LIVE: UFC superstar on the verge of history; blockbuster fight more ...

6 Oct 2024

Fox Sports

Alex Pereira will be looking to add Khalil Rountree Jr. to the growing list of unsuccessful challengers for his title when the pair face off in the UFC 307 main event at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Pereira, who won the vacant light heavyweight title with a second-round knockout win over Jiří Procházka, is looking to successfully defend his belt for the third time.

Should he do just that, Pereira would surpass Ronda Rousey’s UFC record for the shortest period between three consecutive title defences.

UFC 307: PEREIRA VS ROUNTREE JR | SUN 6 OCT 1PM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View.

'Come the f*ck over!' Kayla fires up | 02:25

Rousey did it in 189 days, with Pereira on track to achieve the feat in just 175 days should he have his hand raised on Sunday.

Pereira will be fighting No. 8 ranked UFC light heavyweight contender Rountree Jr., who is currently on a five-fight win streak and boasts wins over Anthony Smith, Chris Daukaus, and Dustin Jacoby.

Elsewhere, in the co-main event Raquel Pennington will look to extend her six-fight win streak and defend the bantamweight title against Julianna Peña.

The pair competed on the same season of The Ultimate Fighter more than a decade ago but have never crossed paths in the octagon — until now.

It makes for a highly and long-anticipated bout between the pair, with Peña looking to reclaim her crown in what will be the 35-year-old’s first fight since losing to Amanda Nunes in UFC 277 back in July 2022.

Peña was scheduled to face Nunes in a rematch at UFC 289 but had to pull out due to a fractured rib.

‘ALL-TIME BAD’: EYE POKE AND REF DRAMA

Thankfully, Dave Seljestad won’t be in charge of any other fights at UFC 307.

The referee made the headlines for all the wrong reasons on Sunday, failing to take away a single point for four eye pokes and a cup shot from Cesar Almeida while he also broke up three clinches after minimal control time.

In summary, it was chaos — and in the end Almeida had his hand raised after a unanimous decision (30-27 x3) victory against Ihor Potieria.

That is despite Almeida being guilty of three eye pokes in a row, with Daniel Cormier describing the fact he had still not been deducted a point as “crazy”.

Speaking on the broadcast, UFC analyst Din Thomas had a theory as to why Almeida kept making the same mistake.

“This happens a lot, especially with guys who come from a kickboxing background, when you’re used to wearing big gloves it is ok, you can have your hands open,” he explained.

“But then finally when you put on the little gloves it’s harder for you to make that adjustment. That is why I think Almeida is getting all these eye pokes. He’s just not used to sparring with little gloves.”

Potieria was able to put the eye poke drama in the second round aside, scoring a takedown with just over three minutes left.

But the round quickly flipped in Almeida’s favour as he was able to get Potieria stuck in a mounted guillotine, almost securing the submission while still landing some vicious shots on the ground.

Almeida also landed a big right hand and another brutal shot that had Potieria hurt, going on to claim a dominant victory.

LEGEND RETIRES, CROWD ACT SOURS FIGHT

Carla Esparza has called time on her career after a unanimous decision loss to Tecia Pennington, who was booed by the UFC 307 crowd in an ugly aftermath to the fight.

Esparza, who was the UFC’s first women’s strawweight champion, was able to score an early takedown but Pennington did enough damage with her striking to have her hand raised.

Speaking after the loss, Esparza said she couldn’t afford to “leave it to the judges”.

“I thought I won it, but I’m honoured to go out fighting a veteran,” she added, with a video package of Esparza’s career then playing in the arena.

The two-time former strawweight champion was emotional as she reflected on an “amazing journey” over the last 15 years.

“I’ve fought the best of the best. It’s not always easy,” she said.

“There are ups and downs in this sport but I wouldn’t have done it any other way. This is the greatest sport in the world.”

Carla Esparza speaks to Joe Rogan.Source: FOX SPORTS

Elsewhere, the crowd clearly wanted to see Esparaza go out with a victory and was hardly impressed with the decision to instead award the fight in favour of Pennington.

“She got one takedown but I was still continuing to damage her, she got one elbow at the end,” Pennington told Joe Rogan after the fight as the crowd booed her.

“I don’t care about the boos, the last two fights I had I thought I won. I was on the s*** end of the decision.”

Unfortunately, in a sour note to end the fight, the crowd continued to boo even as Pennington dedicated the win to her late grandmother and nana.

“This month is breast cancer awareness month,” she said.

“I want to dedicate this fight to my grandma and my nana. I lost my grandma in April to breast cancer and I lost my nana in May and I want to say good luck to my wife tonight, she fights in the co-main event tonight.”

HOW TO WATCH UFC 307

You can order UFC 307 now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View.

WHAT TIME IS UFC 307?

The main card gets underway at 1pm AEST, with the main event between Pereira and Rountree Jr. expected at around 2.30pm depending how long the earlier fights last.

The action gets underway with the early prelims at 9.30am and prelims at 11am.

UFC 307 FULL CARD AND FIGHT RESULTS

Main card

Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. — UFC light heavyweight title

Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Pena — UFC bantamweight title

Jose Aldo vs. Mario Bautista — Bantamweight

Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison — Bantamweight

Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland — Middleweight

Prelims

Stephen Thompson vs. Joaquin Buckley — Welterweight

Marina Rodriguez vs. Iasmin Lucindo — Strawweight

Alexander Hernandez def. Austin Hubbard via split decision (29-28 x2, 27-30) — Lightweight