For the third straight year, the UFC’s annual trip to Delta Center in Salt Lake City closed with a devastating finish, bringing UFC 307 to a close with fans on their feet, relishing the action that saw throughout the evening.
Following an entertaining preliminary card slate, there was a little bit of everything on the main card, with Kayla Harrison being pushed by Ketlen Vieira, Roman Dolidze collecting his second win of the year, and Mario Bautista adding to his winning streak before the championship action hit the Octagon.
In the co-main event, Julianna Pena returned to the top of the women’s bantamweight division, earning a debated split decision win over Raquel Pennington before Alex Pereira was pushed for three rounds by Khalil Rountree Jr. before the powerhouse champion found his stride and collected another finish.
This was another outstanding night of action in Utah, and we’ve got all the details on how things played out collected for you below | Prelim Results | Official Scorecards
Kayla Harrison picked up her second UFC win in as many starts to seemingly punch her ticket to a championship opportunity next time out, but it was far more difficult than many anticipated, as Ketlen Vieira gave her all she could handle.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist finished the first in mount after bulldozing Vieira to the canvas, but the Brazilian did well to remain upright throughout the second, crashing home a couple heavy shots that lumped up and opened up Harrison. But in the third, the American Top Team representative was once again able to get Vieira to the floor, doing well to keep her shoulders stapled to the mat, dominating the action through to the final horn.
Prelim Results | Official Scorecards
This was a strong test and important win for Harrison, who had to deal with some adversity and battle hard to get the win. Now 2-0 inside the Octagon, Harrison should be next in line to challenge for the title against the winner of the co-main event later this evening.
Roman Dolidze collected a stoppage win over Kevin Holland prior to the start of the second round after Holland suffered a rib injury in the opening round.
Midway through the first, Dolidze put Holland on the canvas, and he was able to keep him there for an extended period. When Holland looked to shift his hips late in the frame, Dolidze flowed with him and Holland appeared to pop a rib in the process. The Georgian stayed on him, worked to mount, and wrapped out the round raining down blows before the fight was halted in the corner.
Dolidze has now earned consecutive victories and won six of his last eight, building on his UFC 303 win over Anthony Smith with his effort here. The 36-year-old is a well-rounded, durable talent and a dark horse to continue to track in the middleweight ranks.
Make it seven straight for Mario Bautista, who collected the biggest win of his career on Saturday, edging out Brazilian legend José Aldo in the middle of the UFC 307 pay-per-view main card.
Prelim Results | Official Scorecards
The surging MMA Lab representative came out looking to take the fight to Aldo, offering a diverse array of attacks and good pressure, mixing in clinch work along the cage designed to wear out the 38-year-old icon. Though Aldo had some very good moments, especially in the second, the constant activity, unrelenting pressure, and grinding nature of Bautista’s attack was too effective.
All three judges scored the fight in favor of the 31-year-old Arizona-based bantamweight, who continued to show he’s an ascending name in the talent-rich 135-pound ranks that folks should be paying close attention to going forward.
Julianna Peña is now a two-time UFC women’s bantamweight champion, edging out Raquel Pennington in a competitive back-and-forth battle that went the distance.
Prelim Results | Official Scorecards
This was a classic clash of styles through the first four rounds, with Pennington getting the better of things in the striking exchanges and Peña dominating when she was able to drag the fight to the canvas. It was a competitive battle at every turn between two evenly matched talents, and when the final horn sounded, you knew it was going to be close on the cards.
When the scores were read aloud, it was Peña that came out ahead, earning the split decision win after claiming the first three rounds on two of the three scorecards to rise to the top of the division for a second time.
It was far more competitive than many anticipated, but Alex Pereira successfully defended his light heavyweight title for the third time this year, finishing game challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. in the fourth to close out UFC 307.
Prelim Results | Official Scorecards
Rountree Jr. landed the most impactful blows in each of the first two rounds, as his speed and operating from the southpaw stance seemed to slow the champion just a little. But as the fight progressed and Pereira got his range and timing, the mammoth Brazilian started to punish the Las Vegas native, busting him up, breaking him down, and putting him away along the fence in the waning moments of the fourth.
Pereira’s run in the UFC to this point has been largely unmatched, as “Poatan” is now 9-1 inside the Octagon, with title wins in two divisions and three successful title defenses in less than 200 days this year. Rountree Jr. deserves a ton of praise for his effort, but the Brazilian champion remains a menacing presence each and every time he steps into the cage.
Don’t miss a moment of UFC 307: Pereira vs Rountree Jr., live from Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 5, 2024. Prelims start at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT, while the main card kicks off live on PPV at 10pm ET/7pm PT.
