UFC 307 is now officially in the books, and with another Light Heavyweight title defence under his belt, people are questioning where Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira ranks in the all-time LHW debate. Despite being the odds-on favourite, the bout was not as straightforward as most thought it would be.
It appeared that Pereira was having trouble dealing with Rountree’s speed—particularly the blitz, where Khalil Rountree Jr. controlled the space by pushing Pereira back while throwing combination strikes to close the distance.
After two rounds, the champion was down 2-0 on every judge’s scorecard—a situation we have not seen Pereira in often during his time in the UFC. Not only this but to everyone’s surprise, Poatan suffered a knockdown in the 2nd round after a missed question mark kick left him off balance and exposed him for a counter from Rountree. Although he had won the first two rounds, Khalil began showing signs of fatigue, most likely from the repeated explosive actions of his blitz.
Pereira’s Dominance Shines in the Later Rounds: A Champion’s Response
Poatan started to find his range in the third round by returning to basics—a jab and his signature low calf kick. By sticking a powerful jab on Rountree, Poatan started to negate the blitz that was coming at him. This, coupled with the low calf kick, began to slow down Khalil’s blitz, making him more immobile, which would lead to Pereira being able to land his heavier shots, like his straight and patented left hook.
After wearing Rountree down throughout the 3rd, the 4th round is where Pereira reminded us why he is the LHW Champion and one of the best strikers the company has ever seen. He relentlessly hunted Rountree down, stinging him with a power jab and following up with flurries of hooks and straights. Rountree started to wilt under the pressure, often finding himself trapped against the cage with the 6’4” Brazilian raining down strikes on him.
Even when Khalil found a way to circle away from the cage, Pereira chased him, putting him back up against it. After opening a deep gash on Rountree’s eyelid, Poatan eventually finished Rountree with a series of shots to his head, followed by two stiff hooks to his body, which ultimately dropped the challenger. This dominant 4th round, where Poatan outstruck Rountree 63-15 and another defence under his belt, sparked a debate about where Poatan ranks compared to the division’s all-time greats.
Pereira’s Activity in 2024
This debate has gained traction due to Pereira’s incredibly active 2024. Within just 175 days, Pereira has defended his LHW title 3 times against some of the division’s best. Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and now Rountree Jr. have all fallen to Poatan just in 2024. Most fans are discussing that Poatan has now tied Daniel Cormier’s title defences at 3, which puts him at joint 4th most defences in the division’s history—and to reiterate the point, he has done it in just 175 days.
However, when discussing his place amongst the greats of the division and if he could now be considered a top 5 LHW of all time, it is vital to compare him against some of the division’s greats.
Ranking Criteria
When ranking the greatest fighters in the division’s history, every fan has their criteria. Some prioritise the fighter’s resume: who fought and beat the best competition? While this is important, it can be a flawed metric, as fighters can only face the opponents available to them during their era. Is it a fighter’s fault if they weren’t competing when the division was most competitive?
Another standard measure is the number of title defences. While this metric is important, it doesn’t always tell the full story. Take Daniel Cormier, for example. Many fans regard him as the second-greatest Light Heavyweight of all time, yet three other fighters have more title defences than him.
Finally, some fans pay homage to the division’s trailblazers—the fighters who competed before the UFC became the global powerhouse it is today. These pioneers shaped the division and deserve recognition for their contributions, even if their records don’t match today’s top stars.
Ranking Light Heavyweight Greats: Where Does Pereira Stand?
Combining all three factors – resume, title defences, and historical significance, offers the most balanced way to rank the all-time Light Heavyweight greats. Unsurprisingly, most fans have Jon ‘Bones’ Jones at the top of their list. With 11 title defences, an undefeated record, and many considering him the greatest fighter in any weight class, Jones firmly holds the number one spot in the Light Heavyweight division.
The following spots in the top 5 mix what you consider most important. Fighters like Tito Ortiz, a pioneer of not just the division but of MMA in general, also have five defences of his belt. Similarly, Frank Shamrock and Chuck Liddell are considered trailblazers of the sport and tied at four defences each. Then you have fighters from a more modern era with the most defences, such as Cormier and Pereira. All these fighters offer a unique case for their ranking depending on the criteria you might find most valuable.
I have reserved the second spot for Cormier. Despite only having three defences, the calibre of fighters DC faced and beat was far greater than that of the fighters of the early 2000s—defeating competition like Gustafsson and Anthony Johnson.
So, where does Alex Pereira fit into all this? In my opinion, I currently have him ranked 5th. Although he has tied Cormier with 3 title defences, the historical impact of fighters like Ortiz and Liddell places them slightly higher for now. That said, Pereira’s active defence schedule is imposing. If he continues his winning streak at the rate he is competing, it’s only a matter of time before he climbs higher in the all-time rankings.
However, there’s a chance that his career at Light Heavyweight may be over soon, as rumours have been circulating of a potential super fight in the weight class above, with UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall—which could lead to Poatan being the very first 3-division champion in the company’s history.