Tag: UFC News

After UFC 307 Win, Kayla Harrison Declares Plan to Bring Amanda Nunes Back, ‘Take Everything’ and Prove She’s the GOAT

After UFC 307 Win, Kayla Harrison Declares Plan to Bring Amanda Nunes Back, 'Take Everything' and Prove She’s the GOATAfter her impressive win at UFC 307, Kayla Harrison is looking to capture UFC gold and then bring Amanda…

After UFC 307 Win, Kayla Harrison Declares Plan to Bring Amanda Nunes Back, 'Take Everything' and Prove She’s the GOAT

After her impressive win at UFC 307, Kayla Harrison is looking to capture UFC gold and then bring Amanda Nunes out of retirement for one final showdown.

Kayla Harrison

Since making her UFC debut, Kayla Harrison has impressed international MMA fans by submitting former champion Holly Holm and then defeating the top-ranked Ketlen Vieira. At UFC 307, “The Venezuelan Vixen” Julianna Peña took back her UFC bantamweight crown. This will set up a future showdown between Harrison and Peña with UFC gold on the line. But afterward, the US-born Harrison wants Amanda Nunes.

After winning gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics for Judo with Team USA, she transitioned to mixed martial arts, Harrison made her professional debut in 2018. She was able to become a two-time PFL MMA world champion over consecutive years and now competes in the UFC.

Kayla Harrison
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 05: (R-L) Kayla Harrison battles Ketlen Vieira of Brazil in a bantamweight fight during the UFC 307 event at Delta Center on October 05, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Amanda Nunes

Amanda Nunes is a retired Brazilian mixed martial artist regarded as the greatest female fighter in the history of the sport. She began her professional MMA career in 2008 and quickly made a name for herself in the UFC. Nunes is notable for being the first woman to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously, having been the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion and the Featherweight Champion.

Amanda Nunes admits she almost retired after loss to Julianna Pena I think I'm done UFC
Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

Throughout her career, she achieved numerous accolades, including victories over prominent fighters like Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, and Cris Cyborg. She announced her retirement from MMA in June 2023 after successfully defending her bantamweight title.

On a podcast ahead of UFC 307, Kayla Harrison explained the plan. She outlined:

“I’m about to get this belt [UFC women’s bantamweight championship]. I’m going to get another belt, lure Amanda [Nunes] out of retirement and I’m going to f*cking take everything that she’s ever worked for and then Henry [Cejudo] is going to owe me 100 anytime pushups. And he will no longer be the greatest combat of all time.” [Ht Sportskeeda]

Khabib Nurmagomedov Wants to Train 17-year-old Muay Thai Prodigy ‘Jojo’ for MMA

Khabib Nurmagomedov Wants to Train Johan Ghazali 17-year-old Muay Thai Prodigy 'Jojo' for MMAUFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov is looking to train the 17-year-old ‘Jojo’ Johan Ghazali for a potential future debut in…

Khabib Nurmagomedov Wants to Train Johan Ghazali 17-year-old Muay Thai Prodigy 'Jojo' for MMA

UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov is looking to train the 17-year-old ‘Jojo’ Johan Ghazali for a potential future debut in MMA. Right now, ‘Jojo’ is a prodigy of Muay Thai.

Johan Ghazali

At just 17 years of age, Johan Ghazali is a rising star in the world of Muay Thai. Both of his parents trained in Muay Thai and he began training when he was just 10 years old, merely seven years ago. The Malaysian-American fighter has impressed Muay Thai fans with his 16-second knockout against Padetsuk Fairtex. Thus far in ONE Championship, he has put together a record of 6-1 having won most of these matchups by KO/TKO.

Johan Ghazali

Khabib Nurmagomedov

Dagestan’s Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time due to his run in the UFC’s lightweight division. His dominant wins made him an international star. After retiring with an unbeaten record, vacating his world title, ‘The Eagle’ took to training future champions.

Khabib Nurmagomedov

One of his most successful students is the current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Plus, Bellator MMA champion Usman Nurmagomedov and the top-ranked Umar Nurmagomedov.

Khabib Nurmagomedov assessed the Muay Thai skills of Johan Ghazali in Malaysia recently and remarked:

“I know he is a good young striker, he told me in the future he wants to move to MMA when he finishes with Muay Thai. He is always welcome to Dagestan and train at our gym. In MMA you need to train in wrestling, and he will improve that by training with us.”

