Dana White points out the exact moment that sealed the outcome of Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Dana White recently gave his take on the Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. matchup at UFC 307. White asserted that Pereira's strong leg kicks made the difference in the fight.
Pereira put up his light heavyweight title on the line against Rountree Jr. in the main event of UFC 307, which took place this past weekend. The title fight was mostly fought on the feet, where both striking geniuses displayed an extensive range of footwork.
Ultimately, the Brazilian got better off his opponent, knocking him out in the fourth round to retain his title. During the post-fight press conference, White was asked if Pereira's strong jabs were the deciding factor behind the fight's outcome. In response, the UFC CEO said:
''I felt like the difference was the low leg kick and when he [Pereira] started calf kicking him [Rountree Jr.], he was destroying that leg and and he was having trouble putting pressure on it and he was having trouble with his punching power, movement and everything, and he systematically just started picking him apart.''
White continued:
''He said, 'listen, this guy hits hard, he's tough, he's this, he's that and this guy has a dream but my fight IQ will win this fight', he said that in the combo feature and that's exactly the way it played out.''
Check out Dana White's comments below (1:49):
Displaying his signature hitting prowess, Pereira repeatedly rocked Rountree Jr. with a variety of strikes before dropping him to the canvas with two powerful shots to the body. That was enough for referee Marc Goddard to intervene and call the fight off.
Following the fight, Rountree Jr. was quickly sent to the nearby hospital for a CT scan as a precautionary step for potential injuries.
Khalil Rountree Jr. expresses his admiration for Alex Pereira
Despite being an underdog, Khalil Rountree Jr. performed remarkably against Alex Pereira at UFC 307, even dropping the reigning champion to his knees in the second round.
Following the loss, Rountree Jr. took to social media and issued a statement thanking Pereira and other UFC officials:
''I didn’t win the title but I grew last night. @alexpoatanpereira thanks for helping me see that I’m ready to take on the world. You showed amazing skill, you brought out a version of me that I needed to experience. You’re the champ for a reason, much respect...@danawhite @espn @espnmma and the entire @ufc staff, thanks for giving me a home, a place to have purpose and providing me with challenges to overcome... Brazil [Brazilian flag] you guys have a strong champion, be proud.''