Heavyweight Gold Goes Up For Grabs; Charles Oliveira And Michael Chandler Rematch In New York City At UFC 309
Two-Time Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza Talks With Joe Rogan Following Her Retirement Fight At UFC 307: Pereira vs Rountree Jr. In Salt Lake City, Utah On October 5, 2024
Nicky Rod Hasn’t Become The Face Of Submission Grappling By Lacking Confidence, And While He’s Friends With FPI 8 Opponent Michael Pixley, How Does He See Various Competitions Play NEW! Find where to watch all of your favorite sports!
Alex Pereira finishes Khalil Rountree Jr. in the main event of UFC 307 and his fans celebrate in the stands. (2:05)
Alex Pereira methodically broke down a game Khalil Rountree Jr. and used a bruising sequence of body punches to retain his light heavyweight championship with a fourth-round stoppage Saturday night in the main event of UFC 307 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) was slotted into his third title defense in 176 days after headlining UFC 300 in April and UFC 303 in June. Unlike his knockout victories against Jamahal Hill and Jirí Procházka, Pereira faced adversity against an opponent who refused to go away willingly.
Rountree was up on all three of the judges' scorecards 29-28 heading into the fourth.
“This was one of my toughest fights. I expected that,” Pereira said. “The game plan was to let him tire. I saw he started decreasing his stamina in the second round. My stamina only goes up.”
Fighting out of Las Vegas, Rountree (14-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) drew heavy criticism for being selected to challenge for the 205-pound title as the UFC's No. 8-ranked light heavyweight, with No. 2-ranked Magomed Ankalaev being surprisingly passed over. But Rountree proved his worth by withstanding an immense amount of punishment and getting the better of the striking exchanges in the early rounds.
“Poatan” was disciplined from the outset, feeding the challenger a steady diet of calf kicks and jabs. Rountree was undeterred in the opening rounds and connected with several left hands to get the champion's respect.
In the second round, Rountree briefly dropped Pereira to a knee by countering a head kick with a right hand. Pereira wasn’t hurt, but it was clear that Rountree could match him in the power department. As the fight wore on, Pereira patiently snapped the jab and deployed the calf kick. By Round 3, Rountree’s base was compromised and the altitude in Salt Lake City began to take a toll on his conditioning. In the final minute of the round, Rountree was gasping for air as Pereira rolled forward and blasted the challenger with punches that opened several cuts around the eye.
Sensing that Rountree was fading, Pereira spent the early minutes of the fourth round allowing the challenger to exhaust what was left of his gas tank. Pereira calmly pressed forward and rocked Rountree with a right hand. The challenger went into survival mode and swung for the fences in hopes of catching Pereira with his power. But Pereira was both poised and relentless with his assault, bouncing a series of violent punches off Rountree’s face as the challenger staggered around the Octagon.
In a violent finishing salvo, Pereira snuck in an uppercut and unleashed a wicked body combination that took what was left of Rountree’s resolve. The challenger sank to the canvas at the 4:32 mark as Pereira collected his third successful title defense.
Pereira outlanded Rountree 63-15 in significant strikes in the fourth round and had a 127-61 edge for the fight.
Pereira became the fifth fighter, joining Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Chuck Liddell and Frank Shamrock, to win three pay-per-view main events in a calendar year by knockout or submission.
The remarkable run of Pereira over the past year has left many wondering where he will go next. Pereira has teased the possibility of moving back down to middleweight to challenge champion Dricus Du Plessis or climbing up to heavyweight for a blockbuster showdown with current champion Jones.
But Pereira appears to be comfortable right where he’s at.
“We saw that Dricus was fighting Sean Strickland next,” he said. “He’s a training partner and I don’t want to get in the way. I can move up to heavyweight, but this division is great, and this is where I’m at.”
Whatever he decides to do next, the world will be watching as the legend of Poatan continues to grow.
SALT LAKE CITY – UFC 307 takes place Saturday at Delta Center, and you can watch a live video stream of the post-event news conference here on MMA Junkie.
Expected to take part in the press conference are the winners of the top main card bouts, including the light heavyweight championship fight of Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree and women’s bantamweight clash of Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña. UFC CEO Dana White is also expects to answer questions from reporters and recap the event.
You can watch the press conference in the video above, which will go live upon the conclusion of the headlining bout.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
Sign up for our newsletter to get updates to your inbox, and also receive offers from us, our affiliates and partners. By signing up you agree to our Privacy Policy
Sign up for our newsletter to get updates to your inbox, and also receive offers from us, our affiliates and partners. By signing up you agree to our Privacy Policy
Please re-enter your email address.