On potentially opening a gym in Malaysia, the former UFC champion said:

“This is a very good idea. We’re thinking about this. Why not we open a gym here and bring good coaches? It will be good for all Malaysia MMA.”

‘It’s Ungodly’ – Joe Rogan Shares Marc Goddard’s Startling Comment on Alex Pereira’s Devastating Power

Joe Rogan, Alex PereiraLongtime MMA referee Marc Goddard made a series of chilling remarks about Alex Pereira during a brief interaction with…

Joe Rogan, Alex Pereira

Longtime MMA referee Marc Goddard made a series of chilling remarks about Alex Pereira during a brief interaction with Joe Rogan after UFC 307.

Pereira defeated Khalil Rountree Jr. by fourth-round TKO to retain the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 307. After a back-and-forth first three rounds of action, Pereira poured it on at the start of the championship rounds and systematically broke down his opponent with his striking.

Rogan and Goddard have been two staples of mixed martial arts during the sport’s rapid ascension. While both of them have seen almost every type of fighting style inside the Octagon, Pereira’s UFC run is unprecedented.

So unprecedented that Goddard puts Pereira’s power in a class of its own, as he discussed with Rogan just before the official UFC 307 result was announced.

Joe Rogan Reveals Chilling Conversation About Alex Pereira’s Power

Near the end of the UFC 307 broadcast, Rogan shared his post-fight conversation with Goddard.

“I was in the octagon after the fight and Marc Goddard came up to me and he said, ‘I’ve been doing this for 20 years. The way he hits people, the sound, is like nothing I’ve ever heard before.’ He said, ‘It’s ungodly.’” Rogan said. “That’s what he kept saying, he said, ‘It’s ungodly.’” (h/t SportsKeeda)

Pereira set the promotional record for the fewest UFC bouts to win multiple world titles. After finishing Rountree at UFC 307, Pereira has successfully defended the light heavyweight title three times in seven months.

Goddard officiated some of the most notable bouts in UFC history, including Pereira’s first UFC title win at UFC 281. During his extensive fighting and officiating career, one fighter’s power stands alone for Goddard.

Conor McGregor Wins Big with $1 Million Bet on UFC 307 Main Event KO Finish

Conor McGregor, Alex Pereira, Khalil Rountree Jr.UFC superstar Conor McGregor made a massive gamble on the UFC 307 main event between Alex Pereira and Khalil…

Conor McGregor, Alex Pereira, Khalil Rountree Jr.

UFC superstar Conor McGregor made a massive gamble on the UFC 307 main event between Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree Jr.

McGregor’s leap of faith paid off massively.

McGregor was supposed to make his UFC return against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June. But, he withdrew from the event due to a toe injury, and his planned UFC comeback is indefinitely postponed.

As McGregor enjoys life away from the Octagon, he took in an eventful evening at UFC 307. Watching from afar, McGregor decided to place a $1 million wager on Pereira vs. Rountree ending inside the five-round distance.

Pereira vs. Rountree ended up being a bloody war for as long as the fight lasted. After Rountree gave Pereira some early-round troubles, Pereira put it on him in the later rounds, and eventually finished the action in Round 4.

McGregor, after winning the bet, took to social media to praise the UFC 307 main event fighters.

Conor McGregor banks big after Alex Pereira’s latest KO

Watch McGregor’s since-deleted video below.

“I AM PUTTING A MILLION U.S. DOWN ON A KO TAKING PLACE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER HERE IN THIS MAIN EVENT, @DuelbitsOdds are 1/5. A million wins back $200k. Let’s see…” McGregor said in a since-deleted tweet. (h/t talkSPORT)

McGregor then confirmed Pereira’s TKO win earned himself a $200k profit.

“$200k baby! THE RICH GET RICHER! Called it play by play! What a fighter, Poatan! Incredible!” McGregor said.

McGregor isn’t a stranger to placing massive wagers on fights. He’s bet big on boxing and MMA fights in recent years since his 2021 leg injury.

After securing a $200k profit, McGregor turns his attention to following up on a combat sports comeback. In the meantime, he continues to enjoy life away from the combat spotlight.

UFC 307 Results: Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Main Event Stats By The Numbers

UFC 307 Results Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Main Event Stats By The Numbers 2Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree, the main event of UFC 307, ‘Potan was able to defend his title by…

UFC 307 Results Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Main Event Stats By The Numbers 2

Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree, the main event of UFC 307, ‘Potan was able to defend his title by TKO in round 4. It was a back-and-forth incredible matchup. Let’s break down the fight by the numbers to get a clearer picture of how it unfolded.

