As UFC 307 Pay-Per-View approaches with just a week to go, predictions surrounding the headline event between current light heavyweight king Alex Pereira and “Nak Muay” Khalil Rountree Jr. are reaching a peak. Many fans, MMA pundits, and oddsmakers seem to lean toward predicting a victory for the reigning champion. However, fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen shocked the MMA community last month with his statement, “Khalil Rountree is going to walk through Pereira.”

This sentiment was recently echoed by Kamaru Usman on his podcast ‘Pound for Pound,’ where Usman and his co-host Henry Cejudo debated the outcome of the main event. While Cejudo leaned toward an Alex Pereira victory and downplayed Rountree Jr.’schances, saying, “Yeah, Anthony Smith. Doesn’t Anthony Smith have a win against Khalil?”

Usman disagreed with Cejudo’s perspective on Rountree Jr., stating, “But no, listen, I think I’m going to shock everybody here. I think you’re wrong. While you’re saying everyone just stands and strikes with him and they lose, I think you’re wrong. I think Khalil Rountree shocks the world.” Cejudo then further hammered down the final point in the debate, interjecting, “Knocks him out?” To which Usman firmly replied, “Shocks the world. I think he knocks him out. We are in…”

This remark from Kamaru Usman on the ‘Pound for Pound‘ podcast about Khalil Rountree Jr. directly attacks the narrative of the fans, which was labeled “false” by Chael Sonnen just a few days ago in his own podcast.

Chael Sonnen debunked the fan narrative on the Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree fight

Since UFC head honcho Dana White announced Alex Pereira‘s third title defense against ranked #8 contender Khalil Rountree Jr., Pereira has become a regular subject of scrutiny among his critics for choosing an “easy fight.” They accuse him and White of protecting his “golden goose” by dodging a match against formidable opponents like Magomed Ankalaev and opting instead for a lower-ranked opponent like Rountree Jr.

However, Chael Sonnen has a different take on this matchup. In his latest YouTube video, he questioned the narrative built by fans and MMA pundits surrounding the fight, boldly stating, “There is a built-in narrative to the Rountree-Pereira fight that Rountree doesn’t belong. That is false. There is a built-in narrative that Khalil Rountree can’t go with him, that he shouldn’t be put in this position, that he’s not high enough ranked sitting down there at number eight. Why do we possibly look at that?”

What are your thoughts on Kamaru Usman’s statement? Do you believe Khalil Rountree Jr. will walk through light heavyweight Alex Pereira? Drop your opinion below.