UFC 307 Headliner Alex Pereira Calls Out 'Boring' Top Contender

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) headlines UFC 307 next Saturday night in Salt Lake City, Utah, against Khalil Rountree Jr. (13-5 MMA, 9-5, 1 NC UFC). However, the MMA community appears to still be up in arms over why Magomed Ankalaev was passed up for a title shot despite a 10-fight unbeaten streak.

Pereira gave his perspective on the situation in an interview with long-time MMA journalist Kevin Iole, posted Sunday morning. He denies avoiding a potential fight against the 10-1 UFC standout.

“You gotta sort that with the organization," Pereira said via translation. "It’s not my fault that Ankalaev has such a boring style of fighting that nobody wants to watch.”

Pereira did clarify he has nothing against Ankalaev. He said whenever the UFC and Ankalaev want to make the fight, he'll be ready.

"I'm ready to fight the guy," Pereira said. "So, whenever they put that fight [together], people talk about my ground [game]. So, that's a good chance for me to show everybody [my skills]."

Pereira has taken the light heavyweight division by storm over the last year. He has gone on a colossal tear since winning the vacant title last November. The Rountree fight is his third this year, dispatching Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill within three months. It's his fifth-straight headliner since joining the promotion and sixth overall.

Pereira is part of a rare list of fighters who have made the successful transition from kickboxing to MMA. He and Israel Adesanya were close to securing a potential MMA trilogy next year, but now those plans seem easier said than done given Adesanya's loss to Dricus du Plessis last month.

Pereira attempts to maintain the light heavyweight strap by cementing himself as one of the divisional greats. If he can successfully defend again, the sky's the limit.

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