If the UFC was to favor a meritocratic route to decide the first challenger to Julianna Peña, former fighter Chael Sonnen believes Raquel Pennington would be getting an immediate rematch.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” fell on the right side of a widely debated split decision verdict in Utah, bringing a short reign for Pennington to an end in the co-main event.
Some were pointing to the recent numbered card as a tournament for the 135-pound division, with top contenders Kayla Harrison and Ketlen Vieira meeting earlier in the night.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL champion emerged victorious from that clash on the scorecards, seemingly booking a first UFC title shot.
Sonnen, however, thinks the conversation isn’t quite so clear-cut…
Sonnen Puts Pennington Above Harrison In Meritocratic Title Shot Queue
While Sonnen acknowledged that Harrison is likely to compete for the gold in her third walk to the Octagon, he suggested that wouldn’t be the case if the decision was based on “merit.”
“When we’re having the discussion of what’s next, I think it would be responsible for us all — because if we’re just coming from a competitive nature or looking at the rankings, something like that, you lose, you don’t get Kayla. You get Raquel,” Sonnen said. “If you’re gonna just pay attention to merit and who’s done what, you don’t get Kayla vs. Peña next, you get Raquel in a rematch.
“From the world of promotion, there is nothing on Peña vs. Pennington in a rematch. But guys, there was nothing on it three days ago when we saw it,” Sonnen continued. “We’re not in a vastly different situation. If we’re just going to go off of merit, Pennington must be considered. That’s what I’m offering for you. Pennington should be the champion of the world right now.”
Regardless, Harrison is expecting to receive her opportunity next time out, having started life on MMA’s biggest stage with consecutive wins over top-five opposition at 135 pounds.
Fabian Edwards believes his brother, former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, was made to defend his title in “unfair” conditions this past summer.
After withstanding challenges from both Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in 2023, Edwards returned for his first assignment of 2024 three months ago.
Edwards ultimately failed in that goal, with “Remember the Name” putting on a dominant display to extend his unbeaten run to 11 and ensure he exited the Co-op Live with the welterweight gold in his possession.
Fabian Edwards Laments Time For Brother’s UFC 304 Title Defense
During a recent interview with Bloody Elbow ahead of his own upcoming title fight, Fabian reflected on the end of his brother’s reign at the hands of Muhammad in Manchester.
The younger of the fighting siblings pointed to the 5 AM start time as a major factor in Leon’s defeat at UFC 304. The decision to keep timings on the US pay-per-view schedule is just the latest instance of “Rocky” being made to compete in “unfair situations,” according to Fabian.
“You know what it is? It was the time,” Fabian said. “I know everyone will say, ‘Oh, the time,’ or whatever, but most people couldn’t even stay awake until that time. So having to fight (for) a world title fight at that time? Come on. I’ve said it to everyone, how he performed in that fight was exactly how the last couple of weeks in training was. We were just like, putting it off because you do find things.
“That’s just the way it goes. Leon’s never had an easy path,” he continued. “Even once he became champion, he’s always had unfair situations given to him, but it is what it is. He will be back.”
It remains to be seen what lies next in the career of Leon Edwards, but he vowed to bounce back and “rise again” in his first post-fight remarks on social media.
For now, the UFC star will have his focus and energy on the exploits of his brother, as Fabian gets set for a second opportunity at dethroning Johnny Eblen in Saudi Arabia next weekend.
UFC middleweight Kevin Holland is understandably not pleased with the manner in which he fell to defeat in Salt Lake City this past weekend.
Holland had an opportunity to break into the top 10 at 185 pounds at Saturday’s UFC 307 pay-per-view event in Salt Lake City. He was matched up against Roman Dolidze after returning to the weight class in style at the expense of Michał Oleksiejczuk this past June.
While he left the Polish veteran injured after finding an armbar at UFC 302, the grappling exchanges against Dolidze saw “Trailblazer” on the receiving end of a painful night.
After attempting to break the Georgian’s control in round one, an awkward twist on the ground resulted in Holland audibly reacting to an injury. And although he managed to see out the round before clutching his rib, the bout was waved off before the second frame.
Holland Agrees With Abusive Internet Troll’s UFC 307 Take
No fighter in the sport is safe from those in the MMA community who choose to unload on them in defeat, and that’s especially the case when an injury leads to a fight’s conclusion.
Holland was evidently the recipient of such messages from trolls post-UFC 307, and he revealed an interaction with one in a recent Instagram Story.
An attached image showed DMs from a user who berated him by branding him a “sh*t fighter.” While some would either ignore the troll or perhaps hit back, Holland went a different route.
“Can’t have a response to everyone but yeah I feel like a total piece of sh*t,” Holland captioned his Instagram Story. “My bad to all the ones who put some bread on the line or told they friend I was gonna win. I’m a p*ssy.”
Holland also agreed with the troll while directly responding to them.
With the unfortunate result in Utah, “Big Mouth” has now lost three of his last four. Prior to returning to middleweight, Holland dropped back-to-back decisions opposite Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Page.
It would appear that what went down at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City has further spurred the comeback fire underneath former two-division champion Amanda Nunes.
Having hinted at a return from retirement earlier this year, two matchups appeared of interest to the Brazilian at this past weekend’s pay-per-view. Before her former opponents Raquel Pennington and Julianna Peña collided for the title she vacated last year, ex-teammate Kayla Harrison had her second UFC outing.
Following the two-time Olympic gold medalist’s Octagon debut in April, Nunes questioned why she hadn’t been called out. While her name remained absent from Harrison’s lips at UFC 307, the same can’t be said for “The Venezuelan Vixen.”
Whether it was that callout or Harrison’s performance earlier in the night, somebody seemingly got the Brazilian legend’s attention…
Did UFC 307 Awaken ‘The Lioness?’ Nunes Requests Call From The Boss
While Nunes remained silent in the immediate aftermath of Peña’s title win and subsequent callout, she emerged on social media this week with a message for UFC CEO Dana White.
MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, a Brazilian journalist, provided context behind her Instagram video video, noting that Nunes was singing along to “Outdoor,” a song created by Brazilian samba group Só Pra Contrariar.
The original lyrics include, “Oh please call,” and, “I Miss you so much.” Nunes is said to have altered the lyrics to, “Call me, please.”
If Nunes does officially commit to a return, it remains unclear whether her goal will be regaining the title, settling the score with Peña, or having a long-awaited showdown with former teammate Harrison.
Regardless, should predictions of “The Lioness” meeting the winner of the expected Peña vs. Harrison clash come to fruition, she’ll have the chance to kill two of those birds with one stone.
UFC welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page will enter a different realm of the fight game for his next taste of competition.
2024 has marked Page’s debut year in the UFC, having had his switch from Bellator confirmed shortly after the Professional Fighters League (PFL) acquired his former employer.
Against the Irishman, Page had his grappling deficiencies exposed. That, evidently, is an area “MVP” is looking to improve in before making his return to the Octagon.
