Mon Sep 23 15:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Pereira Enlists Former Foe Strickland for Title Defense Against Rountree at UFC 307

**Salt Lake City, Utah** – UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex “Poatan” Pereira has revealed a unique training strategy for his upcoming title defense against Khalil Rountree at UFC 307. Pereira will be joined in his training camp by none other than his former opponent, Sean Strickland.

The pair, who clashed in a thrilling middleweight bout back in 2022, have since forged a friendship. Strickland will join Pereira’s team in Salt Lake City, where the champion has relocated his camp to capitalize on the altitude training benefits.

Pereira, who previously utilized altitude training for his successful light heavyweight debut against Jan Blachowicz, believes the high-altitude environment will be crucial in his preparation for Rountree. “The thing about altitude is that it’s hard [to train],” said Pereira. “We did this once when I fought Blachowicz, and it’s going to be much better this time.”

Pereira is confident in his training team, which includes renowned figures like Glover Teixeira, Plinio Cruz, Yousri Belgaroui, and Cesar Almeida. With Strickland joining the fold, Pereira is optimistic about his chances of successfully defending his title at UFC 307.

The highly anticipated main event will see Pereira defend his belt against Rountree, who earned a shot at the gold after a streak of five consecutive victories, including four knockouts. The co-main event will feature Bantamweight Champion Raquel Pennington defending her crown against Julianna Peña.

Meanwhile, Strickland is eagerly awaiting a rematch against UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus du Plessis. However, the UFC has yet to announce a challenger for du Plessis’s title.

Read More