UFC 307 takeaways: Alex Pereira’s spooky run, the need for ‘queen’ Kayla

A 12-fight card at UFC 307 in Salt Lake Metropolis was headlined by two title fights. Within the co-main occasion, Julianna Peña reclaimed the title she took from Amanda Nunes as her cut up determination victory over Raquel Pennington earned her the ladies’s bantamweight belt. Will Peña vs. Kayla Harrison be subsequent? To make sense of all of it, Andreas Hale and Brett Okamoto supply their remaining takeaways on a dramatic struggle night time.

The spooky season of Poatan

Hale: It feels becoming that this struggle occurred to kick off the month of October as Alex Pereira resembled Michael Myers, the relentless antagonist from the slasher movie collection “Halloween,” together with his capacity to stalk his opponents whereas carrying an expressionless masks on his face.

Pereira does not want the masks, however the relentlessness feels simply as spooky.

Few thought he would lose to Khalil Rountree Jr., and most anticipated a end within the mild heavyweight title struggle. The anticipated end result occurred, however the systematic method Pereira broke down a sturdy challenger with a disciplined providing of calf kicks and jabs within the face of adversity from a heavy-handed opponent was fascinating.

Rountree was fearless and introduced a transparent and current hazard together with his energy. He caught Pereria’s consideration early when he briefly dropped the champion with a counter proper hand within the second spherical. However Pereria by no means panicked. As an alternative, he caught to the sport plan and drained Rountree’s gasoline tank with strain whereas compromising his mobility with the calf kicks. He was by no means overanxious to complete the struggle, regardless of surprisingly being down 29-28 on all three judges’ scorecards heading into the fourth spherical.

As soon as he realized Rountree was spent, he obtained the end with a violent collection of punches, together with a pair of physique pictures that crumbled the challenger.

It is scary to observe his opponents soften from his energy.

Whereas this championship run will not be as exceptional as Ronda Rousey‘s 2014-15 run, when she defended the ladies’s bantamweight championship 4 occasions with no struggle lasting longer than 66 seconds, Pereira’s is extra devastating. 4 wins, all by crushing knockout.

Pereria may try to make historical past by transferring as much as heavyweight to problem for a title in a 3rd weight class. Or, he may transfer again all the way down to middleweight to face champion Dricus Du Plessis. He is teased each choices earlier than, however in his postfight interview, he expressed consolation in staying the place he is at — maybe understanding that the problem of grappler Magomed Ankalaev is seen as unfinished enterprise within the mild heavyweight division. As soon as that job is accomplished, he can entertain different weight courses.

Kayla Harrison is the queen the ladies’s bantamweight division wants

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Julianna Pena defeats Raquel Pennington through cut up determination to win belt

Julianna Pena regains the ladies’s bantamweight belt after a split-decision win vs. Raquel Pennington.

Okamoto: Kayla Harrison did not have the best struggle on Saturday, however she obtained the job achieved — and for the sake of the ladies’s bantamweight division, it is a good factor she did.

I say this respectfully, however I ponder what state the ladies’s bantamweight division could be in proper now, if Harrison hadn’t moved over from the PFL in January.

With all respect to Pennington and Peña, this division is on life assist with out Harrison. Their five-round title struggle was compelling and aggressive however lacked actual drama — not solely on Saturday however all through the week. It isn’t their fault. Amanda Nunes left a giant GOAT-shaped hole on this division, however it should take one thing particular to return even near filling that, and Harrison is the one fighter with an opportunity.

I do not assume the UFC would abolish it totally, however I can also’t say with 100% certainty they would not. Simply have a look at a few of the names which might be ranked on this division. Per the UFC’s rankings, Chelsea Chandler is 6-3, ranked No. 15. Germaine de Randamie has fought as soon as in 4 years … and misplaced. She’s ranked No. 13. Yana Santos is 1-3 in her final 4. She’s ranked contained in the Prime 10.

This division barely exists, if we’re simply being sincere. Even Nunes could not provide you with a lot to say after Harrison narrowly beat Ketlen Vieira, as she merely posted a lion and wink emoji on X. Divisions undergo slumps on a regular basis, however this isn’t an excellent product proper now. Harrison known as herself the queen — and whether or not you want her or not — she ain’t improper. With out her proper now, I am not assured this division survives one other yr.

Cookie Monster’s becoming finale

Okamoto: In the long run, it was a becoming finish. Carla Esparza‘s remaining look within the UFC was difficult to attain, and this one didn’t go her method. However the Salt Lake Metropolis crowd gave her a really optimistic sendoff, as did the UFC with a pleasant in-house video bundle.

Esparza was, unapologetically, one of many least entertaining fighters in UFC historical past. Really. And I do not say that disparagingly. She turned identified for her lack of emotion throughout walkouts and Bruce Buffer bulletins. Lots of her most vital wins and losses went to separate determination, as judges struggled to make sense of her capacity to neutralize her opponents’ offense however not at all times dominate them along with her personal. Arguably, the largest win of her profession, a cut up determination over Rose Namajunas of their title struggle rematch in 2022, is remembered as one of many worst MMA fights ever.

And but, the historical past books will keep in mind Esparza and present her huge respect for the 19 victories she earned all through a 14-year profession. She gave the ladies’s strawweight division an identification earlier than it even existed within the UFC as a champion of Invicta and have become a two-time champion regardless of a really lengthy, troublesome path again to the highest after she initially misplaced her belt in 2015. She was not probably the most fan-friendly champ, however she greater than earned the game’s respect and by no means shied away from who she was. It will not be shocking to see her sometime within the UFC Corridor of Fame.