UFC 307: Pereira vs Rountree – 10.5.2024 – Fight Predictions and Analysis
Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC 307: Pereira vs Rountree. Fights are in Salt Lake City tonight as two title fights headline this pay-per-view. Our analysis includes a pick for every bout from Dynes Sports contributors Anthony Marro and Nicholas Marro.
As coverage continues, we will keep our records up to date below. Be sure to check out our full reasoning for every pick though as records will not reflect confidence. We will be picking every fight, but likely only recommend betting on a select few.
Current Record
- Anthony: 242-146-0 (Last Year 307-199-6, 61%)
- Nick: 233-155-0 (Last Year 324-182-6, 64%)
*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 10-4-2024 at 10pm EST
Early Prelims- Start 6:30pm EST
Tim Means -200 vs Court McGee +160
- Anthony: The card today opens with veteran welterweights Tim Means and Court McGee. It is difficult to find a betting angle on this fight with both men struggling to find wins lately. McGee has dropped three fights in a row. At this stage of his career, McGee seems to fail at every takedown attempt. Means presents a challenge to him if unable to get his wrestling going. McGee has good striking but he lacks real power and often he struggles to gain opponents’ respect. Means is not any easier to trust than McGee but he does seem like the more skilled fighter. Means has an awkward stance but it does work and often we see Means outlanding his opponents. Means is also an opportunistic grappler that could find a submission here if McGee is not careful shooting. With athletes competing at elevation today it will be difficult to predict what round three looks like in anyone of these matchups. Means is going to be my pick here but it is with minimal confidence. Tim Means by Decision
- Nick: Tim Means is a seasoned vet who does his best work striking in the clinch. He has advanced technical ability on the feet offensively, he throws violent and accurate elbows, but he’s definitely not as fast or elusive defensively as he was earlier in his career. He can still put out a lot of volume, but his cardio and durability both seem to be depleting at a rapid pace. Means has lost four of his last five fights, and at 40-years old there is simply no denying he has entered the twilight of his career. Court McGee likes to pressure his opponents. He’s a decent striker, but mostly because he has generally been able to eat shots in order to throw back his own. He rarely looks crisp on the feet, but his solid chin has allowed him to find spots that otherwise might not be there for him for the majority of his career. He has decent entries for takedowns, and he’s stronger than a lot of the other middling contenders in this division. Still, his durability is no longer a strength as he’s been knocked out in two of his last three fights. These are two fighters who have regressed considerably from their athletic prime, which makes this a volatile matchup to call. If McGee can get his wrestling going early he’ll be live for an upset here, but I prefer to back Means as the more dangerous and aggressive striker of the two. Tim Means by Decision
Tecia Pennington -185 vs Carla Esparza +150
- Anthony: Next is a fight at women’s strawweight between Carla Esparza and Tecia Pennington. This is the retirement fight for Esparza who plans on calling it a career. Esparza won the first belt at 115 pounds back in 2014. Since then her career has seen sustained success, due in large part to her wrestling. The most recent performance for Esparza came nearly two years ago, losing to Zhang Weili by submission. She is no longer securing clean takedowns and often we see Esparza take a beating due to a deficiency in her striking skills. Pennington has very active boxing and we should see her touch up Esparza considerably here. While I fear Esparza could score takedowns and beat Pennington it will be tough to get down an opponent seemingly much stronger than her. Esparza has also converted just three of her previous fifteen attempted takedowns. This is the end of the line for Esparza. Pennington is not the ideal opponent to face heading into retirement. Tecia Pennington by Decision
- Nick: When this fight is standing, Tecia Pennington is going to have a considerable advantage. She is excellent in the clinch, and she lands nearly five significant strikes per minute. She has excellent cardio and generally does a good job keeping pressure on her opponents. She is somewhat small for the division, but she has solid takedown defense and has been difficult to keep down if her opponents do find a way to take her to the mat. At her best, Carla Esparza does a good job securing takedowns and holding top position over most of her opponents. That being said, her striking is far from refined and she doesn’t wear damage very well. Esparza is a former UFC Strawweight Champion, but she has been out of action since 2022. It is also concerning that she’s already stated that will be her last fight before she retires. This is a binary match-up, and Esparza can certainly pull off the upset if she can lean on her superior wrestling. That being said, Pennington is difficult to take down. I prefer the favorite in this one, and I’m fairly confident this fight goes to the scorecards. Tecia Pennington by Decision
Ryan Spann -260 vs Ovince Saint Preux +200
- Anthony: This is a light heavyweight matchup between Ryan Spann and Ovince Saint Preux. This fight was booked to take place in September but Saint Preux had to pull out on account of an illness. The former title challenger has not won much at all the past few years but his last showing was a good one beating Kenendy Nzechukwu. OSP has a knack for slowing down fights and making his opponent meet on his terms. He does well controlling pace at range with his long weapons and outmuscling most opponents in the clinch. Spann will likely get caught wasting at least one round here engaging with OSP on the octagon side. Spann enters this bout on a three fight losing streak and I refuse to bet him as such a heavy favorite. Spann is often reliant on the early finish to earn himself a win. Fighting here at elevation, I predict Saint Preux will weather that early storm and take over late in this one. Spann loves to engage his opponents grappling but OSP is very strong when his fights hit the mat. Ovince Saint Preux by Round Three Submission
- Nick: Ryan Spann carries a lot of power and sneaky submission ability, but he’s been extremely inconsistent since he debuted with the UFC. His cardio has proven to be an issue in many of his recent fights, and his Fight IQ is questionable at best. He’s coming off an ugly KO loss to a relatively low level opponent in Bogdan Guskovv, and his kill-or-be-killed style makes him a dangerous fighter to back as a favorite. OSP was once a top contender, but his career has been on a major downturn of late. He’s coming off an impressive upset win over a tough out in Kennedy Nzechukwu, but that fight was of little action and was a narrow decision on the scorecards. There is no denying he has been inconsistent, but he still has a lot of power in his strikes. Additionally, his signature Von Flue choke has to be a concern for any of his opponents if he’s able to secure top position. OSP still has finishing ability, even this late in his career. The line feels a bit wide here, but Spann’s speed and athleticism should allow him to find an early finish. However if he can’t, OSP will be live to pull off the upset on the scorecards or in the later rounds. Ryan Spann by Round One KO
Preliminary Card- Starts 8:00pm EST
Cesar Almeida -400 vs Ihor Potieria +300
- Anthony: The preliminary card begins with middleweights Cesar Almeida and Ihor Potieria. There is some draw here with Almeida having previously competed against Alex Pereira as a kickboxer. Almeida suffered his first loss in MMA during his most recent UFC fight. Roman Kopylov was able to secure five of nine takedowns to stymie Almeida’s potent striking offense. It is crucial that Almeida works on improving his takedown defense, but that likely won’t play a factor in today’s bout. Potieria is more than likely going to meet Almeida standing. He has the power to make this bout interesting but Almeida’s striking is much more fluid and precise. I am expecting Almeida’s kickboxing to really shine through here. Early in this fight Portieria will get hurt as he looks to close distance abruptly. He is again being fed to a solid prospect as the matchmakers believe his ceiling has already been met. Cesar Almeida by Round One KO
- Nick: Cesar Almeida is primarily a striker. He’s only 5-1 professionally in MMA, but he has an extensive resume in kickboxing that includes a win over current light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira. Almeida has solid cardio and durability, and he can put power in his strikes even when he’s moving backwards. Like many kickboxers, his grappling leaves a lot to be desired. However, he continues to show considerable improvement in that area of his game. He is coming off his first career loss, in which he was taken down repeatedly by a mediocre grappler in Roman Kopylov, but his cardio and durability held up well in that fight in spite of the loss. Ihor Potieria is primarily a brawler with dangerous offensive striking ability. He is 21-6 professionally, but he really hasn’t found much success at this level. He is explosive in open space and striking out of breaks, but he seems far from refined in terms of his footwork and head movement. His kill or be-killed style makes him dangerous as an underdog, but his technical abilities defensively are far from refined. Potieria will be dangerous early here, but I expect Almeida to stay safe until he outclasses him as he starts to fade. Cesar Almeida by Round Two KO
Alexander Hernandez -150 vs Austin Hubbard +125
- Anthony: This should be a fun fight at lightweight between Austin Hubbard and Alexander Hernandez. It will be interesting to see who takes an early lead in this bout as Hernandez is accustomed to frontrunning. In the past Hernandez has struggled with conserving energy in rounds two and three. I fear that issue could be exaggerated here at elevation but the move up to 155 pounds should help his overall gas. Hernandez is much more dynamic than Hubbard when it comes to his attacks. Hernandez moves forward with powerful hooks, generating a lot of pop with his stout frame. I believe him to be far more talented than Hubbard and at sea-level I predict he’d easily win this booking. Hubbard trains at elevation and fights a style more suited for fifteen minutes. It would not surprise me to see him turn the tables and beat Hernandez but I feel confident predicting that he gets his ass kicked early on. Hubbard does not present any threat with his hands and very little in terms of his offensive grappling. You should have the opportunity to live bet Hubbard if Hernandez does start to breath heavily late. Alexander Hernandez by Decision
- Nick: There is no denying the fact that Alexander Hernandez has KO power on the feet. He’s also a decent defensive grappler, but his constant movement and aggressive style often leaves him tired and vulnerable in later rounds. His cardio has been improving since he moved camps to Factory X in Colorado, but it still seems to be more of a weakness than a strength. He’s extremely gifted athletically, but wildly inconsistent. His hyper aggressive style almost always leads to him fading in later rounds. Austin Hubbard is big for the division. He’s mostly well-rounded, but offensively he doesn’t have any singular standout skill. He has excellent cardio, which isn’t really a surprise as he primarily trains in Colorado with Elevation Fight Team. He was cut from the promotion following a decision loss to Vinc Pichel in 2021, but he has since returned to the roster off a loss to Kurt Holobaugh via submission in finals of The Ultimate Fighter Season 31 Tournament back at UFC 292. Since then, he recorded a solid win over Michael Figlak. Still, he really hasn’t recorded any wins against top level competition. In this particular matchup, he is very live to pull off an upset if he can survive what Hernandez brings to him early. Hernandez is the rightful favorite here as he’s going to be extremely dangerous in the first round, but I like Hubbard’s chances to survive early and then weaponize his cardio. Austin Hubbard by Round Three KO
Iasmin Lucindo -185 vs Marina Rodriguez +150
- Anthony: This is a matchup at women’s strawweight between Iasmin Lucindo and Marina Rodriguez. Lucindo is only 22 years old but she has already proven to be a winner in the promotion. She is a quick and rather relentless fighter, always testing her opponents’ gas tank against her own. As tonight’s event is at elevation it would not surprise me to see Rodriguez succumb to a frantic pace here. Rodriguez can exchange strikes with Lucindo for a hard fifteen minutes but she is in for a much tougher fight if Lucindo is looking to shoot. Lucindo has previously been successful taking down opponents and using her jiu jitsu skills. Lucindo is quick to get to her opponents legs and secure takedowns with rather solid technique. I do not think she struggles much getting Rodriguez off of her feet at least once or twice here. I am unlikely to bet Lucindo at the current odds but she is the rightful favorite in my opinion. Rodriguez can win this fight only by battering Lucindo with her great boxing. Iasmin Lucindo by Decision
- Nick: Iasmin Lucindo is a well-rounded prospect with a high-volume striking style, solid cardio, and excellent durability. Lucindo can be a dangerous submission grappler if this fight hits the mat, but she doesn’t really have the wrestling ability to take the fight there consistently. Lucindo is already dangerous at just 22-years old, but this matchup with Rodriguez represents a dramatic step up for her in terms of level of competition. Marina Rodriguez is excellent in the clinch and she lands more than five significant strikes per minute. She is somewhat upright in her stance, but she has excellent cardio and durability and she is certainly willing to take damage in order to land on her opponents. She throws combinations better than most of the women in the division, and she’s been in there against a much higher level of competition compared to her opponent in this matchup. Rodriguez is certainly live to pull off the upset here, but she needs to keep this fight standing. I think she will. Marina Rodriguez by Decision
Joaquin Buckley -230 vs Stephen Thompson +190
- Anthony: The featured prelim is a fight at welterweight between Stephen Thompson and Joaquin Buckley. Looking to extend his winning streak to five, Buckley has really rounded into great form as he now ascends the rankings. While Buckley has serious power he fights rather conservatively. He tends to stay composed and rely on big actions to win minutes and rounds. Wonderboy Thompson is not an opponent that Buckley can recklessly charge into. The great karate of Thompson will likely shine through here in moments these two are fighting on the feet. Buckley should lean on his grappling more here in an attempt to smother Thompson. We have seen Thompson lose fights before against high level grapplers such as Shavkat Rakhmonov, Gilbert Burns and the champion Belal Muhammad. It is wise for Buckley to search for the takedown but I do not think he will land as many successful shots as those great wrestlers. Buckley is a good grappler but not good at all when it comes to maintaining position. I do think Buckley has a slight edge here facing Thompson but at these odds I have to take a shot on the underdog. Thompson has proven many times before his style is a puzzle that very few can solve. Stephen Thompson by Decision
- Nick: In spite of his recent inconsistencies, it seems the UFC is still behind the marketing and promotion of Joaquin Buckley. He’s far from a developed talent, but his knockout ability makes him an easy sell. His spinning wheel-kick KO of Impa Kasanganay was the knockout of the year in 2020. He’s still developing the majority of his skills, but at 30-years old he should continue to improve. Buckley has tremendous power and he can truly end a fight in any moment. That being said, he can be overly hesitant at times, he is fairly predictable as a striker as he telegraphs most of his shots. His cardio and durability seem to have greatly improved since he moved down to welterweight. Additionally, he’s fighting with better IQ as he’s been mixing in his grappling more than ever before. Stephen Thompson is past his prime, but on the feet he is still among the class of this division. He mostly fights in an open stance, using his excellent Karate style to throw off the timing of his opponents. He is light on his feet, constantly switches and generally does an excellent job circling away from danger. He manages range extremely well, and his cardio and durability are still excellent. As excellent as he is on the feet, his defensive grappling leaves a lot to be desired. Almost all of his professional losses have come against grapplers, which makes this a particularly difficult matchup here against Buckley if he chooses to wrestle. If this fight stays standing, Thompson should absolutely dominate here. That being said, I’m fairly confident in Buckley to engage in wrestling both early and often. This is a tough fight to call given the clash in styles. I’ll take a shot on the value of the underdog assuming he can keep this fight standing long enough to find a finish. Stephen Thompson by Round Three KO
Main Card- Starts 10:00pm EST
Kayla Harrison -1100 vs Ketlen Vieira +700
- Anthony: The main card opens with bantamweights Kayla Harrison and Ketlen Vieira. Certainly the winner of this fight will be interested in the co-main event results later. Harrison could be just one performance away from competing for the title next. Since beginning her journey in mixed martial arts Harrison has gone 17-1 as a professional. The former two-time Olympic gold medalist has the best grappling at bantamweight and a clear edge in strength over most opponents. Vieria’s own background in judo makes this an interesting fight, but Harrison will eventually win out if these two are going to grapple. While Vieira does boast 92 percent takedown defense, it is very rare for opponents to shoot on her. She is a BJJ black belt, but unfortunately that does no good when facing a highly skilled judoka. Harrison is a massive favorite for good reason and I expect her to win without any scares. Kayla Harrison by Round Three KO
- Nick: Kayla Harrison is a former PFL Champion, and a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist in judo. Harrison is one of the more decorated women’s MMA practitioners in the entire world. She is 33 years-old and 17-1 professionally, with six wins coming via KO and seven coming via submission. Harrison is primarily a grappler, and her strength as a judoka is going to continue to shake up the women’s roster at 135 lbs. She has outstanding offensive grappling ability, and she’s capable of securing takedowns in seemingly countless ways. Harrison secured a dominant win over a tough out in Holly Holm in her UFC debut, securing a submission in the second round. Harrison is considered massive for the weight class, but it seems she has dialed in her weight cut to the point that it shouldn’t be an issue for her moving forward. Ketlen Vieira is a blackbelt in both BJJ and Judo. She has strong takedown and submission ability, but she seems entirely content to fight at striking range or up against the cage. Most of her success in the UFC has come against inferior grapplers, but she’s running into a buzzsaw stylistically here against the dangerous Kayla Harrison. Not only will Harrison be the superior grappler in this matchup, but she’s also proven to be the more durable fighter and the fighter with better cardio in this matchup. With this fight taking place at elevation, there’s a good chance Vierira starts to fade even if she manages to find success early here. Kayla Harrison by Round Two KO
Kevin Holland -150 vs Roman Dolidze +125
- Anthony: Next is a middleweight fight between Kevin Holland and Roman Dolidze. Recently I have been impressed to see Dolidze earning his rank. While certainly I respect Dolidze’s skill set, he is not the most dynamic fighter in this division. He has been met with varied results now facing higher level competition. Dolidze will want to utilize his grappling here against Kevin Holland. Dolidze is normally quick to shoot his first takedown and it will be crucial for Holland to sprawl well. Holland cannot afford to have a strong grappler like Dolidze establish top position very early in this fight. Holland’s chances of winning increase with every shot stuffed and strike landed. He hits harder than Dolidze and attacks from more angles thanks to his great speed. This fight is favored to go to the judge’s scorecards to no surprise. I find it likely that Holland would win a close decision here, beating Dolidze thanks to damage and strikes landed. Dolidze is going to be very hard to finish and Holland is unlikely to see the knockout materialize. Nonetheless I expect him to connect with plenty of solid elbows and knees. It is a tough fight to handicap but I will bet Holland at -150 or better. Kevin Holland by Decision
- Nick: Kevin Holland has developed a reputation as one of the more exciting fighters in the UFC. He talks constantly, both insulting and congratulating his opponents for the entire time he’s in the cage. He’s a rangy and creative striker with surprising power for his frame, but he has a clear hole in his game via his takedown defense. While he struggles at times against wrestlers, he has dangerous BJJ as a black belt under Travis Lutter. His grappling has looked a lot better overall since he made the move down to welterweight, but he’s moving back up to middleweight here against a dangerous grappler in Dolidze. Roman Dolidze packs a lot of power in his strikes, but he’s also a decorated grappler as an ADCC Asia & Oceania Champion. Dolidze has recently begun training at Xtreme Couture. As a fighter who was once the owner of his own small gym before the move, the camp shift has helped him to improve considerably in each fight of his most recent fights. He’s now training with tougher partners and learning new techniques he wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. As talented as he is, Dolidze is one of the more inconsistent fighters on the roster. He is a potent finisher and he’s dangerous everywhere, but his instincts and general fight IQ are certainly weaknesses for him more than they are strengths. These are two dangerous, but also inconsistent fighters, which makes this a difficult fight to call. Holland does feel like the rightful favorite, but Dolidze is going to be the bigger and stronger fighter here and he does seem to have a grappling advantage. I’ll take a shot on him given his value as an underdog. Roman Dolidze by Decision
Mario Bautista -150 vs Jose Aldo +125
- Anthony: The featured bout is a bantamweight matchup between Jose Aldo and Mario Bautista. Aldo has proven he still has it, fighting and winning in May of this year. I was very impressed by Aldo’s vintage showing out striking Jonathan Martinez and throwing 174 total attempts. Aldo still has elite timing and a very good feel in the pocket. He is a much better boxer than Bautista and on the feet I expect him to cruise. This fight becomes much more interesting if Bautista is successful scoring takedowns and challenging Aldo with his jiu jitsu. Aldo has proven very hard to take down and although his skills are waning now at 38, Bautista is not a big enough threat to worry me at this juncture. I do not expect him to find sustained top pressure on Aldo. The champion Merab Dvalishvili even struggled to takedown Aldo, failing on all sixteen attempts. This weight class seems to be a great fit for Aldo after years of domination at featherweight. He is a great bet as the underdog in this matchup. Jose Aldo by Decision
- Nick: Mario Bautista is a powerful striker at range. He does a great job managing distance and he uses feints well to set up his combos. While he’s most comfortable standing and trading, he is also a competent grappler as a brown belt in BJJ. He has a solid wrestling base, which he uses to control position against a wide range of opponents. Against good strikers, he can lean on his grappling. Against good grapplers, he can lean on his striking. In this particular matchup we expect he’ll try to push a pace and fight moving forward. Jose Aldo is currently fighting at bantamweight, but he’s one of the greatest featherweights of all time. A former champion, Aldo is 32-8 professionally, coming off a dominant win over a rising prospect in Jonathan Martinez in front of his home crowd in Brazil. Aldo remains one of the more dangerous and pure strikers in the division. He throws powerful leg kicks, a snappy jab, and he does an excellent job stringing together lengthy combinations in which he works in body shots frequently. There is a chance he has a grappling advantage in this matchup, but at this stage in his career it’s very rare we see him lean on that part of his game. As talented as Bautista is, Aldo is a much higher level of opponent than anyone he has faced before. I’m seeing clear value on the underdog here, as he continues to turn back the clock. Jose Aldo by Decision
Raquel Pennington -165 vs Julianna Pena +140
- Anthony: The co-main event decides the bantamweight championship as Raquel Pennington faces Julianna Pena. Pennington is looking to make her first defense here as she faces the former division champion. The six-fight win streak for Rocky looks great, consistently beating her opponents with sustained output and diverse attacks. She is not the most exciting of champions, but Pennington is a steady fighter that I can trust in a five round bout. Few bantamweights are as tough as her with her only stoppage loss coming against Amanda Nunes. Pena is less defensively sound than Pennington and generally the sloppier striker. Pena will need to utilize more than her boxing to win here today. I like Pena’s chances if successful securing takedowns and testing her jiu jitsu against the likes of Pennington. Still, Pena seems rather dependent on the finish as her chances of taking rounds are slim. Pennington will outland Pena by the numbers and control her for large parts of this fight. She will do very well against Pena at boxing range and tight in the clinch. And Still. Raquel Pennington by Decision
- Nick: Raquel Pennington is a talented veteran who has only lost to championship level fighters. She does a good job keeping consistent pressure on her opponents. She strikes best in close range where she likes to grind her opponents up against the cage, nullifying their offensive abilities. She’s going to be the better technical striker in this matchup, and I also expect she’ll have a cardio advantage here. Pena’s greatest strength is her overall toughness and will to win. She’s a dangerous BJJ practitioner if her fights hit the mat, but her takedown entries and overall wrestling ability leave a lot to be desired. She has surprising power for her frame in striking exchanges, but she mostly throws wide and looping shots. As dangerous as she can be, she telegraphs most of her strikes and she takes a lot of damage in extended exchanges. Pennington is a rightful favorite on paper here, but Pena should be able to keep things close as she’s going to put out more volume. In spite of her technical deficiencies, Pena should set the pace here. This will be a competitive fight, but I do see Pennington winning the majority of the five rounds. She’s the better technical fighter no matter where this one goes. I expect she can weaponize her cardio as she stays out of trouble early. And Still. Raquel Pennington by Decision
Alex Pereira -450 vs Khalil Rountree +340
- Anthony: The main event will see Alex Pereira defend his light heavyweight title against Khalil Rountree. I must applaud Pereira for his activity as a champion, headlining for the third time this year. He is producing highlight reel knockouts against the best opponents at this weight. His left hook has the power to knock out anyone in the promotion and all the weapons that come with it make him very hard to attack. It is tough to predict the champion’s downfall here after making quick work of Jamahal Hill and most recently Jiri Prochazka. Pereira is in superb form and fighting with a terrifying aura around him. Rountree is a skilled challenger that has what it takes to stop Poatan, but Rountree’s path to victory comes through the fire. Anytime Rountree is in a position to hurt Pereira he will also be at range for counter shots to land. I trust the champion to take Rountree’s very heavy strikes while returning with equal power but fewer tells. He is much more efficient than Rountree when it comes to landing attacks. Pereira is accurate on 63 percent of his striking attempts while Rountree lands just 39 percent of the time. Rountree’s 7:50 average fight time is even shorter than Pereiera. He could perhaps hurt the champion with a hard elbow or kick but otherwise this fight should be controlled by Pereira. I expect it to end rather early. Rountree has not attempted a single takedown through 15 UFC fights. I cannot bet against Pereira unless I know his opponent will be at least trying to wrestle. And Still. Alex Pereira by Round Two KO
- Nick: Alex Pereira carries KO power in all of his limbs. He moves fluidly on the feet, he has outstanding footwork and head movement, and in terms of overall technical ability there’s no denying he’s one of the best strikers on the roster. There is a major hole in his game as he has very little grappling ability, but he’s been training under Glover Teixiera so there’s a good chance he’ll continue to show improvements on the mat. Additionally, his opponent in this matchup has never shot a takedown in the UFC. He has shown stellar power and an ability to close the distance on his opponents both quickly and violently. He sometimes over-exerts on punches in exchanges and leaves himself open to counter shots, but he’s as dangerous of a fighter as there is in the world at 205 pounds. Khalil Rountree is a talented Muay-Thai striker with extremely powerful kicks. He works excellent in the clinch, but he’s sometimes overly conservative as he waits for fights to come to him. Rountree is a frustrating fighter to back as he’s usually very volatile. He can look like a complete world beater on any given night, but on occasion he seems like he has zero interest in fighting. He’s strung together five consecutive wins coming into this matchup, with three of those coming via KO. That being said, this fight represents a dramatic step up for him in terms of level of competition. Three of his five recent wins are over fighters who are no longer on the roster, and his most recent knockout win came against an aging opponent in Anthony Smith. Rountree has enough power to potentially pull off the upset here, but that seems like an unlikely outcome. Pereira is levels above Rountree in terms of overall technical ability, and he’s also been facing a much higher level of opponent. And Still. Alex Pereira by Round Two KO
-Nick Marro
Twitter: @NickMarroDFS
-Anthony Marro
Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_
Photo: UFC.com