The Londoner’s focus will entirely be on his ground game in the coming weeks as he gears up to compete in a grappling match under the Polaris banner.
News of Page’s debut in the promotion was reported by Ariel Helwani, who revealed that the 37-year-old will face former interim UFC champion Carlos Condit at the London-held Polaris 30 event on November 2.
Michael “Venom” Page versus Carlos Condit has been booked for Polaris 30 on Nov. 2, per promotion officials.
MVP has been working on his grappling as of late and this popped up as a good test. pic.twitter.com/hqB2ivO259
While he’s never been submitted in professional MMA, two of Page’s three defeats came by way of grappling. Before Garry utilized control to get the job done this year, Logan Storley pulled off a similar gameplan across five rounds to win interim Bellator gold back in 2022.
Condit, meanwhile, announced his MMA retirement in September 2021. The decision followed a defeat to Max Griffin two months prior, which brought “The Natural Born Killer’s” late-career win streak to an end.
During his memorable MMA stint, Condit defeated the likes of Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy, and Rory MacDonald. In 2012, he got the better of Nick Diaz to capture the interim UFC welterweight title, subsequently falling short against Georges St-Pierre.
And in the aftermath of UFC 307, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: Julianna Peña’s regaining of the bantamweight title this past weekend was only enough to move her above Manon Fiorot to #4 on the P4P list, keeping her below the other two female champions in the UFC and Alexa Grasso.
Women’s Strawweight: Tecia Pennington ensured that Carla Esparza’s career would end in defeat at UFC 307, falling on the right side of a split decision. As a result, “The Tiny Tornado” has returned to the rankings at #15, with Karolina Kowalkiewicz making way.
Another strawweight victor in Salt Lake City was Iasmin Lucindo, who has climbed a mammoth six positions to #8 following her win over Marina Rodriguez. The defeated Brazilian has slipped three spots to #9, allowing for small boosts for both Mackenzie Dern (#6) and Amanda Ribas (#7)
Women’s Flyweight: No changes.
Women’s Bantamweight: After losing the gold in her first defense, Raquel Pennington has slipped back to top contender status at 125 pounds. She’s one place above Kayla Harrison, whose victory over Ketlen Vieira has seen her become the #2-ranked bantamweight contender.
Flyweight: No changes.
Bantamweight: The backlash toward Mario Bautista for his victorious performance over José Aldo has not prevented a rise into the top 10. The 31-year-old now sits at #9, with his defeated opponent one place worse off than he entered UFC 307 in at #11.
Unrelated to the events of UFC 307, meanwhile, Marlon Vera (#6) has moved above former champion Henry Cejudo (#7).
Featherweight: No changes.
Lightweight: Weeks out from his featherweight title challenge — and months on from his lightweight triumph over Justin Gaethje — BMF titleholder Max Holloway has moved deeper into the top 10 at 155 pounds. “Blessed” has climbed two places to #8, leaving him above Mateusz Gamrot (#9) and Rafael Fiziev (#10).
Welterweight: At 170 pounds, Colby Covington has dropped further from title contention. “Chaos” is now out of the top five and occupies #6, having surrendered his position to Sean Brady.
Further down the pecking order, Joaquin Buckley is up two places to #9 following his late knockout of Stephen Thompson at UFC 307. “Wonderboy” is now down at #11.
Middleweight: He may not have had his hand raised in a desired manner, but Roman Dolidze is still on the up after UFC 307. The Georgian benefitted from a rib injury suffered by Kevin Holland during a grappling exchange and has been rewarded with a one-spot rise to #9, a position he shares with Paulo Costa.
Former renowned MMA referee John McCarthy was among those less than impressed with the work of one official at UFC 307 this past weekend.
Plenty of talking points emerged from Saturday’s pay-per-view event in Utah. Unfortunately, not all of them focused on the actual fighting held inside Salt Lake City’s Delta Center.
Instead, questionable judging and outright terrible refereeing caused a heap of discourse online. The latter of those conversations was down to the work of Dave Seljestad.
And — as if “The Duelist” didn’t have reason enough to feel hard done by — he was granted just seconds in dominant clinch positions before Seljestad decided to separate the fighters, much to the bemusement of the commentary team and MMA masses.
It doesn’t take one of the most experienced refs the sport has seen to outline what Seljestad did wrong. But for those still needing an explanation…
McCarthy On UFC 307 Ref: Congratulations, You ‘Sh*t The Bed!’
During the latest episode of his Weighing In podcast alongside Josh Thomson, McCarthy reacted to the officiating controversy from UFC 307.
The veteran referee did not mince his words when it came to Seljestad’s performance, accusing him of trying to make the fight about himself and urging him to give up his career as third man inside the cage.
“I’ll tell you what, the referee absolutely destroyed this fight. It was bad,” McCarthy said. “Potieria got eye poked probably five to six times in this thing. I know the referee. He’s been around forever. He’s been reffing in Utah for over 20 years. … Look at when he’s checking the fighters and he starts doing this big swooping motion over the tape of the glove, and he makes it dramatic. You go, ‘Dude, I don’t know if you realize, this isn’t about you.’
“He f*cking broke them off of clinches. Guy gets into a clinch on the fence, 10 seconds and he separates them. You look and you go, ‘It’s all about you isn’t it? … Congratulations, Dave Seljestad. You made a fight bad,” McCarthy continued. “You absolutely just sh*t the bed. It was horrible. You did something completely outside of what the rules for the sport are. … What are you in there for? … Stop, quit, retire! The sport has passed you by and you’re not doing your job, so you’re no good for anybody.”
Seljestad’s lack of action regarding Almeida’s fouls and egregiously quick clinch separations caused a stir on social media, with many going as far as to brand it the worst performance from a referee in UFC history.
Suffice to say, he may struggle to get on the officiating lineup when the promotion returns to Utah…
The referee in the Almeida-Potieria bout is Dave Sejestad.
He's turned in one of the most incompetent refereeing performances I've seen in some time. All-time bad. pic.twitter.com/vficyf1typ
While the aftermath of the October 5 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the light heavyweight title picture to the 145-pound championship conversation.
At UFC 308, set for the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on October 26, reigning featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria will compete for the second time this year, this time in defense of gold. Following a knockout of Alexander Volkanovski to capture the crown, “El Matador” will next face the challenge of BMF titleholder Max Holloway.
Stakes will also be high in the co-headliner, as former middleweight champ Robert Whittaker looks to continue his fine winning form in 2024. “The Reaper” is set for a second attempt at sharing the cage with Khamzat Chimaev following their canceled headliner in Saudi Arabia this past June.
Ankalaev, Murphy, Magomedov Set The Stage For Title Headliners At UFC 308
Before Topuria defends his belt and Whittaker looks to secure a shot at regaining champ status in the Middle East, a number of other high-profile names will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their position on the major card.
That includes surging featherweight Lerone Murphy. Despite an impressive main event win over Edson Barboza earlier this year, “The Miracle” will be defending his #12 spot in the rankings against Dan Ige, who is returning for the first time since his same-day assignment opposite Diego Lopes this past June.
