UFC’s annual trip to the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah for UFC 307 ended in a cataclysmic finish for the challenger, Khalil Rountree. Light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira retained his title with an emphatic win over the American, ending his championship hopes in the fourth round and earning himself a generous payday in the process.
After leveling ‘The War Horse’ with a couple of thunderous body shot in the fourth, Pereira has defended his title successfully thrice this year!
Not just ‘Poatan’ fellow light heavyweight Ryan Spann also reaped success in Utah when he KOed OSP in R1.
Spann along with Joaquin Buckley, who flatlined Stephen Thompson were awarded the PON bonuses while the main eventer, Pereira and Rountree took home the Fight of the Night bonus.
Big finishes, big bonuses 💰💰@NewMansa94 & @Superman_Spann earned the #UFC307 POTN honors!
[ B2YB @PrimeHydrate ] pic.twitter.com/fcN7vPfOXG
— UFC (@ufc) October 6, 2024
Unlike the promotion’s previous PPV events where Dana White and Co. gave out four bonuses, the officials decided to award three $50,000 bonuses.
While most of the fights in the prelims, early prelims and main event succumbed to decisions, the fans were fully sold by the main event with Khalil taking the fight to ‘Poatan.’
Pereira downs Khalil at UFC 307
Alex Pereira was undoubtedly the star attraction of the evening. With that being said, the challenger Khalil Rountree was expected to give the champion some trouble. And to be fair, he did.
The American did really showcase his striking prowess, deciding to stand and bang with the stone faced killer.
While fans saw Khalil down the Brazilian in the second round, Pereira never looked outmatched. Staying calm in the early rounds, he weathered Rountree’s explosive blitz, gracefully evading his shots.
However, once the champion put his foot on the gas and pushed challenger, he broke down Khalil with precise strikes, literally carving up his face.
And by the fourth, Khalil was gassed out with only occasional bouts of Hail Mary strikes coming out of him. Taking advantage of this, Pereira pushed the envelope and gave the American a proper bludgeoning until he gave out in the fourth and crumbled down after a liver shot.
While the outcome was pretty much expected with experts predicting Pereira to win, Khalil after Saturday’s five round affair went out on his shield, winning the hearts of the community.
