UFC light heavyweight title challenger Khalil Rountree has invented a new move. And not just any move, but a move that combines the principles of two seemingly polar opposite disciplines- Muay Thai and BJJ. How do we know ‘War Horse’ has invented this move when he hasn’t used it in any of his fights?

Well, because he told Joe Rogan (and showed it to the UFC commentator off-camera) on episode #161 of the JRE MMA show. The #8 ranked light heavyweight even promised Rogan he would pull off the move in his next fight. Well, that was before ‘War Horse’ knew he would be fighting for the title, and against the great Alex Pereira (on UFC 307 this week) in his next fight. Now that he does know he’s going into the biggest fight of his career so far, ‘War Horse’ is sensibly much more hesitant to pull off the move.

“I definitely do have something that has never been seen before. Ever. When I was talking to Joe and I told him that ‘yeah, hopefully [I use the move] in my next fight,’ I didn’t know that I’d be fighting Alex. I was still like ‘I don’t know when I’m gonna fight, I don’t know who I’m gonna fight next.’ … There could be a possibility of this happening, this move, this technique happening [on UFC 307]… Am I hunting for it? No. If it presents itself, everyone will know like ‘oh, sh–, that’s it, that is what he was talking about,'” he said in a recent interview with Megan Olivi.

To be fair, Rountree didn’t completely rule out using the move on Pereira. However, he will only do so if the right opportunity presents itself. He will be ready. Which is probably for the best. After all, trying to force the new move and failing could be fatal against Pereira and his legendary one-punch knockout power. But this will not stop Rountree from taking risks.

Khalil Rountree promises striking bonanza against Alex Pereira on UFC 307

Khalil Rountree knows exactly what he wants when he steps into the octagon with Alex Pereira: a knockout. No hesitation, no second-guessing. He’s going to war, and he’s going in guns blazing against one of the most feared strikers in the game. In a recent interview, Rountree made it clear—he plans to stand and bang with Pereira, a man whose kickboxing pedigree has left some of the sport’s best on the canvas.

Is it a risky move? Absolutely. “Poatan” is perhaps the most dangerous striker in the UFC, with a résumé of knockouts that includes the likes of Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland, and Jiri Prochazka. That’s precisely why Henry Cejudo has urged Rountree to mix in some grappling—Pereira’s Achilles’ heel. If there’s one place where the Brazilian titan looks less than invincible, it’s on the mat. We’ve seen it before, most notably in Pereira’s light heavyweight debut against Jan Blachowicz—a fight that pushed “Poatan” to his limits.

But Rountree doesn’t care about taking the safe route. He’s determined to throw everything—strategically, of course—at Pereira, and that means taking him on where he’s strongest. The reason? It’s simple. Khalil knows what the fans want: a striking spectacle. He wants to give them exactly that—a toe-to-toe slugfest with one of the most fearsome men in the sport. Rountree is ready to give it his all, to stand in the fire, even if it means stepping into Pereira’s striking fortress.

Will “War Horse” be the one to pull off the upset, or will Pereira once again prove why he’s the king of the stand-up game? UFC 307 is shaping up to be a collision of titans, with pride, risk, and pure entertainment on the line. What’s your take—who’s leaving the octagon victorious?