UFC 307 Stats: Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree

Overall, Alex Pereira demonstrated superior striking efficiency throughout the bout, landing 127 significant strikes out of 209 attempts for a 60% accuracy rate. In contrast, Rountree Jr. connected with 61 out of 191 attempts, managing only a 31% success rate. Most importantly, the calf kicks and jabs from Pereira made all the difference. The speed, and in and out work, Rountree was giving the Brazilian titleholder problems for much of the fight. But the round-by-round numbers are more important in this case than the overall.

Throughout the fight, Pereira demonstrated a more varied striking approach. While both fighters primarily targeted the head, Pereira mixed in more body and leg strikes. He landed 92 head strikes, 17 body strikes, which were vital for the finish, plus 18 leg strikes mainly targeting the calf. Compared to Rountree’s 34 head strikes, 16 body strikes, and 11 leg strikes.

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 05: (L-R) Opponents Alex Pereira of Brazil and Khalil Rountree Jr. face off prior to the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 307 event at Delta Center on October 05, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Round 1

Both fighters felt each other out in the first round. Pereira landed 15 significant strikes to Rountree’s 10, setting the tone for his dominance. ‘Poatan‘ rushed him in the opening few seconds, but Rountree countered and survived. Rountree struggled with only 10 of 42 (23%), while Pereira started strong, landing 15 of 27 significant strikes (55%).

UFC 307 Stats: Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree jr

Round 2

The second round saw a similar pattern, with Pereira slightly increasing his output to 18 significant strikes while Rountree remained at 11. Here, Alex Pereira missed a head kick and was forced to eat a hard counter from the US-born challenger. Rountree connected with 11 of 42 strikes (26%) here and Pereira earned 18 of 41 significant strikes (43%).

Round 3

The third round marked a turning point in the fight. Both fighters significantly upped their output, with Pereira landing 31 significant strikes and Rountree connecting with 25. Alex Pereira landed 31 of 49 significant strikes (63%), compared to Rountree’s 25 of 54 (46%). Here, the jab and calf kick began showing their effects.

Round 4

In the final round, Pereira showcased his championship-level striking, landing an impressive 63 significant strikes out of 92 attempts for a 68% accuracy rate. Rountree, on the other hand, only managed to land 15 out of 53 attempts. During this round, Pereira scored the only knockdown of the fight, ultimately leading to the TKO finish at 4:32 of the fourth round.

alex pereira ufc 307

The UFC 307 main event between Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree was an incredible striking showdown between a veteran kickboxing against a Muay Thai stylist. The speed from the US-born challenger gave tons of issues against the Brazilian champion until ‘Poatan’ found his calf kick and jab that changed the fight.

Alex Pereira TKOs Khalil Rountree in Bloody Brawl to Retain Light Heavyweight Title – UFC 307 Highlights

Alex Pereira TKOs Khalil Rountree in Bloody Brawl to Retain Light Heavyweight Title - UFC 307 HighlightsAlex Pereira did it again. Returning to the Octagon at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City for his third…

Alex Pereira TKOs Khalil Rountree in Bloody Brawl to Retain Light Heavyweight Title - UFC 307 Highlights

Alex Pereira did it again.

Returning to the Octagon at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City for his third title defense of 2024, ‘Poatan’ scored yet another highlight-reel knockout, though it didn’t come without a bit of adversity.

Alex Pereira

Squaring off with heavy-hitting contender Khalil Rountree, Pereira showed his opponent the proper respect throughout the first three rounds and even found himself on the wrong side of a few stinging shots and a near knockdown. However, it was just a matter of time before the Pereira took over. That moment came in the fourth round as he began to batter and bloody ‘The War Horse’ with a series of methodical strikes.

With 30 seconds to go in the penultimate round, Pereira unleashed a flurry of strikes against the fence that finally sent Rountree crashing to the canvas. With his face already busted up and his lead leg compromised from a slew of calf kicks, referee Marc Goddard had finally seen enough, calling for the TKO stoppage.

Alex Pereira

Official Result: Alex Pereira def. Khalil Rountree via TKO (strikes) at 4:34 of Round 4.

Check out highlights from Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree at UFC 307: