ufc 307

Former Opponent Backs ‘More Violent’ Khalil Rountree To Upset Alex Pereira At UFC 307

A retired fighter who boasts a win over Khalil Rountree wouldn’t be surprised if he unseats Alex Pereira from the UFC light heavyweight throne. Pereira, who also previously held gold on MMA’s biggest stage at middleweight, has ruled over the 205-pound division since capturing the then-vacant title in November 2023. He stopped Ji?í Procházka on […]

Continue Reading Former Opponent Backs ‘More Violent’ Khalil Rountree To Upset Alex Pereira At UFC 307 at MMA News.

A retired fighter who boasts a win over Khalil Rountree wouldn’t be surprised if he unseats Alex Pereira from the UFC light heavyweight throne.

Pereira, who also previously held gold on MMA’s biggest stage at middleweight, has ruled over the 205-pound division since capturing the then-vacant title in November 2023.

He stopped Ji?í Procházka on that occasion and has since repeated the feat in their International Fight Week rematch, in addition to also defending the belt against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300.

“Poatan’s” high activity won’t be coming to a halt as he gears up for his third title defense of 2024 at the UFC 307 pay-per-view in Salt Lake City, Utah early next month. To the surprise of many, his next challenger will be the #8-ranked Rountree, who most recently extended his winning run to five by knocking out Anthony Smith last December.

“The War Horse” has been branded undeserving by some in the community and will unsurprisingly enter his first PPV main event as a sizable underdog. But someone with experience sharing the cage with him insists he can’t be counted out…

Tyson Pedro Predicts Rountree To Beat Pereira In Utah

During a recent interview with the Kairouz Bros, former UFC light heavyweight prospect Tyson Pedro was asked to give his prediction for the next title fight in the division he formerly competed in.

The Australian made an emphatic Octagon debut as an undefeated fighter back in November 2016, submitting Rountree in the first round at a Melbourne-held UFC Fight Night.

While he’ll be willing “The War Horse” on to become champ due to his past victory over him, Pedro legitimately believes that the 32-year-old’s edge in “mentality” could pave the way for a surprise title crowning in the “Beehive State.”

“Is he fighting Alex? … That’s a mad fight,” Pedro said. “That’s a hard one (to predict). I think Khalil’s more aggressive and violent in his approach, as of recently. if you see his (fights), it feels like he wants to kill the people now. … I don’t know if I can go against — you know what, I’m gonna go Khalil because of mentality.

“I think Pereira’s on a bit of (a high) and he’s just chilling. Once you get content — that’s the only reason I’m saying it. But I’ll go Khalil on that,” Pedro continued. “And also, I want him to win so then I can say I beeat him. Technically I’m the champ! MMA math!”

Pereira and Rountree’s title clash will top a stacked lineup in Salt Lake City to kick off October. In addition to another championship bout between Raquel Pennington and Julianna Peña, the likes of Kayla Harrison, José Aldo, Kevin Holland, and Stephen Thompson will all return to the cage.

Read More: Former Champ Cautions Alex Pereira: Don’t Overlook ‘Kickboxer Killer’ Khalil Rountree

Continue Reading Former Opponent Backs ‘More Violent’ Khalil Rountree To Upset Alex Pereira At UFC 307 at MMA News.

Former Opponent Backs ‘More Violent’ Khalil Rountree To Upset Alex Pereira At UFC 307

Continue Reading Former Opponent Backs ‘More Violent’ Khalil Rountree To Upset Alex Pereira At UFC 307 at MMA News.

A retired fighter who boasts a win over Khalil Rountree wouldn’t be surprised if he unseats Alex Pereira from the UFC light heavyweight throne.

Pereira, who also previously held gold on MMA’s biggest stage at middleweight, has ruled over the 205-pound division since capturing the then-vacant title in November 2023.

He stopped Ji?í Procházka on that occasion and has since repeated the feat in their International Fight Week rematch, in addition to also defending the belt against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300.

Tyson Pedro Predicts Rountree To Beat Pereira In Utah

During a recent interview with the Kairouz Bros, former UFC light heavyweight prospect Tyson Pedro was asked to give his prediction for the next title fight in the division he formerly competed in.

The Australian made an emphatic Octagon debut as an undefeated fighter back in November 2016, submitting Rountree in the first round at a Melbourne-held UFC Fight Night.

“Is he fighting Alex? … That’s a mad fight,” Pedro said. “That’s a hard one (to predict). I think Khalil’s more aggressive and violent in his approach, as of recently. if you see his (fights), it feels like he wants to kill the people now. … I don’t know if I can go against — you know what, I’m gonna go Khalil because of mentality.

“I think Pereira’s on a bit of (a high) and he’s just chilling. Once you get content — that’s the only reason I’m saying it. But I’ll go Khalil on that,” Pedro continued. “And also, I want him to win so then I can say I beeat him. Technically I’m the champ! MMA math!”

Read More: Former Champ Cautions Alex Pereira: Don’t Overlook ‘Kickboxer Killer’ Khalil Rountree

Continue Reading Former Opponent Backs ‘More Violent’ Khalil Rountree To Upset Alex Pereira At UFC 307 at MMA News.