Prior to that, Pereira’s next challenger at light heavyweight could be decided as #2-ranked contender Magomed Ankalaev shares the cage with the highly regarded Aleksandar Rakić
Those pairings have gotten the nod to feature on the main card over the welterweight clash between ex-lightweight titleholder Rafael dos Anjos and Geoff Neal, which is currently slated to top the preliminary portion of the event.
See below for the full UFC 308 card, as it stands.
Main Card:
Featherweight Championship Main Event: Ilia Topuria (C) vs. Max Holloway
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Robert Whittaker vs. Max Holloway
Featherweight: Lerone Murphy vs. Dan Ige
Light Heavyweight: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakić
Middleweight: Sharabutdin Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan
Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Geoff Neal vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Lightweight: Mateusz Rębecki vs. Myktybek Orolbai
Bantamweight: Said Nurmagomedov vs. Daniel Santos
Middleweight: Abus Magomedov vs. Brunno Ferreira
Heavyweight: Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Justin Tafa
Bantamweight: Farid Basharat vs. Victor Hugo
Welterweight: Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Nursulton Ruziboev
Middleweight: Bruno Silva vs. Ismail Naurdiev
Light Heavyweight: Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira
Alex Pereira’s latest victorious performance didn’t do enough to convince oddsmakers that he could be competitive against the UFC’s interim heavyweight king.
Having turned away threats to his reign from Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka, Salt Lake City’s Delta Center played host to Pereira’s return, as he was tasked with stalling the title ambitions of Khalil Rountree.
While celebrations in the Brazilian’s camp will be ongoing, talk has unsurprisingly turned to what could lie next in his future.
Aspinall vs. Pereira Odds Have ‘Poatan’ At +300
There appears to be three options for Pereira: a continued stay at 205 pounds to defend his belt, a return to middleweight in pursuit of regaining the 185-pound title, or an attempt at history up at heavyweight.
When it comes to the last of those options — which doesn’t seem to be on the table judging by Pereira’s post-fight remarks — oddsmakers are evidently not fancying the light heavyweight champ’s chances.
Future odds posted by BetOnline.ag have Pereira as a significant +300 underdog in a possible bout with Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall.
Aspinall has held the interim gold since last November. He’s been unable to unify the title owing to Jon Jones’ reluctance to fight him, with “Bones” and the UFC instead favoring a rescheduled showdown with Stipe Miocic next month.
In the meantime, the Brit has successfully defended his strap against Curtis Blaydes this past summer. Should Jones retain his place on the throne and subsequently retire this year, Aspinall could find himself promoted to undisputed status.
But after revised estimates put a potential comeback forward to the summer of 2025, O’Malley’s hunger to return to winning ways now has him assessing a possible return in the very first quarter of next year.
O’Malley Targets UFC Return As Soon As March 2025
During a UFC 307 reaction video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, O’Malley once again spoke about his situation having recently undergone surgery on his pre-fight injury.
“Suga” claimed to be feeling good following the procedure and is anticipating a quick return to physical activity.
“Got surgery Thursday. Today is Saturday, it’s been f*cking two days. I feel f*cking great. I’m gonna come back better than ever,” O’Malley said. “I’ll be back next week to sparring. No, I do think I am going to do everything right. I’m going to recover as fast as I possibly can, and I’m gonna get back. Everyone is like, ‘Don’t come back too soon.’ I’m coming back the right amount of soon. I wanna be back ASAP.
“I want to get these fights in while I’m still, you know, young enough. I turn 30 this month. I want to recover, do everything right, but I want to get back in there April, May, June latest,” O’Malley continued. “I think I can be back before that. March even would be crazy, but who knows?”
It remains to be seen what will await O’Malley inside the cage when he is ready to make the walk again.
Kayla Harrison may have extended her undefeated UFC record this past weekend, but not everything went her way second time around inside the Octagon.
Five months on from an emphatic arrival at the expense of former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm, Harrison returned for her second taste of action on MMA’s biggest stage at UFC 307.
Saturday’s pay-per-view main card opened with the two-time PFL title winner facing off against the #2-ranked Ketlen Vieira, who didn’t go away in the fashion that her underdog odds perhaps would have suggested.
And although there was little doubt about who would have their hand raised after three rounds, the Brazilian did have moments of success, including a clean elbow in the clinch that bust Harrison open.
Harrison Reacts To Adversity In UFC 307 Fight After Eating Brutal Elbow
During her post-fight press conference, Harrison reflected on her successful performance in Salt Lake City, which has seen her start life in the UFC with consecutive wins over top-five opposition.
While she was able to steamroll through Holm en route to a submission, the Ohio native had to settle for a hard-fought decision on Oct. 5. And it even left Harrison tasting something new inside the cage — her own blood.
“That threw me, I’m not going to lie to you. Nineteen fights in, I’ve never seen my own blood in the cage. But it feels good,” Harrison said. “I feel like I’m going to grow from this tonight. It’s a really good learning opportunity for me, and tomorrow, we’re going to go back to the house, rewatch the fight and dissect it. Tomorrow’s a new day – lots of room for improvement for me.”
Although she didn’t put the kind of stamp on her UFC 307 performance that she had anticipated, Harrison’s third outing in the promotion is still expected to come with gold on the line.
Newly crowned queen Julianna Peña snubbed the two-time Olympic gold medalist post-fight, however, instead making good on her promise to call out retired former opponent Amanda Nunes.
Defending king “Poatan” was heavily favored to do so, having already turned away threats to his reign from Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka this year. Rountree, though, turned out to be the Brazilian’s toughest test to date.
The challenger got off to a strong start, winning the opening two rounds on all three scorecards. But after getting on the board in round three, Pereira went to work in the fourth frame.
An onslaught of strikes left Rountree’s face swollen and bloodied, and Pereira was ultimately able to close the show in what marked his first taste of the championship rounds since capturing the middleweight crown almost two years ago.
Rountree Releases First Statement On UFC 307 Title Defeat
Soon after having his title ambitions stalled in the “Beehive State,” Rountree took to social media to reflect on the result and experience.
Following his failure to unseat Pereira, “The War Horse” paid tribute to “Poatan,” thanking the Brazilian for bringing out a “new version” of him at UFC 307.
“I didn’t win the title but I grew last night. @alexpoatanpereira thanks for helping me see that I’m ready to take on the world,” Rountree wrote. “You showed amazing skill, you brought out a version of me that I needed to experience. You’re the champ for a reason, much respect. But I now know what I am capable of.
“#saltlakecity you guys were amazing and gave me such a memorable experience. I appreciate all of the positive messages from everyone around the world. @danawhite@espn@espnmma and the entire @ufc staff, thanks for giving me a home, a place to have purpose and providing me with challenges to overcome,” Rountree continued. “Brazil 🇧🇷 you guys have a strong champion, be proud. I will take time to heal from this, I’ll be back even better, it’s inevitable. I’m grateful. Never give up on yourself, always fight hard, uplift your communities and find ways to make the most out of life.”
It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Rountree, who was granted his first shot at title glory on MMA’s biggest stage from #8 in the rankings.
With that, an upset win would have marked the 34-year-old as the lowest-ranked fighter to capture gold in their division. And although that didn’t come to fruition, things initially looked promising through 10 minutes.
MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming cards.
With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.
Between Monday, September 30, and Sunday, October 6, a couple of notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:
The year-opening pay-per-view for 2025 has its first fight, with heavyweight standout Jailton Almeida set for the chance to return to a win streak.
Almeida (21-3) had his push toward a maiden title fight on MMA’s biggest stage violently stalled by some Curtis Blaydes hammerfists at UFC 299 this past March. It didn’t take him long to rebound, however, with the Brazilian submitting Alexandr Romanov in quick time three months later.
Having retained his #6 position in the rankings, Almeida will once again need to defend that spot next January if he’s to place his name back in the title conversation.
Per Brazilian reporter Léo Guimaraes, “Malhadinho” is slated to share the cage with #7-ranked contender Serghei Spivac (17-4) at the UFC 311 event on Jan. 18.
A location is yet to be announced for the PPV.
EXCLUSIVO: UFC encaminha Jailton Malhadinho x Sergei Spivak para 18 de janeiro
Having now competed in three straight main events, “Polar Bear” will have the chance to advance his championship ambitions on the PPV stage early next year.
After capturing the gold in November 2023 and withstanding challenges from Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka this year, “Poatan” is next tasked with stalling the championship ambitions of Khalil Rountree to continue his reign atop the 205-pound mountain.
Title stakes will also be present for the co-main event, which will see Raquel Pennington make her first defense of the bantamweight belt opposite returning ex-divisional queen Julianna Peña.
Elsewhere on the UFC 307 card, the legendary José Aldo looks to continue his pursuit of a late-career title shot after a successful return from retirement this past May, Kayla Harrison makes her second Octagon outing, the always entertaining Kevin Holland shoots for the middleweight top 10, and former two-time strawweight queen Carla Esparza enters the cage for the final time.
Ahead of the event, all 24 fighters successfully made weight. With that, every fight has remained intact, and all that remains on Friday night is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 307 ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a live stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 6 p.m. ET.
Former two-time UFC women’s strawweight champion Carla Esparza could be set to let her hair down inside the Octagon this weekend.
Saturday’s UFC 307 pay-per-view event boasts a number of notable storylines, one of which comes on the early preliminary card in the form of a retirement fight for one of the female roster’s all-time greats.
To exit the sport on a win, “Cookie Monster” is tasked with once again getting the better of Tecia Pennington, whom she outpointed during season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter back in 2014.
And to do so, Esparza might be digging deep into her ‘toolbox’ of offensive weaponry.
Esparza Willing To Embrace ‘Risk’ For Farewell Fight
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Esparza looked ahead to her final walk to the Octagon this weekend in Salt Lake City.
When asked whether she’s planning to showcase anything new that she’s been holding back, the former champ admitted she has plenty of ‘risky’ moves that could come out now that her sights aren’t set on regaining the strawweight gold.
“I have so many fun tools in my toolbox that I haven’t gotten display,” Esparza said. “I’ve always had the mentality in my fights where I want to win but I don’t want to be so risky. Because, you know, the goal is always to move up toward the title fight, and in order to do that, you need wins.
“I just had things that I didn’t necessarily want to show but I had in my pocket if I did need to,” Esparza continued. “You never know how the fight’s going to go, but I would love the chance to kind of just have fun out there, do some cool moves that I haven’t gotten to show in fights before.”
Regardless of the result on Saturday night, Esparza will go down as one of the most successful women to compete under the UFC banner. But she’ll still hope to cap off her career with one last triumph at the expense of Pennington.
Two titles will be on the line at the top of the card, with Alex Pereira defending his light heavyweight belt against Khalil Rountree and Raquel Pennington staking the women’s bantamweight gold opposite Julianna Peña.
Also on the main card will be returns for UFC legend José Aldo, two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison, and fan favorite Kevin Holland.
UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Weigh-In Results
UFC 307 takes place Saturday, October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT.
See above for a replay of the UFC 307 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Championship: Alex Pereira (205lbs) vs. Khalil Rountree (205lbs)
Women’s Bantamweight Championship: Raquel Pennington (135lbs) vs. Julianna Peña (134.5lbs)
Bantamweight: José Aldo (136lbs) vs. Mario Bautista (136lbs)
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze (185.5lbs) vs. Kevin Holland (185.5lbs)
Women’s Bantamweight: Ketlen Vieira (136lbs) vs. Kayla Harrison (136lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Stephen Thompson (171lbs) vs. Joaquin Buckley (170.5lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Marina Rodriguez (115.5lbs) vs. Iasmin Lucindo (116lbs)
Lightweight: Austin Hubbard (156lbs) vs. Alexander Hernandez (156lbs)
Middleweight: César Almeida (185.5lbs) vs. Ihor Potieria (185.5lbs)
Early Preliminary Card:
Light Heavyweight: Ryan Spann (205.5lbs) vs. Ovince Saint Preux (205.5lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Carla Esparza (115.5lbs) vs. Tecia Pennington (115lbs)
Welterweight: Court McGee (170lbs) vs. Tim Means (171lbs)
Four months on from a submission win over Michał Oleksiejczuk, “Trailblazer” has the chance to leap into the top 10 by getting the better of Roman Dolidze at the Delta Center on Saturday night.
With a victory over the Georgian, Holland could secure a place opposite a major contender next time out. But showing his strong focus on delivering entertainment, “Big Mouth” has looked to eliminate one former champ from the equation…
Holland Would Rather Fight Costa Than Adesanya: ‘At Least Paulo’s Going To Actually Come Out & Fight’
During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, Holland looked ahead to his outing in the “Beehive State” and assessed what could await him after an impressive performance.
While a big-name opponent could be in the offing for “Big Mouth” should he have his hand raised at UFC 307, he’d rather it not be one particular figure inside the top five.
“Not really,” Holland said when asked if the idea of facing Adesanya gets him excited. “It would have been exciting beating him as the champ. Now he’s just some guy who can’t stop running backwards and getting clipped and throwing a lot of leg kicks.
“At the end of the day, guys fighting like that, they play the chess match where they’re just doing this (leg kicking) all night. It’s like, that’s boring,” Holland continued. “I’d rather fight Paulo Costa than fight Izzy. At least Paulo’s gonna actually come out there and fight, when he actually wants to.”
Adesanya is currently without an opponent almost two months on from his defeat to Dricus Du Plessis in Perth. He is, however, targeting a return to action before the end of 2024.
Holland, meanwhile, looks to have his hands full this weekend as he shoots for the middleweight top 10 at the expense of the ever-dangerous Dolidze.
