"Bro beat Anthony Smith" - Fans react as Khalil Rountree will challenge Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight belt at UFC 307

Alex Pereira will collide with Khalil Rountree for the light heavyweight title at UFC 307 on Oct. 5 in Salt Lake City as per a recent video address from Dana White.

The Instagram account of ESPN MMA posted the bout announcement with many combat sports fanatics getting fired up about it on social media.

The users responding to @espnmma amassed a sizable comment section in the wake of this high profile fight being announced.

@hayjivepicks said:

"Bro beat Anthony Smith"

@2fye.hectorr stated:

"Most random fight ever."

@drakes2flyyy quipped:

"Real ufc fans know that this is about to be fight of the year material"

[Images Courtesy: @espnmma comment section on Instagram]

Check out ESPN's Pereira vs Rountree announcement post below:

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Alex Pereira and his incredible UFC run

Alex Pereira has a chance to notch three championship defenses in less than a full calendar year since capturing light heavyweight gold.

The 37-year-old captured the company's 205-pound belt from Jiri Prochazka by way of a late-second round barrage of grounded strikes last November. With this performance, he made history by becoming the first-ever man to capture middleweight and light heavyweight gold in the promotion.

'Poatan' would notch his first defense of the gold in April in the headliner of one of the biggest events in the promotion's history. Pereira finished Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 by way of a first round knockout and his finish of the former divisional kingpin was one of the most impressive highlights of the calendar year.

The Sao Paulo native would then have a quick turnaround by notching his sophomore title defense in June against a familiar foe. Pereira again stopped Prochazka in the second round but did so in an even quicker, more emphatic fashion at UFC 303 during the massive international fight week pay-per-view offering.

Alex Pereira, if he gets his ideal outcome, could tie Daniel Cormier's total amount of light heavyweight title defenses which took 'DC' close to three years to accomplish. Pereira would then be only underneath the likes of Jon Jones, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, and Frank Shamrock for all-time UFC light heavyweight title defenses.