What’s Next After UFC 306? Full Confirmed UFC 307 Main Card For Salt Lake City On October 5

UFC 306 (Noche UFC) is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering. The promotion was in Las Vegas last week, where the unique Sphere venue played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest major card in the “Fight Capital of the World.” Of […]

Continue Reading What’s Next After UFC 306? Full Confirmed UFC 307 Main Card For Salt Lake City On October 5 at MMA News.

UFC 306 (Noche UFC) is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering.

The promotion was in Las Vegas last week, where the unique Sphere venue played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest major card in the “Fight Capital of the World.” Of note were title wins for Merab Dvalishvili and Valentina Shevchenko, as well as the biggest victory to date for surging fan favorite Diego Lopes.

While the aftermath of the September 14 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the bantamweight title picture to the 205-pound championship conversation.

At UFC 307, set for the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 5, reigning light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira will compete for the third time this year, once again in defense of the gold. Following knockouts of Jamahal Hill and Ji?í Procházka, “Poatan” will next face a surprise challenger in the #8-ranked Khalil Rountree.

There will also be title stakes in the co-headliner, as bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington returns for her first defense. “Rocky” is set to meet the challenge of a former champion and fellow TUF 18 competitor in Julianna Peña.

Sterling, Harrison, Holland Set The Stage For Title Headliners At UFC 307

Before Pereira and Pennington defend their belts in the “Beehive State,” 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 former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, who is looking to keep his ball rolling at 145 pounds following a successful divisional debut opposite Calvin Kattar earlier this year. To keep his pursuit of two-weight glory alive, “Funk Master” must blemish the perfect record of #6-ranked contender Movsar Evloev.

Prior to that, another notable name will look to stake her claim for a shot at championship glory on MMA’s biggest stage as two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL title winner Kayla Harrison makes her sophomore Octagon appearance. After submitting Holly Holm on debut at UFC 300, the former judoka will look to go two for two at the expense of Ketlen Vieira in Salt Lake City.

And opening the main card will be the always entertaining Kevin Holland, whose second outing since returning to middleweight sees him matched up against top-10 competition in the form of Roman Dolidze.

Those pairings have gotten the nod to feature on the main card over a number of prominent names on the prelims, including Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, José Aldo, and Carla Esparza.

See below for the full UFC 305 card, as it stands.

Main Card:

Alex Pereira (C) vs. Khalil Rountree (light heavyweight championship main event)
Raquel Pennington (C) vs. Julianna Peña (women’s bantamweight championship co-main event)
Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling (bantamweight)
Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison (women’s bantamweight)
Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)

Preliminary Card:

Stephen Thompson vs. Joaquin Buckley (welterweight)
Nate Landwehr vs. Austin Hubbard (lightweight)
Carla Esparza vs. Tecia Pennington (women’s strawweight)
José Aldo vs. Mario Bautista (bantamweight)
Ryan Spann vs. Ovince Saint Preux (light heavyweight)
Mauricio Ruffy vs. TBD (lightweight)
Marina Rodriguez vs. Iasmin Lucindo (women’s strawweight)
Court McGee vs. Tim Means (welterweight)
Ihor Potieria vs. Cesar Almeida (middleweight)

Kayla Harrison & Holly Holm — Image: Cooper Neill/UFC/Zuffa LLC

Read More: 7 Positives & 4 Negatives From Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili

Continue Reading What’s Next After UFC 306? Full Confirmed UFC 307 Main Card For Salt Lake City On October 5 at MMA News.

Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira agreed to take place in training: ‘We talked’

A long-mooted meeting of current Octagon gold holders Jon Jones and Alex Pereira is slated amid major fan-anticipation —…

A long-mooted meeting of current Octagon gold holders Jon Jones and Alex Pereira is slated amid major fan-anticipation — albeit in the training room, with the latter confirming plans to share the mats with the former ahead of his return to action at UFC 309 in November at Madison Square Garden.

Jones, a current heavyweight champion and former two-time undisputed light heavyweight gold holder, finally booked his hiatus-snapping return to action at the end of the year at UFC 309 — with the promotion confirming his Madison Square Garden clash against the returning Stipe Miocic during last weekend’s Noche UFC broadcast.

As for former two-division titleholder, Pereira is set to headline the next flagship event for the organization — booking a UFC 307 main event fight with surging knockout artist, Khalil Rountree in Salt Lake City, Utah just weeks away.

Alex Pereira expects to train with Jon Jones ahead of UFC 309

And long-linked with a title fight at the heavyweight limit against Rochester veteran, Jones in a bid to become the first three-weight champion in Octagon antiquity, Pereira revealed plans to at least train with the former ahead of his November return in his native New York.

It was awesome to meet him (Jon Jones), he’s a very nice guy,” Alex Pereira told TNT Sports during his appearance at the Las Vegas Sphere. “We talked, we talked about training together. People talk about me fighting Jon Jones, going up to the heavyweight division, but I don’t know if maybe he has just one fight left. So for me to worry about my weight class is something that’s maybe too much. Right now, maybe we’re going to start training together.”

