37-year-old Alex Pereira seen adding new weapons in his arsenal during training camp for UFC 307

Alex Pereira's rise in the UFC is a case study of constant growth and passion for competition. He has become a champion in two divisions in just nine UFC fights and has already defended the light heavyweight throne twice.

Despite losing his middleweight title to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287, Pereira remains in the discussion of title contention at 185 pounds due to his popularity.

In preparation for his UFC 307 showdown against Khalil Rountree Jr., Pereira has enlisted the help of former rival Sean Strickland. Training alongside Strickland, Pereira has been seen sharpening his grappling skills and refining his striking weapons.

According to footage of the sparring session on his YouTube channel, the Brazilian has seemingly broadened his formidable arsenal by incorporating new skills. He was spotted taking down Strickland with a slick trip which caught the attention of fans.

Check out the clip below:

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Pereira's ability to adapt and evolve has been crucial to his championship success, which could be the key to stifling Rountree's surging momentum.

Rountree enters the fight on a five-fight win streak, and his dynamic striking skills can prove to be a test for Pereira. 'The War Horse' holds the record for the third-most knockouts (7) and the third most knockdowns (13) landed in UFC light heavyweight division history.

As for Pereira, he captured the vacant light heavyweight throne at UFC 295 with a TKO victory against Jiri Prochazka. He went on to defend his title against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 and concluded his rivalry against Prochazka with a devastating second-round TKO victory in the rematch at UFC 303.

While the upcoming clash against Rountree is being billed as a classic duel of strikers, Pereira has asserted several times that he's confident in his grappling skills. He also hit back at Islam Makhachev's comments that acquiring wrestling skills takes years by claiming that he picks up new skills efficently.

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Alex Pereria previews upcoming fight against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307

Alex Pereira is determined to retain the UFC light heavyweight championship against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307. Rountree has been on a rampant run collecting five straight victories with four finishes.

Pereira is confident in his ability to overcome the surging contender and has highlighted his pressure and fight IQ as keys to victory. Previewing the upcoming clash in the official promotion video of the fight, Pereira said:

“When I came to the UFC, everyone said ‘He’s just a kickboxer, this guy won’t succeed.’ But, I overcame everything with dedication and heart."

He added:

"Khalil is a strong, dangerous guy. Someone who is hungry, who has a dream. But, I will use my fight IQ and my experience. I always put pressure on my opponents and if they’re not ready for it, they break. It doesn’t matter if it's by decision, knockout, or submission. My goal is to remain champion.”

Check out the video below: