Daniel Cormier thinks Khalil Rountree could pull off a big upset if UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira doesn’t take him seriously.
Pereira (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) is a big favorite heading into his title defense against Rountree (14-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC), which headlines Saturday’s UFC 307 event at Delta Center in Salt Lake City (pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+).
With the likes of Magomed Ankalaev at the top of the light heavyweight ladder, many questioned Rountree getting the title shot. Cormier said crazy things have happened during UFC events in Utah and warns Pereira not to underestimate Rountree.
“That’s a big fight, but to play the devil’s advocate, in Utah, we have now seen Kamaru Usman dominating Leon Edwards, get knocked out at the very end and Edwards becoming champ,” Cormier said on his “Funky and the Champ” show with Ben Askren. “We’ve also seen Dustin Poirier, who had beaten Justin Gaethje, knocked out, and Justin Gaethje become the BMF champion. So, if there’s anything to be said about Salt Lake City, upsets happen,
“And it would seem that a guy who’s ranked No. (8) in the world taking on the champion is a blueprint for an upset, because in those moments, the champ may overlook him. I don’t know if Pereira will do that, but those are the times – they call them trap games in football. This feels like a trap game for Alex Pereira. And if he ain’t ready, it seems like Khalil Rountree with his power can knock him out.”
According to DraftKings, Pereira is a -500 favorite over Rountree, who’s a +380 underdog. Pereira has defended his light heavyweight title twice, scoring knockouts of Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.
