Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman knows a thing or two about fighting in Utah.
On Saturday night, Alex Pereira will defend his light heavyweight title in the UFC 307 main event against top contender Khalil Rountree in a fight in Salt Lake City, Utah that will test both fighters’ cardio given that it will take place at around 4,200 feet above sea level.
And Usman, who lost his 170-pound title to Leon Edwards in Salt Lake City to Leon Edwards in August 2022, says that the area is unlike any other on the UFC’s regular rotation of host cities and claimed that Rountree could score what would be a huge upset of the reigning champion Pereira.
“I’m gonna shock everybody here,” Usman said on the Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside fellow ex-champ Henry Cejudo. “I think that Khalil Rountree shocks the world.
“Crazy things happen in Utah,” he added. “I think Khalil Rountree is extremely explosive, extremely powerful. His muay thai is incredible, and when he’s launching them, he’s going to find your face. The problem is his pacing. When Khalil lets go, he lets everything go. And how is he going to do in Rounds 3, 4 and 5 if the fight somehow gets there? That’s my only concern.
“But in those first two rounds, I’m telling you right now that Khalil Rountree is as dangerous as anyone that Alex Pereira has fought.”
Rountree, who is 13-5 in his career, has detailed why Usman has such faith in him in his recent outings in the Octagon. His past five fights have all yielded victories, with four TKO finishes and three ‘Performance of the Night’ bonuses to boot.
However, the 34-year-old Californian is facing a steep uptick in competition against Pereira who is widely regarded as being among the most talented strikers currently active in the sport.
The Brazilian is 11-2 in a mixed martial arts career which has seen him capture world titles in two UFC weight categories, as well as headline slots on some of the organisation’s biggest events in recent years. He, too, has scored finishes in his most recent fights, including two knockouts against Jiri Prochazka and a first-round KO of Jamahal Hill in the UFC 300 main event back in April.
