UFC 307 results: Pereira stays in Rountree fight, Peña dethrones Pennington

The fight took a little longer than expected, but Alex Pereira defended his light heavyweight championship against Khalil Rountree Jr. in the UFC 307 main event brawl in Salt Lake City. Rountree entered the championship rounds bravely and courageously, but Pereira defeated the challenger and the fight was stopped in round 4.

In the co-main event, Julianna Peña became a two-time champion after defeating Raquel Pennington by split decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48) to recapture the women's bantamweight title. Could Kayla Harrison, who defeated Ketlen Vieira earlier in the night, be next for Peña?

Andreas Hale, Brett Okamoto and Dre Waters break down all the action from UFC 307.

Here's how to watch the fights

Watch replays of every UFC 307 fight on ESPN+: Get ESPN+ here.

There is also FightCenter, which provides live updates for every UFC card.

UFC 307 fight card

Light Heavyweight Championship: Alex Pereira (c) def. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Women's Bantamweight Championship: Julianna Peña def. Raquel Pennington (c)
Men's Bantamweight: Mario Bautista def. Jose Aldo
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze def. Kevin Holland
Women's Bantamweight: Kayla Harrison def. Ketlen Vieira
Welterweight: Joaquin Buckley def. Stephen Thompson
Strawweight: Iasmin Lucindo def. Marina Rodríguez
Lightweight: Alexander Hernandez defeated. Austin Hubbard
Middleweight: Cesar Almeida def. Ihor Potieria
Light heavyweight: Ryan Spann def. Ovince Saint Preux
Strawweight: Tecia Pennington def. Carla Esparza
Welterweight: Court McGee def. Tim means
(c) = defending champions

The UFC women's bantamweight class is picking up steam

The women's bantamweight division has become much more competitive in recent months.

The co-main event of UFC 307 will feature a bout between two competitors from 2013's The Ultimate Fighter, with Raquel Pennington defending her women's bantamweight championship against former champion and TUF winner Julianna Peña. The bad blood between the two spilled over at Thursday's pre-fight press conference as the two exchanged remarks.

Things are heating up between former TUF teammates 😳 #UFC307 pic.twitter.com/IMAwncUztU

– UFC (@ufc) October 3, 2024

While the rivalry between Pennington and Pena is contentious, the straw turning heads in the 135-pound class belongs to Kayla Harrison, whose arrival in the UFC has caused some excitement this year. The two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo and two-time PFL lightweight tournament champion had her sights set on becoming the next bantamweight champion and plans to knock out Ketlen Vieira on Saturday to be next in line.

“It’s just a matter of time,” Harrison said. “I am the uncrowned queen.”

She's here to set the record straight! 😤@KaylaH | #UFC307 pic.twitter.com/nbReElkEju

– UFC (@ufc) October 3, 2024

As the three women exchanged verbal taunts, Vieira refused to remain idle and joined the fray to remind Harrison not to overlook her.

“I hope you have the stamina to fight me. You don’t know what to expect,” Vieira said.

But it would be Harrison who would have the final say for the women on the podium.

“Here’s the difference between me and all these girls,” Harrison said. “I come here and they complain. … If this was my division and I was the champion, I would say, 'Come over and I'll show you who's champion!'” – Andreas Hale

Expert tips and best bets for Pereira vs Rountree, Pennington vs Peña

How Rountree wins: He has to go out there full force early. Use this explosive power to get the job done early. He can't allow the fight to go into the later rounds, where his adrenaline will wear off and the technique can become sloppy, which Pereira will take advantage of. He must believe in himself and not become complacent.

How Pennington Wins: Be smart and calculated. Don't be surprised if she adds takedowns to her game plan against Peña. Pennington is also a big body at 135 pounds with great balance and she's really heavy when she sits on you. Her goal will also be crucial. She makes good use of different angles, making it difficult to predict where the punches and kicks are coming from.

Read the story.

Khalil Rountree Jr. has a chance to silence everyone

Six years ago, Khalil Rountree Jr. went head-to-head in the Octagon with Gokhan Saki, a former world kickboxing champion – an ill-advised strategy. But Rountree knocked him unconscious.

“Khalil Rountree Jr. is keeping everyone quiet,” Joe Rogan said from cageside, “including us.”

Rountree could do the same against Alex Pereira on Saturday. Rountree and his trainer John Wood of Syndicate MMA have welcomed the challenge of a kickboxing match with Pereira, a multiweight champion in both kickboxing and MMA.

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Storylines: Alex Pereira headlines the oldest PPV card ever

When Alex Pereira defends his UFC light heavyweight title for the third time on Saturday, it will have been just 99 days since he made his second title defense in late June. Pereira, who faces Khalil Rountree Jr. in the main event of UFC 307, is not one to sit idle. He defended the belt for the first time in April, just 77 days before his second.

To put Pereira's rapid championship activity into perspective, consider that of the other three UFC champions currently booked to fight, none will be entering the cage having competed in the last 250 days. When Jon Jones puts his heavyweight title on the line in November, it will have been 580 days since his last fight.

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Ankalaev takes the Pereira-Rountree winner? Pennington-Pena winner best at 135?

Real or not, Pereira-Rountree is the most entertaining fight at UFC 307.

Very real. This fight wasn't fought because Rountree absolutely deserved it. This fight is all about Pereira making another quick turnaround against an opponent who stands his ground and throws punches with him.

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