You'll now receive the top MMA Junkie stories each day directly in your inbox.
© Copyright MMA Junkie 2024
Powered by WordPress.com VIP
Please enter an email address.
Thanks for signing up.
Please check your email for a confirmation.
Something went wrong.
It’s that time of year again, folks. The UFC is back in Salt Lake City for UFC 307 and yet another Alex Pereira light heavyweight title defense is on tap.
Saturday's high-elevation MMA showcase looked like the odd pay-per-view out on the UFC schedule a few months ago. Big fights and logical placements appeared to preclude UFC 307 from other champions’ availabilities and the timing didn’t align for the more flexible main event stars. Of course, that was with the assumption that Brazil’s Pereira couldn’t possibly save the day in a short period again.
Wrong. That’s all “Poatan” has done in 2024.
Pereira’s first two defenses, knockouts of Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka, came together with shorter camps than typically seen for a champion. Pereira, however, has proven to be no regular titleholder, and he’ll attempt to continue showcasing that with a knockout of Khalil Rountree Jr. in UFC 307’s main event.
The Salt Lake City faithful will also be treated to another title fight as the co-main features the first defense for women's bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington. Rocky’s “Rocky” story culminated with gold in January, 10 years after her appearance on The Ultimate Fighter 18. That win made her one of three fighters in history to achieve championship status after spending a decade in the Octagon.
Pennington’s opponent is the former champion Julianna Peña, who also entered the UFC through The Ultimate Fighter 18, which she actually won. After a 798-day layoff, “The Venezuelan Vixen” is back.
Those are just the top two bouts closing out the night. Let’s look more in-depth at the title tilts along with the rest of the main card and make some picks, shall we?
Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM.
For his third light heavyweight title defense, the champion Pereira, 37, is justifiably favored as the -450 favorite, the second largest on the card.
Let’s just say it now: Both of the title fights at UFC 307 feature challengers who should not be next in line. If meritocracy has to die to have some fun, then so be it, says the UFC. Enter the No. 7-ranked contender and “GLORY Kickboxing Killer” Rountree.
Rountree, 34, is undeniably on the best stretch of his 10-year pro career, riding a five-fight win streak. Of those five, Rountree has finished four of his opponents with strikes, including one-time title challenger Anthony Smith in his most recent win this past December.
I mentioned the fun little “GLORY Killer” nickname for Rountree, stemming from when he bested former kickboxing standouts Dustin Jacoby and Gokhan Saki, the latter of which was a stunning 2018 upset. As a +340 underdog, Rountree hopes to replicate that same epic performance against another former GLORY champion with his vicious kicks and elbows.
That won’t be anything new for Pereira. The champ has seen it all in the striking department, with his largest hurdles coming against his longtime rival, former middleweight king Israel Adesanya. Other than his loss to Adesanya, Pereira has struggled minimally in kickboxing-themed MMA affairs. It would be wise for Rountree to try and exploit the weaker area of Pereira’s game — the champ's grappling — but he’s already stated in interviews that he won’t go down that route. Whether that’s all just mind games, Pereira has continually improved his takedown defense and overall ground acumen to the point where Rountree won’t be much of a threat there.
But Pereira can be hit, and with power like Rountree’s, that could be trouble. It’s just a matter of finding his shot first, which is the problem. Pereira’s timing and counters are virtually unmatched in the heavier weight classes, and oh, he has one of the greatest equalizers in MMA history with that nuclear left hook, if not the greatest. The man can hurt people anywhere on the feet and he’ll add to his highlight reel here, especially if Rountree doesn’t even mix in a threat of wrestling.
It could be something crazy like Thiago Santos vs. Jimi Manuwa while it lasts, but ultimately, we’ll hear Bruce Buffer announce, “And still.”
Pick: Pereira
The purist in me struggles so mightily looking at these title fights.
Don’t be fooled. Peña’s return two days shy of an 800-day absence comes after one of the most lopsided title losses in MMA history with her Amanda Nunes rematch. Injuries extended her time away and axed what was supposed to be a Nunes trilogy in June 2023. For her sake and ours, that was for the best.
Nonetheless, Peña is back in the title scene to try to dethrone Pennington and join the select few female fighters to become two-time UFC champions.
What Pennington lacks in finishing ability, she makes up for technically with her tight boxing and underrated clinch work. It’s not flashy, but it’s effective and gets the job done, whereas Peña is wild, chaotic and the exact opposite in the standup department. Nunes capitalized on the latter fact with three knockdowns in the Peña rematch.