Topping the lineup will be reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira, who is tasked with getting the better of surprise challenger Khalil Rountree if he’s to record a third successful title defense in 2024.
Also set to make the walk on Saturday night will be the likes of UFC legend José Aldo, two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison, and the always entertaining Kevin Holland.
Ahead of the event, you can get some help from the group of experts at MMA News by checking out their predictions for the UFC 307 main card here.
UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 307 (as of 10/4), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Alex Pereira (-455) vs. Khalil Rountree (+350)
Raquel Pennington (-166) vs. Julianna Peña (+140)
José Aldo (+124) vs. Mario Bautista (-148)
Roman Dolidze (+130) vs. Kevin Holland (-155)
Ketlen Vieira (+700) vs. Kayla Harrison (-1100)
Preliminary Card:
Stephen Thompson (+180) vs. Joaquin Buckley (-218)
Marina Rodriguez (+164) vs. Iasmin Lucindo (-198)
Austin Hubbard (+130) vs. Alexander Hernandez (-155)
UFC bantamweight contender Mario Bautista has no doubt that he’ll be able to stay focused on the task at hand when he shares the Octagon with José Aldo this weekend.
Bautista has earned the right to be Aldo’s second opponent since returning from a short-lived retirement this past May, with the pair set to collide on the main card of Saturday’s UFC 307 pay-per-view.
In Rio de Janeiro earlier this year, the former featherweight king got the better of a Jonathan Martinez who admitted the Brazilian’s aura and legend status put him off on fight night.
When it comes to that danger, Bautista has little doubt about his ability to eliminate any and all admiration he has for Aldo when the cage door closes behind him…
Bautista Not Affected By Facing Legend Like Aldo
During a recent interview for UFC.com, Bautista looked ahead to the opportunity to secure the biggest scalp of his career to date in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The #11-ranked bantamweight noted that he used to enjoy watching Aldo during his WEC days and has fond memories of his UFC battles with Chad Mendes.
But while those remarks could perhaps arise worries of Bautista falling to the same fate as Martinez, the 31-year-old dismissed that as a concern.
“I don’t think it’s going to be like that,” said Bautista. “I’ve never really felt like that. Yeah, it’s going to be my first time, but I think someone trying to knock me out and fighting me, I’m not going to let it just happen. I’m not that type of person. So I don’t care who you are, if you’re trying to fight, I’m always willing and ready.
“Hey, we’re in there to fight. You’re trying to take my money. We’re fighting for the same spot. It’s my turn now. You’ve had your turn,” Bautista continued. “I’m sorry. That’s just the way I look at it. Maybe I’ll feel differently afterwards, but, as of now, I have to break him.”
We’re deep into UFC 307 fight week, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on October 5 to take to the stage and answer some questions.
Setting the stage for the headliners will be another title fight, with reigning bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington looking to record a first successful defense at the expense of returning former champ Julianna Peña.
The main card will also see the always entertaining Kevin Holland making the walk, as he shoots for the middleweight top 10 against Roman Dolidze.
As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the pre-fight press conference. The UFC 307 edition saw every fighter set to make the walk on the main card in two days’ time with mic in hand.
Check out a full replay of the presser below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, followed by all the highlights and faceoffs.
The main event will see Alex Pereira attempt to record his third successful title defense of 2024. Following on from knockout wins over Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 and Jiří Procházka at UFC 303, “Poatan” will headline another PPV, this time against a surprise challenger in #8-ranked light heavyweight Khalil Rountree.
Co-headlining will be another titleholder in Raquel Pennington, who returns nine months on from her crowning to defend the women’s bantamweight belt against fellow TUF 18 competitor Julianna Peña, who has been out of action for over two years.
Elsewhere on the main card, the legendary José Aldo kicks off a new UFC contract, Kayla Harrison makes her sophomore Octagon appearance against the #2-ranked Ketlen Vieira, and Kevin Holland shoots for the middleweight top 10 opposite Roman Dolidze.
UFC 307: MMA News Staff Predictions
Ahead of Saturday’s UFC 307 event, Kyle Dimond, Ryan Jarrell, Thomas Albano, Pranav Pandey, and Aakrit Sharma have provided their picks for the five matchups set for the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through six cards.
Thomas Albano (23-6)
Ryan Jarrell (17-12)
Kyle Dimond (15-14)
Andrew Starc (8-11)
Pranav Pandey (4-6)
Aakrit Sharma (2-3)
And with that, it’s time for the team’s predictions for UFC 307.
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: Holland up at middleweight against a grappler just seems like a recipe for disaster. Considering that Dolidze has fought up at light heavyweight, that only makes me more confident in him being able to take Holland down and hold him there. Enough said. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Ryan Jarrell: This is a tricky fight to pick because I can see paths both men have to a victory here. I think Holland is the more polished striker and could be able to get the better of Dolidze on the feet. But the Georgian is a wild man and can mix things up and make it very dangerous for Holland. I expect Dolidze to have the bigger moments in this fight. I want to say he wins via TKO but Holland is tough, so the pick is Dolidze by decision. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Thomas Albano: After his win over Anthony Smith, questions emerged about Roman Dolidze: will he try to go for another fight among the middleweight contender scene (after a loss to Nassourdine Imavov)? Or will he try his hand at 205 pounds again? Ultimately, he chooses the 185 route, replacing an injured Chris Curtis against Holland. “Big Mouth” has lost four of his last seven, though he enters off a win over Michał Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302.
Nothing to say about this one other than striker vs. grappler – simple as that. If this fight gets to the ground, Holland is in trouble. Even if he’s improved his takedown defense game, Dolidze will be able to control the fight there. If Holland keeps the fight on the feet, then he’ll be able to pick Dolidze apart. Admittedly, this is a coin flip, but I think Dolidze will have the chin and endurance to outlast Holland’s strikes – and enough strength to take Holland to the ground. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Pranav Pandey: From what I can gather, this matchup promises to be a true 50/50 affair, with both fighters showcasing their unique and dynamic styles that have consistently led them to success. Dolidze seemed a bit derailed after suffering the first back-to-back losses of his career, but “The Caucasian” rebounded spectacularly with a dominant performance against Smith at UFC 303. The Georgian packs some serious power in his hands and is equally adept in grappling.
