Rashad Evans is forecasting a light-weight heavyweight title change within the UFC 307 predominant occasion.
UFC Corridor of Famer for former 205-pound champion Evans thinks Khalil Rountree is a stay underdog going into his conflict with reigning titleholder Alex Pereira, which takes place Saturday at Delta Heart in Salt Lake Metropolis (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+).
The vibe coming from Rountree (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and his staff is that he’s going to play proper into Pereira’s (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) need place by standing and putting. For Evans’ imaginative and prescient of a win to come back to life, he mentioned that may’t be completely the case.
“I feel it performs out on the ft,” Evans instructed “The Bohnfire” podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn. “For certain it’s going to be like that on Alex’s finish, however I really feel like as a result of Alex brings the problem that he does deliver and Khalil’s been engaged on his standup in Thailand and he actually prides himself along with his standup, I really feel like he’s going to check it. And it might be to his personal detriment, however I really feel like that’s the place he needs to go together with it. That’s the hill he’s going to die on. So he’s going to face and strike. However what I really feel what would in all probability higher for him is a mixture of the 2. With the ability to strike after which on the similar time make the most of your clinch and make the most of the grappling positions. Not solely does it zap a few of that power and a few of that explosiveness and a few of that energy out of Pereira, but it surely additionally frustrates him.
“It’s about preventing good. If you battle good and don’t battle with an ego, you’ll be able to select the simplest recreation plan in your opponent. And I really feel like if Khalil goes to win this battle, I’d positively inform Alex that it’s a striking-only occasion. However I’m positively going to wrestle.”
Pereira enters UFC 307 on the top of his powers. He has been a wrecking ball contained in the octagon, successful three championship bouts since November and now trying to make every kind of UFC historical past. Many had been shocked when the No. 8 fighter within the official UFC rankings Rountree was chosen as his opponent, and due to that expectations are low.
Evans thinks that’s good state of affairs for the soft-spoken Rountree, particularly as a result of he’s displayed the perfect model of himself in current fights.
“Khalil is slipping underneath the radar and Khalil is sneaky good,” Evans mentioned. “Persons are like, ‘How is he sneaky good?’ It’s as a result of I see that he’s good, however as you’ll be able to see there are some holes. There are some holes could be exploited. We’ve seen holes as a result of in his recreation when he’s misplaced. So you continue to really feel like these holes are there. However I really feel just like the Khalil that we knew that made these errors is a unique Khalil than we’re seeing proper now. I really feel just like the Khalil that we have now proper now’s a way more assured Khalil. A battle who actually is aware of his recreation and actually has taken the time to good his fashion. There’s a distinction from if you’re attempting to place instruments in your toolbox and attempting to prepare and what instruments to make use of and what go well with you greatest and what’s the greatest time to make use of it. And I really feel like Khalil is at that stage proper now.”
On high of the talent component, Evans is assured in Rountree’s probabilities of claiming gold at UFC 307 due to some variables which can be exhausting to really break down. Pereira has develop into one of many faces of the UFC lately, and with that comes a number of exterior obligations and potential distractions.
When all the pieces is balled collectively within the good state of affairs, Evans mentioned a wild result’s brewing.
“I’m choosing the upset,” Evans mentioned. “I really feel like if you begin rubbernecking and begin taking a look at all these different alternatives and when the cash begins coming in straightforward. Who else is aware of what’s happening? There was a bit of state of affairs exterior the octagon for Alex exterior the octagon a short time in the past. Who is aware of what shook up out of that and what that’s foretelling to? There’s a number of issues that may be mentioned and a number of issues that may be assumed. However in the end talking, I really feel like when a fighter begins to look past what’s already in entrance of him, I really feel prefer it could possibly be a recipe for an upset.”
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