Almost everyone expected the title fight between Pereira and Rountree to go smoothly. Pereira is a former two-division Glory kickboxing champion, and Rountree spent years honing his Muay Thai in Thailand. There was some debate before the fight as to which fighter would be more likely to shoot for a takedown, but no one did so.

Contrary to oddsmakers’ expectations, Rountree performed strongly.

The American, who is probably one of the biggest punchers in MMA at the moment, arguably won the first round and dropped Pereira in the second – albeit briefly.

For a few minutes it seemed as if the duel that so many described as a freebie for Pereira was going to be his undoing. However, the champion quickly turned the tide in round three, punishing a tiring Rountree with leg kicks and punches.

Pereira’s attack only intensified in the fourth round, ensuring Rountree didn’t make it into the fifth. The champion finished things off with a barrage of uppercuts in the final 30 seconds of the round.

“I can say this was one of the toughest fights. That’s what I expected,” Pereira told commentator Joe Rogan after his win was announced. “(Rountree) has trained at the best spots in Thailand and tonight showed why he has so much quality.”

It was an incredible performance from Pereira, reminding fight fans how dangerous he is on the feet and reaffirming that he is fully capable of bouncing back from early adversity.

Rountree also deserves some credit. Not only did he initially challenge one of MMA’s pound-for-pound stars, but he also showed remarkable toughness when things stopped going his way, wearing a bloody mask when the fight was over .

“My thought going into this fight was just to be grateful,” Rountree told Rogan, just before pulling a dripping strand of bloody snot from his busted nose. “I was really excited to come here and just enjoyed the moment.”

That’s exactly what the light heavyweight champion does.

He headlined UFC 295 on short notice, knocking out Jiri Prochazka and winning the vacant belt. He headlined UFC 300 on short notice and knocked out Jamahal Hill to defend the belt. He briefly headlined UFC 303 and again knocked out Prochazka to defend his title again. He hit the headlines again on Saturday, causing another disruption at Rountree’s expense. And that’s all since last November.

There are several fighters who had particularly impressive years in 2024. Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis is a great example. Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad is another.

But when it comes to determining the one and only Fighter of the Year for 2024, there really is no debate. It’s Pereira – the UFC’s scariest knockout threat and most reliable source of entertainment. At 37 years old and after a long and arduous kickboxing career, he was having one of the best years in MMA history.

It doesn’t look like he’s slowing down either.

When asked who he would like to fight next, the champion expressed his willingness to continue defending his belt if necessary.

“I can move up to heavyweight, but this division is great,” he said before exiting the Octagon, the belt still firmly in his grasp.