A former UFC middleweight champion recently praised Khalil Rountree, claiming he has what it takes to defeat Alex Pereira by outclassing him in his own area of expertise.
"The War Horse" is preparing for his first title shot as he challenges reigning light heavyweight champion Pereira in the main event of UFC 307, set for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
"Poatan" has been a relentless powerhouse since making his mark in the 205-pound division last year, firmly establishing his dominance by defending his belt twice within the span of two months. Pereira is coming off a second-round knockout of Jiri Prochazka in their highly anticipated rematch at UFC 303 this past June.
While Pereira may be renowned for his crushing power and world-class kickboxing that dismantles his opponents, Rountree has made it clear that he won’t resort to takedowns, opting instead to keep the battle standing.
Michael Bisping believes that "The War Horse" is more than capable of going toe-to-toe with the Brazilian champion in a striking showdown...
Bisping Warns 'Poatan' To Respect Rountree's Abilities: 'Pereira Has To Take Him Seriously'
During a a recent video on his YouTube channel, "The Count" gave his thoughts on the upcoming title clash between Pereira and Rountree. The UFC Hall of Famer highlighted some of the notable names the American challenger has taken down in recent bouts, pointing out that while "The War Horse" may appear hittable, he's proven his prowess by defeating elite-level kickboxers like Gokhan Saki.
Bisping emphasized that Pereira should tread carefully in striking exchanges, as Rountree is no stranger to top-tier competition.
Anthony Smith was able to land some straight rights, and if Smith can land them, you've got to think that Pereira is going to land them," Bisping said. "But if we dig a little deeper, if we look at some of the other people that he's [Rountree] beaten, there's a name that stands out, and that name is the one and only Gokhan Saki… When he went up against Khalil Rountree, he got knocked out in the first round."
Who is Khalil? Well, Khalil was a kickboxer. He has the confidence to put it out there and truly mean it by saying that he's not going to shoot. He's going to stand there, go toe to toe, and try to beat Pereira at his own game.
Rountree is currently enjoying the success of a five-fight win streak. The 34-year-old was initially slated to face former champion Jamahal Hill at UFC 303, but Rountree had to withdraw after receiving a 4.5-month suspension for testing positive for a steroid hormone. Fortunately for "The War Horse", the suspension ended on September 18, clearing the path for his return.