UFC 307 in the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, made for an exciting night of fights as UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira ended the night with a brutal finish over Khalil Rountree Jr.
Click here to watch UFC President Dana White speak to the media at the post-fight press conference. Footage via ‘MMA Junkie’ on YouTube.
UFC 307 Main Event: Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
UFC 307’s main event featured light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira (12-2-0) taking on the always violent no. 8-ranked Khalil Rountree Jr. (14-6-0, 1NC).
This epic UFC 307 featured bout showcased two brutal strikers going toe to toe until the finishing blows.
The fight kicked off with both fighters seizing the center of the cage, trading punches and kicks. The underdog Rountree Jr., who was not a favorite in the betting circles, caught many off guard with his aggressive and relentless punches that pierced Pereira’s defense.
Pereira would find himself pressuring the challenger towards the cage but ending up on the receiving end of flurries of punches. The challenger edged the first two rounds on all three judges’ scorecards.
However, Pereira’s fortunes took a turn towards the end of the second round. He shifted his focus from hooks to jabs and lead leg kicks, a strategic move that would prove crucial in the later part of the fight.
These leg kicks paid dividends, as Rountree Jr.’s constant movement was mildly thwarted after enduring such damage over the early portion of the fight.
Once the champion found his striking rhythm and realized the damage to Rountree Jr.’s leg, he started to increase the pressure and volume of his strikes.
Come the fourth round, Pereira was losing on the judges’ scorecards. However, the damage dealt to the challenger’s eye and leg was too much, so Pereira kept his calculated attack until delivering an emphatic fourth TKO over the challenger.
Result: Pereira via KO/TKO R4
UFC 307 Co-main Event: Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Pena
UFC 307’s co-main event featured Julianna Pena becoming a two-time women’s bantamweight champion by defeating Raquel Pennington via controversial split decision.
This fight was one of many controversial split decisions on the night.
Every single member of the media scored this bout 48-47 in favor of Pennington; however, the majority of ringside judges disagreed.
The fight opened up with a very close first round, with both women looking to exchange on the feet. At the end of the round, Pena outlanded Pennington on significant strikes.
The rest of the fight was a back-and-forth affair, with the second round being the closest of the fight.
The biggest moment of this title fight came in the fourth round. Pennington pressed forward, forcing Pena’s back toward the cage. Pennington landed a thudding punch on Pena’s jaw, sending her crashing to the ground against the cage.
The fifth and final round of this UFC 307 co-main event featured Pennington getting the better of Pena during their striking exchanges until the final horn.
Result: Pena via Split Decision (48-47,48-47, 47-48)
Jose Aldo vs. Mario Bautista
This UFC 307 main card matchup between No. 10-ranked Jose Aldo (32-9-0) and No. 11-ranked Mario Bautista (15-2-0) ended up as an utter disappointment for all viewers.
This three-round UFC 307 main card fight was one that fans will hope to forget as the former feather champion and pound-for-pound king Aldo was given a tough matchup against a pressure grappler who can push a pace.
This fight seemed like a carbon copy of Aldo’s fight with current bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, given the approach against Aldo.
Like Dvalishvili, Bautista avoided lengthy sequences of striking with Aldo and instead tried to push a pace on the 38-year-old by forcing his back against the cage and relentlessly attempting cage clinches and takedowns.
To nobody’s surprise, Aldo was able to stop all of Bautista’s takedown attempts but struggled to generate his own offense.
There were moments in this fight when it was clear to everyone that Bautista was not interested in engaging in a war with Aldo but instead wanted to outpace and control him against the cage. This approach from Bautista led to a lot of booing and frustration from the crowd.
Result: Bautista via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Other Fights on UFC 307
Main Card:
- (W 135 lbs.) Ketlen Vieira (14-4-0) vs. Kayla Harrison (18-1-0): Harrison via Decision
- (185 lbs.) Roman Dolidze (14-3-0) vs. Kevin Holland (26-12-0, 1NC): Dolidze via KO/TKO R1
Prelims:
- (170 lbs.) Stephen Thompson (17-8-1) vs. Joaquin Buckley (20-6-0): Buckley via KO/TKO R3
- (W 115 lbs.) Marina Rodriguez (17-5-2) vs. Lasmin Lucindo (17-5-0): Lucindo via Decision
- (155 lbs.) Austin Hubbard (17-8-0) vs. Alexander Hernandez (15-8-0): Hernandez via Decision
- (185 lbs.) Cesar Almeida (6-1-0) vs. Ihor Potieria (20-7-0): Almeida via Decision
Early Prelims:
- (205 lbs.) Ryan Spann (22-10-0) vs. Ovince Saint Preux (27-18-0): Spann via Submission R1
- (W 115 lbs.) Carla Esparza (20-8-0) vs. Tecia Pennington (14-7-0): Pennington via Decision
- (170 lbs.) Court McGee (23-13-0) vs. Tim Means (33-17-1, 1NC): McGee via Submission R1
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