Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen doesn’t think Khalil Rountree will be buying into the reputation that precedes Alex Pereira whenever he enters the Octagon.
Rountree is days away from the biggest fight of his career to date, as he gears up to headline a pay-per-view and compete with gold on the line for the very first time at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
If “The War Horse” is to continue his winning form all the way to the light heavyweight throne, he’ll have to unseat Pereira. That’s a task that former champions Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka have both failed to achieve in 2024.
Destructive performances against “Sweet Dreams” and “BJP” have only enhanced Pereira’s status as one of the promotion’s most feared knockout artists.
But when it comes to how opponents handle such a reputation, Sonnen doesn’t expect Rountree to be one who “wilts” come fight night…
Sonnen: Rountree A ‘Real Problem’ For Pereira
During the latest episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Daniel Cormier on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Sonnen reiterated his belief that an upset could be brewing in Salt Lake City.
In part, that’s down to the mindset of Rountree. According to “The American Gangster,” the challenger won’t crumble to the “fear factor” Pereira has developed in the way that others in the division would.
“I’m telling you, Daniel, every upset has a couple of commonalities. This fight, you’ve got to keep your eyes on it,” Sonnen said. “Number one battle Khalil’s got is to show up and fight. Pereira’s gonna get to a point where guys don’t do that.
“Pereira is entering that Mike Tyson-esque fear factor, where guys are going to wilt in the back. I just don’t believe that’s Khalil,” Sonnen continued. “I think Khalil’s got one more good one in him. I think he can overcome this, and I think he is a real problem for Pereira.”
Rountree’s history of violent knockouts may also have created a “fear factor” behind his own striking game. And that might especially be the case for kickboxing standouts given “The War Horse’s” habit of stalling their charges inside the cage.
It remains to be seen whether history will repeat itself in that regard this Saturday.
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