Alex Pereira looks to extend perfect year at UFC 307

Alex Pereira makes the third title defense of his light heavyweight title he opposes Khalil Rountree Jr. in the main event of UFC 307 on Saturday in Salt Lake City.

Pereira (11-2 MMA), a 37-year-old Brazilian, is fresh off back-to-back knockout victories against ex-UFC light heavyweight champions Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 in April and Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 in June.

Rountree (14-5 MMA), a 34-year-old Los Angeles native, is rated No. 8 in the light heavyweight division, having won five straight fights. In his latest outing, he finished Anthony Smith by third-round TKO in December, earning the title shot.

Pereira said Thursday at the pre-fight press conference that he greatly respects Rountree Jr. for accepting the fight and his willingness and belief as one of the division's best fighters.

"Khalil's up there," Pereira said via translation. "You can't deny that anymore. For all the work he's put in, he is a great striker in this organization. He got the shot, and I am grateful [to fight him]."

Pereira is one of nine UFC fighters to capture championships in multiple weight classes. He won the UFC middleweight title at UFC 281 in November 2022 with a stunning TKO of long-time rival Israel Adesanya. Pereira's reign was short-lived, however, as he lost the belt to Adesanya in an immediate rematch at UFC 287 in April 2023.

Pereira is a -470 favorite at DraftKings and a -520 favorite at FanDuel, with Rountree a heavy underdog at +360 and +350, respectively.

Rountree said he is remaining loose and relaxed ahead of the biggest fight of his career. He said he wants this fight remembered as a vehicle for those who can achieve anything.

"Ask yourself this question, right?" Rountree said. "Everybody in the crowd asks yourself this question, ‘What do you want in life? Like, what do you actually want? Not material. When it comes down to a feeling, a vision that you see for yourself. What do you want? And what's stopping you? That's what I'm asking myself right now, and that's what I've asked myself all the way up until this point. What's stopping me from getting what I want?

"For me, the answer has been myself. I think that it's the same for a lot of people. A lot of times, it's ourselves in front of us that's stopping us. So, for me, it's like, I've overcome that (feeling) so many times. And I'm at this point right now. The challenge is not done."

The co-main event is a title bought featuring the UFC women's bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington (16-8 MMA) and former champion Julianna Pena (11-5 MMA). Both women are mainstays of the division and were ex-roommates on The Ultimate Fighter 18, but they have never had the opportunity to compete.

Pena went on to win the season and four out of her first six UFC outings before earning a title shot against then-champion Amanda Nunes. Pena upset Nunes to win the belt in a one-sided affair at UFC 269 in December 2021, securing a second-round rear-naked-choke.

Similarly to the Adesanya-Pereira rivalry, Pena's championship run lasted less than a year. At UFC 277 in July 2022, Nunes swept the scorecards to win back the belt. She defended it again the following summer against Irene Aldana at UFC 289 before retiring after the victory.

Pennington wound up claiming the vacant title by winning a sixth straight bout, defeating Mayra Bueno Silva by decision at UFC 297 in January.

UFC 307 main card (Start time 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+ PPV)

Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., light heavyweight -- Pereira's UFC light heavyweight title

Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Pena, women's bantamweight -- Pennington's UFC women's bantamweight title

Jose Aldo vs. Mario Bautista, bantamweight

Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland, middleweight

Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison, women's bantamweight

--Field Level Media