Peña's X-factor against everyone is her tenacity, aggression and relentless pursuit of takedowns. But another area that Pennington is underrated in is her grappling defense. She may give up takedowns — she's acquiesced nine to her opponents on this current six-fight win streak — but she knows how to avoid being held down or put in compromising positions. In all but two of those fights, Pennington beat her opponents in control time, and in one of the two that she didn’t, the end result was a guillotine submission win over Macy Chiasson.
As durable and gritty as they come, Pennington has only been finished twice in her career. Peña will hope to grind out the champion and reclaim her title if a finish doesn’t materialize. That will make the fight a bit of a close slog coming down to whoever is more effective with their damage, and Pennington should edge that out for her first title defense.
Pick: Pennington
Jose Aldo doesn’t make sense and I absolutely love it.
The legendary former featherweight champion returned to MMA in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in May. Against Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301, the 38-year-old Aldo performed as brilliantly as fans all remembered he could.
Sticking with the bantamweight division, Aldo was sharp, fast and brutal in his win over Martinez. Aldo’s bizarre inability to age should probably be studied by science, and Mario Bautista will have to find a way to overcome the Brazilian's incredible counter speed and all-time great takedown defense.
If any rising prospect at 135 pounds can crack Aldo right now, it's Bautista, who's the slight favorite at -140 to Aldo’s +115. Bautista, 31, has been on a tear, winning six straight with submissions mixed between decisions.
This matchup is another case of vastly superior experience and veteran savvy making all the difference. For the most part, expect it to look like Aldo vs. Martinez minus the near finish at the end. Another “King of Rio” dissection is incoming.
Pick: Aldo
Kayla Harrison should be challenging Pennington for the title, and Pena should be returning against Ketlen Vieira. It all makes too much sense, but we’re here instead.
Harrison, 34, delivered perhaps more than expected in her highly anticipated promotional debut at UFC 300 in April. The two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka dominated former UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm from pillar to post before securing a second-round rear-naked choke. It couldn’t have gone much better for the former PFL champion.
Vieira, 33, provides Harrison with the challenge of possessing likely the second-best judo skills behind only herself in the division. A black belt in that respect, Vieira doesn’t show off her grappling prowess as often as Harrison, but it's usually effective when she does.
Harrison's striking has continually improved fight by fight, and we saw that against Holm. Vieira has some crafty setups and has been more patient in letting combinations materialize since her knockout loss to Irene Aldana in 2019 — a fight she was winning until the final blow. Vieira’s path to success will be to use her judo defensively and negate Harrison’s game so they can trade strikes.
That’s easier said than done though, especially against a judoka of Harrison’s caliber. As talented as Vieira is, there are levels to this game, and that’s why Harrison is the largest betting favorite at UFC 307 at -1100 to Vieira’s +700.
Pick: Harrison
This fight is weird. After Kevin Holland lost his original opponent, Chris Curtis, Roman Dolidze stepped up to save the day just as he did against the aforementioned Smith at UFC 303 in June.
Stylistically, this should be a fairly comfortable Dolidze victory, thanks to his superior grappling strengths, however his last three performances, in particular, have left plenty to be desired.
Holland is a viable submission threat and dangerous from the bottom with strikes, as demonstrated by his Ronaldo Souza win in 2020, but he’ll be outsized in this one as Dolidze drops back down from his 205-pound side quest. Holland's activity and striking are surely what puts him as the favorite in the oddsmakers’ minds at -145 here. Dolidze is a decent gamble at +120, but he’s hard to trust. It's a close fight, but Dolidze has never been finished and that’s what Holland will need.
Pick: Dolidze
The entire prelim portion of UFC 307 isn’t too shabby. The final two fights, Stephen Thompson vs. Joaquin Buckley and Marina Rodriguez vs. Iasmin Lucindo, are the most intriguing. We have an impending retirement for a historic former two-time champion as well, as Carla Esparza returns for one more walk after becoming a mother to take on her fellow The Ultimate Fighter 20 alum Tecia Pennington. It's fun that Pennington and her wife Raquel get to compete on the same night. Violence can also even be expected in the veteran matchup of Court McGee vs. Tim Means. Cheers to that, everyone.
Quick Picks:
Stephen Thompson (+175) def. Joaquin Buckley (-210)
Marina Rodriguez (+155) def. Iasmin Lucindo (-190)
Cesar Almeida (-400) def. Ihor Potieria (+310)
Ryan Spann (-250) def. Ovince Saint Preux (+200)
Carla Esparza (+150) def. Tecia Torres (-185)
Tim Means (-210) def. Court McGee (+165)
Alexander Hernandez (-160) def. Austin Hubbard (+130)
