Alex Pereira Sets New UFC Record With Win Against Khalil Rountree Jr

By: Gyang Dakwo

Alex Pereira retained the UFC light heavyweight crown by beating Khalil Rountree Jr. by TKO with 28 seconds left in the fourth round at UFC 307 over the weekend.

It was the fourth straight title bout for Pereira (12-2) and his third consecutive successful title defense.

With his win, Pereira broke Ronda Rousey’s record for the shortest amount of time between three world title defenses, exhibiting his star power.

“I want to push myself as much as I can. I’m 37 and I want to take advantage of time but I do need to take a break,” Pereira said on fighting four bouts in a less than a year.

Rountree (14-6) showcased his speed early and delivered several hard strikes. At one point, in the second round, he ducked under a roundhouse kick and countered with a strong hook to the face. But Pereira showed more accuracy and consistency in landing blows during the early rounds.

Stamina favored Pereira in the fourth round. He found his range and timing and put Rountree on his heels. Pereira forced him to repeatedly cover his face to block strikes and eventually backed him against the fence. He rained blows on Rountree and dropped him to his knees, leading the referee to stop the fight.

Pereira’s victory headlined five main card fights on Saturday night.