As for Holland, he enjoys a notable reach advantage and displays impressive fluidity in his footwork, complemented by solid takedown defense. However, my only concern with “Trailblazer” is that, in his recent fights, he hasn’t appeared fully invested in competing and hasn’t looked as sharp as he once did. Despite this, you can never count Holland out. That said, I believe Dolidze will take this matchup, successfully keeping Holland at bay while leveraging his strengths. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Aakrit Sharma: There are ways for both Holland and Dolidze to emerge victorious here. Dolidze can utilize his size and wrestling to shut down his opponent’s offense, while Holland can rely on his speed and movement to overwhelm the Georgian on the feet. Holland has only suffered one TKO loss in his career, while Dolidze has never been finished via strikes or submission. I’m predicting the fight goes the distance and Holland wins via decision. Even if he gets taken down, “Trailblazer” has the potential to pull out a submission. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Consensus: 4-1 Roman Dolidze
Women’s Bantamweight: Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: I struggle to see how Vieira is able to make this fight competitive once Harrison gets hold of her. The big question ahead of her debut at UFC 300 was making bantamweight and, sure, it likely wasn’t an easy cut, but she made the weight and looked good inside the Octagon. The bantamweight division needs a big performance from her and a just as important post-fight interview. I don’t see anyone causing her too many problems in this division right now. I predict she’ll find a second-round TKO in Utah. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Ryan Jarrell: The odds in this fight make it pretty hard to go against the American. We all know the insane skillset that Harrison possesses. I do think Vieira is a live underdog here, and I can see her surprising the masses and pulling off the upset. But that doesn’t mean I feel confident enough to pick her to beat the two-time Olympic gold medalist. Give me Harrison to win via second-round submission. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Thomas Albano: There are plenty of people who feel Harrison should have been the one challenging for the women’s bantamweight title this weekend. But Peña played her cards right and it paid off. So Harrison, just in her second UFC fight, has to go against another dangerous name in the women’s 135-pound division in Vieira. The Brazilian, meanwhile, has won three of her last four, though she hasn’t fought since the summer of 2023. Viera’s most recent win came against Pannie Kianzad, and her other victories were decisions over Holm and Miesha Tate. Her only loss in this span? Raquel Pennington – the current champ.
Stylistically, this could be a really good fight considering Vieira, with her own skillset in judo and jiu-jitsu, could try to have a grappling battle with the two-time Olympic gold medalist – or try to use striking to counter Harrison’s game. That said, Harrison is just so good all around, putting that on display against Holm after building herself up with a pair of title wins in the PFL (and coming just short of a third). Harrison should be able to win this one and lock up a guaranteed shot against the Pennington vs. Peña winner. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Pranav Pandey: I think this could be one of the most lopsided matchups we’ll witness on Saturday night. Vieira is undeniably tough and has a solid grappling foundation, but the real question is whether she can keep someone like Harrison grounded — and if so, for how long? In my opinion, Harrison’s sheer dominance is likely too overwhelming for the Brazilian to manage, making it an uphill battle for Vieira from the start. The two-time Olympic gold medalist will bring a fierce intensity no matter where the fight unfolds. Whether it’s on the feet, on the mat, or anywhere in between, her dynamic style is set to take control at every turn. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Aakrit Sharma: Now that we know Harrison can make weight for the UFC women’s bantamweight division, I do not doubt she’ll be champion by the end of 2025, especially in Nunes’ absence. Harrison should rely on the same game plan that helped her win her UFC debut against Holly Holm, the wrestling. However, fighting at altitude following a brutal weight cut could be a problem for the Olympian and she should avoid trading shots with Vieira as the Brazilian possesses decent power and accuracy on the feet for the division.
Although Vieira boasts 93 percent takedown defense in the UFC, she’s yet to face someone as powerful and experienced as Harrison. Thanks to the constant takedown threat, Vieira might not be as comfortable and fluid on the feet as well, helping Harrison get an unexpected KO victory. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Consensus: 5-0 Kayla Harrison
Bantamweight: José Aldo vs. Mario Bautista
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: Bautista has looked impressive on this winning streak but the Aldo that showed up against Jonathan Martinez looked like he hadn’t lost a step. I still think he’s going to be too much for the guys that aren’t in the top tier of the division — guys like Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili that he has already lost to. I haven’t seen anything from Bautista to make me think he’s at that level yet. (Prediction: José Aldo)
Ryan Jarrell: Father Time has a pretty good track record unless your Tom Brady. But this is not football, and Bautista is a hungry, young Lion looking to make his mark against the legend in Aldo. This fight will be very competitive and Aldo will have his moments, but I believe Bautista is diverse enough to win a decision in what could be Fight of the Night. (Prediction: Mario Bautista)
Thomas Albano: Just when we thought Aldo’s time in the Octagon was done, he comes back earlier this year to put on a solid performance against Martinez. Now, Aldo gets a lower-ranked contender in Bautista. Despite the Brazilian’s age and brief retirement, he has won four of five fights he’s had since December 2020. The only loss in that span came against current bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. Bautista, meanwhile, is sporting a six-fight win streak that includes submissions of Brian Kelleher and Benito Lopez, as well as a decision over Ricky Simón in his most recent outing.
While I won’t argue much with anyone who feels Bautista’s ranked status, along with him being the younger fighter, leads to their prediction for him. But for me, it’s hard to pick against the “King of Rio” when he continues to put on the showings that he does and competes with the best in the game still. Aldo may likely never be a UFC champion again, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a top-quality fighter anymore with the way he’s performing. Add that this is a big step up for Bautista, and it’s hard for me to go against Aldo here. (Prediction: José Aldo)
Pranav Pandey: There’s no slowing down the “King of Rio.” After his return at UFC 301 following a hiatus, Aldo reminded everyone exactly why he’s held in such legendary esteem. The Brazilian icon masterfully dismantled Martinez, showcasing his trademark distance control and fluid in-and-out striking, leaving his opponent with little room to counter. Despite entering the sunset years of his illustrious career, the former 145-pound kingpin remains fully engaged, showing no signs of losing his edge. But while it’s tough for me to go against Aldo, Bautista presents a serious challenge.
The American brings a well-rounded grappling game, seamlessly blending feints with takedowns, and has been on an impressive run lately. The real question, though, is whether Bautista can apply enough pressure to disrupt Aldo’s rhythm. I believe he can. Bautista’s youth, freshness, and relentless pace, coupled with the potential impact of Utah’s altitude, could very well wear Aldo down and make it difficult for him to keep up with such a high-octane style. (Prediction: Mario Bautista)
Aakrit Sharma: This is my FOTN contender for UFC 307. The Bautista that showed up in the third round against Simón was truly special. The pace, the volume, the accuracy, and the timing would trouble anyone in the UFC men’s bantamweight division. Bautista is dangerous because he has several tools in his arsenal. He can kick, strike, and most importantly, hurt you with knees and elbows. For the rising American prospect, the path to victory should be to keep Aldo in the clinch and land in the pocket as much as possible. He has a great ground game and takedown defense, but it’s unlikely to work against Aldo, who also boasts one of the highest takedown defense rates in UFC history.
The “King of Rio” can shut Bautista down if he maintains distance and keeps attacking the legs. Stylistically, I don’t think Aldo is a good matchup for Bautista and I’m picking the Brazilian to win via decision. Fighting one of the best fighters of all time after beating your first ranked opponent in a division is a huge bump in competition, and Bautista might suffer a fate similar to Martinez, Rob Font, Pedro Munhoz, and Marlon Vera. (Prediction: José Aldo)
Consensus: 3-2 José Aldo
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title: Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña
Images: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Kyle Dimond: This one is a really tough one to call. I think Peña at her best is probably better than Pennington, and I think I’d lean that way if it was over three rounds. This is one I’ve gone back and forth on and I can totally see another grinding performance from Pennington to retain the title. But, I’m gonna back Peña. My major concern is that she doesn’t have a win over anyone in the UFC righ tnow. However, many of Pennington’s wins haven’t been massively impressive either, so maybe that will level things out. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Ryan Jarrell: The dislike these two ladies have for one another will add to the build-up of this fight. However, I think the bout itself will be somewhat of a snooze fest. Mostly, because I believe Peña will dominate the wrestling and grappling exchanges and spend a lot of time in top control. I expect “The Venezuelan Vixen” to win a decision here. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Thomas Albano: It’s not the most popular choice of fight, but there’s credit that has to be given out. The unpopular manner Pennington won the women’s bantamweight championship at the start of the year does not fall all on her. And though Peña has not fought since UFC 277, and has complained about not receiving a trilogy fight with Amanda Nunes, she’s got another opportunity at the title now. In fairness, Peña did score one of MMA’s greatest upsets when she finished Nunes at UFC 269. There is certainly merit to her game. Pennington, meanwhile, was pretty dominant when she won the then-vacant title at UFC 297 in a fight with Mayra Bueno Silva that went the distance – a fight that honestly showed Bueno Silva did not belong there.
These two ladies are two of the best that the UFC’s 135-pound division has to offer. Both these two also have history with one another as members of Team Tate during season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter – which Peña won, with Pennington falling in the semifinals. Pennington is the defending champion and is on a six-fight win streak, but I feel that Peña just has more power, a better well-rounded skillset, and better wins and experience in terms of competition. That may probably play out on Saturday night with “The Venezuelan Vixen” getting the gold back. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Pranav Pandey: This matchup between Pennington and Peña is one that, in my view, could swing in either direction at any moment. Pennington, the reigning champion, comes in riding the wave of a five-fight win streak. Known for her relentless pace, “Rocky” brings a high-volume striking game that methodically wears down her opponents over the course of a fight. However, Pennington’s lack of knockout power often pushes her bouts to go the distance, which could be a disadvantage against someone as tough and relentless as Peña.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” is a durable powerhouse with an unwavering pace, constantly pressuring her adversaries with ceaseless activity. She’s not the type to let her opponents settle into their rhythm easily, and against someone like Pennington, she’ll be looking to turn this into a gritty war. The way I see it, Pennington will undoubtedly have her moments of success, but Peña possesses the full arsenal needed to prevail and reclaim the championship. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Aakrit Sharma: As a women’s UFC fighter, it’s hard to have a bigger flex than beating Nunes. However, the rematch being a complete shutout definitely hurt Peña’s brand, with many questioning this title shot against Pennington. I do believe Peña to be tough and skilled enough to grab the belt from “Rocky,” though.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” should benefit greatly from setting the pace of the fight early on and mixing things up, as taking down the UFC women’s bantamweight champion won’t be an easy task. She’ll have to give the champ several things to worry about for winning on the scorecards as I don’t think either of them will be finished. My pick for this one is Peña winning by decision. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Consensus: 5-0 Julianna Peña
UFC Light Heavyweight Title: Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: I like watching Rountree a lot. His striking style is tons of fun to watch. He also certainly has the power and skill to knock anyone in this division out. I would have liked to have seen the Jamahal Hill fight first, though, because frankly, I’m not sure I could back anyone to beat Pereira when their best win is Anthony Smith.
Rountree is dangerous, but when you’re talking about Pereira, you’re talking about an all-time great in kickboxing. “Poatan” could get caught if he’s overly aggressive, but I think he’ll pick Rountree apart before ending it in the second. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Ryan Jarrell: I’m excited for this fight. We all know the power that both of these guys possess. It should make for an exciting finish one way or another. As much as I like Rountree, I just don’t see him as a champion. I think the four-inch reach advantage that Pereira has will be the difference in this fight. Give me “Poatan” via second-round TKO. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Thomas Albano: I don’t want to come off like a Rountree hater – he has seemed like a cool dude in the interviews that he does. And stylistically, this fight can be fun considering how these two can be creative and powerful as strikers. Having said that (and yes, I know the UFC’s ranking system is skewed, but nevertheless…) why is the #8 contender getting a title shot? I truly feel that the UFC probably wanted Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway for this card. But with that fight moved to UFC 308, and the UFC probably wanting a better headliner than Pennington vs. Peña, they called up Pereira to save their butts (again).
Pereira has retained the light heavyweight title against Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill. Rountree’s win streak, meanwhile, has seen him go through the likes of Smith, Chris Daukaus, and Karl Roberson. This will be a calculated kickboxing-style matchup as both men look for the key opportunity to land a devastating shot on the other. Unfortunately for Rountree, Pereira’s strikes are just too powerful, and he’s dominated against much stronger competition. You’ll see a frenzy if Rountree gets the win (lest anything else in the second half of 2024 UFC be crazier), but Pereira should probably take this in the first six minutes or so. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Pranav Pandey: From where I stand, this clash is one of the most direct and explosive matchups on the UFC 307 card. With both Pereira and Rountree being strikers, I don’t foresee any room for grappling or takedowns coming into play. Rountree has proven time and again that he can weather the storm against elite-tier kickboxers, and respond with even greater force. “The War Horse” boasts a lethal kicking arsenal, complemented by knockout power in his fists. However, ‘Poatan’ is far from an ordinary kickboxer, having carved a path through several former champions during his brief yet immensely successful tenure in the Octagon.
“Poatan’s” exceptional fight IQ and thunderous striking ability allow him to methodically dismantle his opponents. Rountree will need to close the distance early to nullify Pereira’s reach, but doing so may leave him dangerously exposed to Pereira’s counters, particularly his devastating left hook. I believe Pereira’s significant reach advantage, along with the unrelenting ferocity in his attacks, will overwhelm Rountree and make it incredibly difficult for him to land his best shots. The Brazilian’s calculated pressure and ability to dictate the fight’s tempo will likely cause Rountree to unravel under the onslaught. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Aakrit Sharma: Yes, Rountree can pull off a huge upset against Pereira if he lands a good shot. Will he, though? “Poatan” just looks unstoppable at the moment, and it seems to be a matter of time before he finds his opponent’s chin one way or another. Considering Glover Teixeira corners and trains Pereira, I actually won’t be surprised if the UFC light heavyweight champ shoots for a takedown and showcases some of his wrestling. Considering he’s already mastered striking and kickboxing, I’m sure Pereira focuses a lot on filling the holes in his game to prepare for opponents like Magomed Ankalaev.
Rountree’s a great striker and his momentum through a five-fight win streak is undeniable. “The War Horse” can trouble the champ with leg kicks and powerful shots, but I simply don’t see anyone taking out Pereira on the feet. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Consensus: 5-0 Alex Pereira
That’ll do it for our UFC 307 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the full UFC 307 card below.
Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Championship: Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree
Women’s Bantamweight Championship: Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña
Bantamweight: José Aldo vs. Mario Bautista
Women’s Bantamweight: Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland
Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Stephen Thompson vs. Joaquin Buckley
Women’s Strawweight: Marina Rodriguez vs. Iasmin Lucindo
Lightweight: Austin Hubbard vs. Alexander Hernandez
Middleweight: César Almeida vs. Ihor Potieria
Early Preliminary Card:
Light Heavyweight: Ryan Spann vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Women’s Strawweight: Carla Esparza vs. Tecia Pennington
Welterweight: Court McGee vs. Tim Means
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 307!
UFC legend José Aldo is set for more bouts inside the Octagon, and that’s despite the promotion rejecting the possibility of him being able to box simultaneously.
Aldo returned from a short-lived retirement at UFC 301 this past May, fighting out his contract with another victory in front of his compatriots in Rio de Janeiro.
After the Brazilian got the better of Jonathan Martinez, considerable uncertainty surrounded his future, with a possible re-signing with the UFC sitting alongside remaining ambitions inside the boxing ring.
Freedom To Box, Three Times More Pay Not Enough To Overtake Aldo’s UFC Ambitions
During a recent fight week interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, Aldo looked ahead to his return to action on Saturday night, which will kick off a new multi-fight deal for the Brazilian veteran.
Aldo admitted that he had attempted to include the freedom to box in the contract, but had that request firmly shut down. Nevertheless, with another stint as UFC champ remaining his ultimate ambition, he still put pen to paper on a continued stay inside the Octagon.
“After that fight (at UFC 301), that’s when we sat down and thought, ‘Okay, now let’s hear the proposals that you have.’ Afterwards, when we saw the proposals for the new contract, I chose the UFC,” Aldo said, before being asked whether the new deal allows him to box. “No, not at all. Listen, I’ve asked for it twice. There were a couple of events I tried to get in and twice I got a, ‘No!’ So now, with all these fights on the contract, I’m really not fighting boxing.
“My dream has always been to be champion in the UFC. … That was my ultimate goal. Thinking about the contract now, looking forward with this opportunity, if anything else came about or any other proposals, I knew that was going to be locked in with the UFC,” Aldo continued. “This is my ultimate goal. I want to continue to do it and be a champion.”
Aldo added further context behind those remarks by revealing he turned down up to three times more money offered by other promotions in order to stay put in the UFC in pursuit of continuing to enhance his already stellar legacy.
PFL founder Donn Davis isn’t letting up with his theories on why Kayla Harrison left his promotion to join the UFC.
Harrison’s time competing in the SmartCage, wherein she collected two titles at 155 pounds, came to an end following a bounce-back win over Aspen Ladd at last year’s championship event.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo completed a long-discussed switch to the UFC, shocking many by committing to a bantamweight future.
Debuting this past April, the American Top Team standout made the most of the major UFC 300 stage by dominantly submitting former champion Holly Holm to likely put her one victory away from a shot at the gold.
But while Harrison has the chance to achieve that this weekend at UFC 307 when she shares the Octagon with Ketlen Vieira, her decision to join MMA’s leading promotion is still being scrutinized.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, that’s by her ex-employer…
Donn Davis: Kayla Harrison Left PFL For UFC Because Of Need For ‘Validation’
"I'm disappointed that we couldn't keep Kayla here for, what I think, are the two biggest fights of her legacy…I don't like that she ran from those."@DonnDavisPFL on Kayla Harrison leaving @PFLMMA to seek 'validation' in the UFC
During a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s MMA Today show with Din Thomas and Alan Jouban, Davis further addresses Harrison’s decision to continue her career away from the PFL.
He once again offered a negative take on the reasons behind Harrison’s departure, claiming she “ran” from another fight with Larissa Pacheco and long-awaited showdown with Cris Cyborg.
Davis also reiterated his belief that Harrison was seeking ‘validation’ that she shouldn’t need by competing under the UFC banner.
“We brought Kayla in from the Olympics, developed her into an 18-1 star, two-time champion, and one of the greatest women — top five in the sport today,” Davis said. “Nothing but pride for that and nothing but respect for Kayla. As a competitor, to build the company, I want every great fighter here.
“I’m disappointed that we couldn’t keep Kayla here for what I think are the two biggest fights of her legacy and her career: avenging Pacheco and winning the championship and beating Cyborg, who is the greatest ever,” Davis continued. “I don’t like that she ran from those. I don’t like that she ran to a brand to validate herself. I think so highly of Kayla Harrison, she doesn’t need a brand to validate her. … So that disappointed me.”
Regardless, Harrison is now forging a path to greatness in new surroundings. And having already achieved title glory in the SmartCage twice, the Ohio native is now looking to repeat the feat inside the Octagon and establish herself as among the UFC’s all-time greats.
The next step in that journey comes opposite Vieira this Saturday night in Salt Lake City, where a win is expected to book her spot opposite the bantamweight champion next time out.
Made a STATEMENT in her debut 💪@KaylaH looks for another impressive victory this weekend at #UFC307!
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira is seemingly not concerned about the arrival of a fighter who boasts a win over him in kickboxing to the Octagon.
“Poatan” has already achieved immense success on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, capturing gold at both 185 and 205 pounds. Those achievements were, in part, made possible due to the ready-made storyline that many believe fast-tracked him to the top.
The Brazilian arrived in the UFC with a reputation largely centering around his two wins over Israel Adesanya in the striking-only realm. After just three fights, he was placed opposite the Nigerian-New Zealander and unseated him from the middleweight throne.
Now, Pereira is on the opposite side of such a story.
In his final kickboxing bout before committing to MMA, the former two-weight Glory champion was outpointed by Artem Vakhitov months on from his own narrow decision victory over the Russian.
The former Glory titleholder will have the chance to move closer to setting up a showdown with “Poatan” in the Octagon when he shoots for a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series next week.
Pereira, however, isn’t optimistic about the chances of Vakhitov and other kickboxers being able to recreate his story with Adesanya…
Pereira Gives Dismissive Response To Vakhitov’s MMA Arrival
While the Russian has appeared confident about making a quick rise and exposing the current light heavyweight kingpin, Pereira believes Vakhitov to be “mistaken” when it comes to the difficulty that awaits him at the highest level of MMA.
“I stopped following kickboxing, so I kind of don’t know how he’s (Vakhitov) doing,” Pereira said. “So I don’t know what his potential (is), but I think fighting me in the UFC at this point could be hard.
“People get mistaken sometimes (and) think that it’s just easy to make a story like Israel Adesanya. Guys that beat me (in) a fight like, long ago, they think that they (can) just come here and make the same story,” Pereira continued. “Bro, they are not me, they are not Israel Adesanya.”
While Vakhitov has plenty to do before reaching the same conversation as Pereira in the UFC, starting with earning an actual contract next week, “Poatan” showed how quick of a rise up the ladder is possible with a good storyline and some violent knockouts.
Former GLORY light heavyweight champion Artem Vakhitov picks his second MMA win via leg kicks.
