Alex Pereira, Khalil Rountree Jr.'s Next Best Fights After UFC 307 ...

7 hours ago
Alex BallentineOctober 6, 2024
Alex Pereira, Khalil Rountree Jr.'s Next Best Fights After UFC 307 Results

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Alex Pereira - Figure 1
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Alex PereiraJeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Alex Pereira added another nice bullet point to his ever-growing resume with a fourth-round TKO win over Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307. It won't take long for the question to become what happens next with the two-division champion.

Poatan continues to be one of the UFC's biggest stars and he doesn't seem interested in slowing down anytime soon.

There will, of course, be calls for him to move up a weight. It's the natural inclination after watching him dominate at middleweight and light heavyweight. However, there are some interesting challenges that could still emerge at 205 pounds.

As for Rountree, it's back to the drawing board. He put together a five-fight win streak to get to this point and has a lot of names at the top of the division that he hasn't fought.

Let's take a look at the top option for each of the main event combatants.

Pereira's Next Best Fights

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Alex PereiraJeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Winner of Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar RakicTom AspinallJon Jones

If this win made anything clear it's that Alex Pereira is the kind of fighter who is able to transcend weight class. He has easily transitioned from middleweight to light heavyweight while retaining his dominance.

Alex Pereira - Figure 2
Photo Bleacher Report

Pereira has toyed with the idea of moving back down to middleweight or even going up to heavyweight to go for a historic third weight class title. However, any ideas for his next fight should start in his current weight class.

He made it clear ahead of the fight that is where his attention lies at the moment.

"I would actually choose to defend my belt," Pereira told reporters at media day. "For me to go to a lower weight class, it would take some time, need some preparation. For me to go to a higher weight class, it also takes more preparation. So right now, the way it is at light heavyweight is perfect."

If he wants to stay at light heavyweight then the winner of an October bout between Magomed Ankalaev and Aleksandar Rakic is the only logical option. Ankalaev could have arguably received this title shot over Rountree, but that's not the way it played out.

The more intriguing option for fans is for Pereira to strike while the iron is hot and go for a historic heavyweight championship. Pereira recently trained with Jones after the reigning champion dropped hints that his upcoming bout against Stipe Miocic could be his last.

Alex Pereira - Figure 3
Photo Bleacher Report

If Jones does retire then the UFC could be looking for a big name to take on interim champion Tom Aspinall. Pereira could be that guy if he wants to.

Rountree's Next Best Fights

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Jamahal Hill lands a kick on Alex PereiraChris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic LoserJamahal HillJohnny Walker

The simplest path forward for the UFC and Rountree would be to set up Rountree with the loser of the scheduled bout between Magomed Ankalaev and Aleksandar Rakic. The winner has the inside track on the next title shot, so it would make sense to pair up the losers and see who can save face.

The winner of that bout would likely remain in the mix and get a top five opponent in their next fight after that one.

After losing to the champion, that's about as good a scenario as Rountree could hope for.

Another scenario would be Rountree taking on the other light heavyweight who most recently lost to Pereira. Jamahal Hill had a brief run as champion and was actually scheduled to fight Rountree at UFC 303 but Rountree withdrew from the fight after consuming a banned substance.

With that incident behind him, it might be time to meet up with Hill.

The final possibility might be a rematch with Johnny Walker. The two were similarly ranked going into this fight and Walker won a matchup between the two back in 2018. They have taken similar roads in the UFC with inconsistencies that have kept them from staying in the limelight.

A bout between the two would not only be exciting, but give one of them the chance to stay in the running for a title shot.

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