It’s an thrilling time to be a sports activities fan within the state of Utah proper now. The NHL has set foot in Salt Lake Metropolis, bringing with it the remnants of the previous Arizona Coyotes to comprise the brand new Utah Hockey Membership, with an official moniker launching subsequent season.
In basketball, the Utah Jazz started coaching camp for his or her new season this week forward of the workforce’s preseason opener on Monday night vs. the Houston Rockets contained in the Delta Middle. It’s in that exact same enviornment the place MMA‘s prime promotion units up store this primary Saturday night of October.
The UFC is in its busiest stretch of 2024 proper now. Between this weekend and Nov. 23, the promotion holds exhibits each Saturday, solely taking day without work for the Thanksgiving vacation over the weekend of Nov. 30 earlier than placing on two extra playing cards in December to shut out its schedule of occasions for the yr.
Championship Doubleheader Caps UFC 307, Starting With Co-Essential Occasion
October has two marquee occasions within the UFC, the primary occurring this coming weekend. Delta Middle performs host to UFC 307 this Saturday night time. Dwell protection begins at 6:30 pm ET/ 3:30 pm PT on ESPN+ and UFC Struggle Move with the early prelims earlier than transferring onto ESPNNEWS at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT for late prelims.
Essential card motion follows at 10 pm ET/ 7 pm PT on ESPN+ pay-per-view. All advised, barring any last-minute alterations to the bout order, the ultimate model of UFC 307 encompasses a full 12-fight card, together with two title fights.
The title battle twin-bill kicks off with the UFC 307 foremost occasion. Incumbent UFC Girls’s Bantamweight Champion Raquel Pennington (16-8 MMA, 13-5 UFC) battles No. 1 contender Julianna Pena (10-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC). As with all UFC title fights, the UFC 307 co-main occasion is an marketed most of 5 rounds at 5 minutes per spherical.
The challengers 👊 #UFC307
[ Live on @ESPNPlus PPV | Saturday | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/bLBBOC2hC7
— UFC (@ufc) October 2, 2024
UFC 307 Co-Essential Occasion Fighter Comparability and Betting Odds
Heading into the UFC 307 co-main occasion on Saturday night time, champion Raquel Pennington stands because the taller combatant at 5-foot-7, in comparison with Julianna Pena’s 5-foot-6 body. Pena owns a 1 1/2 inch attain benefit (69 inches even to 67 1/2 inches) and a two-inch leg attain benefit (39 inches to 37 inches) over Pennington.
At the moment, the oddsmakers have Raquel Pennington put in as a -170 betting favourite on the cash line, with Julianna Pena countering as a +140 underdog. When you plan on betting on this or some other battle occurring this weekend, please wager responsibly.
Pennington Seeks to Run Successful Streak to Seven
Raquel Pennington enters the UFC 307 co-main occasion having posted a mark of 5-0 in her final 5 fights. All advised, she’s on a six-fight profitable streak courting again to June of 2020.
Final trip, she scored a unanimous determination over Mayra Bueno Silva (10-4-1, 1 NC MMA, 5-4-1, 1 NC UFC) in UFC 297 in January. Not too long ago, she talked about her opponent in an interview with MMA Combating, particularly why she’s gotten a title shot after being out of motion for just a few years.
“She has a freaking Masters Diploma in Yapology,” Pennington mentioned. “She talks and he or she retains herself related that manner. On the finish of the day, I don’t perceive how this woman can keep injured after which she comes again after which she’s injured and unexpectedly, she’s getting a giant battle after which she’s injured after which she comes again after which she’s getting one thing else. It’s like ‘Who’s managing who? What are you doing right here?’”
The time for discuss is nearly over. Will Pennington put her phrases into motion on Saturday night time?
Pena Returns After Harm
Within the different nook, Julianna Pena, a former UFC Girls’s Bantamweight Champion, has posted a document of 3-2 in her final fights, however she hasn’t fought in over 26 months. