FILE – Alex Pereira fights towards Israel Adesanya in a middleweight title match throughout UFC 287 on the Kaseya Middle on Saturday, April 8, 2023, in downtown Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald through AP, File)
SALT LAKE CITY — Alex Pereira is gearing as much as battle his fourth bout in lower than a yr when he seeks to retain his mild heavyweight championship towards Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307 on Saturday night time.
Measured by any normal, it’s a brisk battle schedule for a title belt holder. Pereira wouldn’t have it another manner.
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“Often after the fights I say wish to take a while, give just a little hole,” Pereira stated by way of a translator at UFC 307 media day Wednesday. “Then I come again to the health club, and I begin coaching, and I begin seeing the place my evolution lies and see that I received to maintain doing this extra usually.”
READ: Alex Pereira retains title with TKO of Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303
Returning to Utah to battle Roundtree represents a real full-circle second for Pereira.
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His highway to changing into the sunshine heavyweight champion started a yr in the past at UFC 291 in Salt Lake Metropolis. Pereira defeated Jan Blachowicz through cut up determination in his first bout after shifting up from the middleweight division, the place he was a former UFC champion. A victory over Blachowicz didn’t come simple. 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 profitable streak and is feeling in peak situation going into the battle.
“The physique’s good,” Pereira stated. “Issues occur typically right here and there. That’s the worth to be preventing usually. However I feel every part is sweet. We’ve received 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 general within the mild heavyweight division.
READ: UFC 300: Alex Pereira retains title, knocks out Jamahal Hill
Rountree is a controversial option to battle Pereria after getting chosen over increased ranked challengers and comes into the bout after serving a drug suspension earlier within the yr. He’s additionally a determined underdog towards 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 manner 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 profitable streak. Pena, the No. 1 ranked fighter within the bantamweight division, is a former UFC champion seeking 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 isn’t doing sufficient to advertise girls’s MMA preventing away from the octagon.
“She has continually finished every part that she will be able to to keep away from being the face of girls’s MMA,” Pena stated. “I wish 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 night time and have the ability to 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 file as a fighter speaks for itself and is assured about holding her personal towards Pena.
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“All she does is discuss (expletive). She retains herself related that manner,” Pennington stated. “That is 14 years of onerous work. I received right here by staying in my lane.”
