed stress from Pereira additionally began to incorporate a lightning fast lead jab and Rountree was getting sloppy together with his counters. Simply earlier than the horn sounded, Pereira got here with a knee proper up the center that almost took Rountree’s head off however he prevented the potential knockout blow.
The jab from Pereira continued to do harm and Rountree’s eye was simply lower up and pouring blood down the entrance of his face and physique. Pereira was main the dance and in search of the kill with Rountree fading badly.
That’s when Pereira simply unleased an enormous mixture that compelled Rountree backwards as he received caught towards the cage. Pereira brutalized the physique with two large punches after which threw one remaining uppercut that crumbled Rountree to the canvas as his evening got here to a dramatic finish.
It was one other astonishing evening on the workplace for Pereira, who repeatedly stepped up every time the UFC wanted him this yr and his star energy solely grows from this newest victory. So far as what comes subsequent, Pereira seems targeted on defending his belt at 205 kilos moderately than chasing champ-champ standing.
“We noticed that Dricus [du Plessis] goes to be preventing Sean Strickland,” Pereira mentioned. “He’s a coaching associate of mine, I don’t wish to get in his approach. I can transfer as much as heavyweight however this division is nice. I really feel nice with this weight lower and that is the place I’m at.”