We’ve been talking a little bit about training together for a long time, but I think it’s going to happen,” Alex Pereira told Full Send MMA. “His fight’s going to be in November. Every time you leave a fight it takes a week or two to recover from small injuries. But I think I’ll have enough time to go over there.”

“Today I saw him more fit than we last saw him, he looks really good and I want to grab his experience,” Alex Pereira explained. “People talk about us fighting, but people talk about him fighting one time, one or twice more. I don’t know if I’ll be able to share the cage with him, but I want to get the experience of training with him.”

Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña – UFC 307 Odds

Raquel Pennington and Julianna Peña are set to match up on UFC 307 on October 5th, 2024, at the…

Raquel Pennington and Julianna Peña are set to match up on UFC 307 on October 5th, 2024, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. This bout will feature Pennington defending her UFC bantamweight championship for the first time against former champion Peña.

Raquel Pennington

Raquel “Rocky” Pennington enters this fight as the reigning UFC bantamweight champion. She captured the title in January with a victory over Mayra Bueno Silva, capping off an impressive six-fight win streak.

Pennington is known for her gritty style and relentless pressure in the octagon. She earned a performance bonus in her match against Jessica Andrade. Just like you can earn a stay casino no deposit bonus right here. She also holds the record for the most bouts in UFC Women’s Bantamweight division history.

Raquel Pennington denounces Sean Strickland Female fighters are here to stay UFC — Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

Julianna Peña

Julianna “The Venezuelan Vixen” Peña is the former UFC bantamweight champion looking to reclaim her title. Her recent record stands at 2-2 in her last four fights, with her most recent loss coming against Amanda Nunes in July 2022. Peña is renowned for her aggressive ground game and unrelenting pace.

Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña

For Pennington, this bout represents her first title defense and an opportunity to cement her status as the division’s champion. A win would validate her recent success and potentially set her up for a long reign at the top.

For Peña, this fight is a chance at redemption and an opportunity to reclaim the title she once held. A victory would not only put her back at the pinnacle of the division but also prove that she remains one of the elite fighters in the weight class.

Betting Odds

According to the opening odds from BetOnline, Raquel Pennington opened as the -151 favorite, while Julianna Peña was the +126 underdog. These odds suggest a competitive matchup, with Pennington having a slight edge in the eyes of oddsmakers.

The close odds suggest that bookmakers and bettors see this as a relatively even matchup, with Pennington having a slight edge. This is likely due to her current championship status and recent winning streak.

Raquel Pennington is the favorite, with odds ranging from -159 (1.63 decimal) to -190 (1.53 decimal) across different bookmakers. Julianna Peña is the underdog, with odds ranging from +125 (2.25 decimal) to +155 (2.55 decimal).

A £10 bet on Pennington at odds of 1.57 would return £15.70 if she wins. A similar bet on Peña would likely return around £22-£25 if she wins, depending on the exact odds.

UFC 307 is shaping up to be an exciting event scheduled for October 5, 2024, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. This marks UFC’s third consecutive year hosting an event in Salt Lake City. The headline fight features Alex Pereira defending his UFC light heavyweight title against Khalil Rountree Jr.

Kayla Harrison acknowledges Ronda Rousey’s complex legacy in MMA

Often drawing comparisons to inaugural bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey during her mixed martial arts career, incoming UFC 307 star,…

Often drawing comparisons to inaugural bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey during her mixed martial arts career, incoming UFC 307 star, Kayla Harrison has admitted that while the Riverside native holds a complex legacy in the sport — she paved a way for her female counterparts.

Harrison, a former two-time PFL (Professional Fighters League) lightweight tournament winner and two-time Olympic gold medal victor, is slated to return to action at the beginning of next month, making her sophomore Octagon walk in a showdown with Ketlen Vieira.

Making her long-anticipated bow in the promotion on the preliminary card of UFC 300 earlier this year, Harrison took out common-foe, Holly Holm with a dominant second round rear-naked choke win, landing herself as the number three rank in the division.

Kayla Harrison issues props to Ronda Rousey for smashing MMA ceiling for women

And ahead of her expected title-eliminator against Brazilian star, Vieira next month in Salt Lake City, Harrison discussed the legacy of former bantamweight gold holder, Rousey in the sport, while maintaining she smashed the ceiling for fighters of the female variety.

“I think for me, no matter who Ronda (Rousey) is as a person and no matter what she says or thinks or how she does things or how she handles losses, who she handles any of it, no matter what, you cannot deny the fact she shattered a ceiling for women,” Kayla Harrison told MMA Fighting. Dana White went on record multiple times saying he would never have women in the UFC. She f*cking blasted right through that.”

“To me, that’s her legacy,” Kayla Harrison explained. “No matter what she says or what she does, of course humans are going to be humans, people deal with things the way they deal with things but she paved the way when there was no way. That I am eternally grateful [for].”