Israel Adesanya gives a prediction for the UFC 307 main event between Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree

Israel Adesanya picks Alex Pereira to retain light heavyweight title again.

Pereira, Adesanya's longtime fight rival, headlines Saturday's UFC 307 event when he defends against Khalil Rountree in Salt Lake City.

“Off the top of my head, I’m going to Pereira because [of] There is momentum right now,” Adesanya continued The Adam Carolla Show. “Rountree doesn’t argue. He likes to kick, he's never gone for a takedown. … If you want to do that with Pereira – and I'm the only one who's ever rocked him or been in the UFC with him, everyone else, he's washed – Rountree, I feel like if he can do it Get it dirty and catch him, he can catch him. But with Pereira it’s so hard because, Rountree, his reach might not reach him.”

Pereira won the first three meetings with Adesanya – including capturing the middleweight title from “The Last Stylebender” with a fifth-round TKO at UFC 281 in November 2022. Adesanya would retain the title five months later at UFC 287 with a devastating knockout This was the last time Pereira competed at 185 pounds. “Poatan” moved up to light heavyweight, where he won the title and successfully defended it in 2024, brutally knocking out Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 and Jiri Prohacka at UFC 303.

While Adesanya believes Rountree is a dangerous fighter, he believes Pereira will simply be too much with his physique, defense and power.

“I’m going to fight Pereira and I’m going to go TKO or KO,” Adesanya said. “I don't know which lap, but I just feel like it's going to be difficult for Rountree to overtake this frame.

“[I can see] Leg kicks, leg kicks [from Pereira]and he could catch Rountree if he comes in. Because Rountree will attack him. … Paper cannot fight against paper, so you have to fight. But it's a good fight and I think Pereira will be superior again in round 2 or 3. But if Rountree can do it, that’s bloody ridiculous.”