The most popular MMA organization returns to Salt Lake City, Utah, for UFC 307 this Saturday at the Delta Center. The Undisputed UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira defends his title for the third straight time in the past six months against the dangerous striker, No. 8 Khalil Rountree Jr. The Co-Main Event features a Women’s Bantamweight Championship fight between current champion Raquel Pennington and former title holder No. 1 Julianna Pena.
Whether the UFC rankings say it or not, Alex Pereira is the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter. He is as close to a perfect fighter on the roster currently. Every time Pereira steps into the Octagon, he possesses that big-fight feeling. He always shows up. He always delivers. With each fight and win, his stardom continues to grow, and his fan base becomes larger.
Pereira’s nickname is “Poatan”, which translates to stone hands and it fits the champion perfectly. “Poatan” has power unlike anything we have ever seen in MMA. Not many fighters have one-punch knockout power, but he has it. Pereira is the true definition of what it means to be a pound-for-pound great. It doesn’t matter if he’s fighting at 185 pounds or at 205; his power and his fighting style translate through multiple weight classes.
When Pereira entered the UFC, he started at middleweight and won his first three fights, two of which were knockouts. Then, he challenged his long-time rival from his kickboxing career, Israel Adesanya. In that fight, Adesanya tore Pereira apart for four rounds, but with two minutes left in the fight, “Poatan” found a way to win and become the UFC middleweight champion. Pereira was brutally knocked out in the immediate rematch with Adesanya but seamlessly transitioned to the light heavyweight division.
Since moving to 205 pounds, Pereira is 4-0 with three knockouts in his three title fights. Saturday will be his 10th walk to the Octagon, and having four championship victories in under 10 contests is unreal. At this point, Pereira seems untouchable and unbeatable.
Although Rountree may be Pereira’s most unlikely opponent, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t possess knockout power. Rountree has knocked out four of his last five opponents and has done it in spectacular fashion. Do not let the odds confuse you, Rountree is +360 on DraftKings Sportsbook to win this fight, but he can still do the unthinkable.
Julianna Pena is on a mission to get her Women’s Bantamweight Title back, but she must go through “Rocky” to reclaim her throne. This is Pena’s 10th fight in the UFC Octagon and third straight title bout. It has been over 26 months since she stepped foot in the cage. When she last fought, Amanda Nunes beat Pena to win back her title. Pena has gone 36 months, nearly three years, without a win in the UFC. Injuries have set Pena back in her career, but if she wants to become a champion again, this could be her last chance at gold.
Arguably, the best women’s bantamweight fighter in the world is No. 3 Kayla Harrison, who also has her eyes set on gold in the future. Harrison faces No. 2 Ketlen Vieira in essentially a No. 1 contender fight. If Harrison wins this fight and fights for a title early next year, she can join Henry Cejudo as the only athlete to win an Olympic Gold Medal and a UFC Title.
Headlining the Prelims is one of the most anticipated fights on this card. Former title challenger No. 9 Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson faces rising star No. 11 Joaquin Buckley. Thompson was submitted by Shavkat Rakhmonov in his previous appearance at UFC 296 nine months ago. At 41, will “Wonderboy” be able to get back on track, or can Buckley extend his winning streak to five?
This card should deliver an exciting night of action with two title fights and three former champions. Below is the full card, starting with the Early Prelims, Prelims and then the Main Card.
Main Card Starts at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
| Matchup: | Records: | Weight Class: | Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: |
| (C) Alex Pereira vs. #7 Khalil Rountree Jr. | 11-2 (8-1 UFC) vs. 14-5 (9-4 UFC) | Light Heavyweight | -470 vs. +360 |
| (C) Raquel Pennington vs. #1 Julianna Pena | 16-9 (12-5 UFC) vs. 12-5 (6-3 UFC) | W Bantamweight | -170 vs. +142 |
| #10 Jose Aldo vs. #11 Mario Bautista | 32-8 (14-7 UFC) vs. 14-2 (8-2 UFC) | Bantamweight | +124 vs. -148 |
| #10 Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland | 13-3 (7-3 UFC) vs. 26-11 (17-8 UFC) | Middleweight | +124 vs. -148 |
| #2 Ketlen Vieira vs. #3 Kayla Harrison | 14-3 (8-3 UFC) vs. 17-1 (1-0 UFC) | W Bantamweight | +675 vs. -1050 |
Prelims on ESPN+/ ESPN NEWS start at 8 p.m. ET
| Matchup: | Records: | Weight Class: | Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: |
| #9 Stephen Thompson vs. #11 Joaquin Buckley | 17-7-1 (12-7-1 UFC) vs. 19-6 (9-4 UFC) | Welterweight | +185 vs. -225 |
| #6 Marina Rodriguez vs. #14 Lasmin Lucindo | 17-4-2 (7-4-2 UFC) vs. 16-5 (3-2 UFC) | W Strawweight | +164 vs. -198 |
| Austin Hubbard vs. Alexander Hernandez | 17-7 (4-5 UFC) vs. 14-8 (6-7 UFC) | Lightweight | +136 vs. -162 |
| Cesar Almeida vs. Ihor Potieria | 5-1 (1-1 UFC) vs. 20-6 (2-4 UFC) | Middleweight | -375 vs. +295 |
Early Prelims on ESPN+ start at 6:30 p.m. ET
| Matchup: | Records: | Weight Class: | Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: |
| Ryan Spann vs. Ovince Saint Preux | 21-10 (7-5 UFC) vs. 27-17 (14-13 UFC) | Light Heavyweight | -245 vs. +200 |
| Carla Esparza vs. Tecia Pennington | 20-7 (9-5 UFC) vs. 13-7 (8-7 UFC) | W Strawweight | +145 vs. -175 |
| Court McGee vs. Tim Means | 22-13 (9-12 UFC) vs. 33-16-1 (14-11 UFC) | Welterweight | +160 vs. -192 |
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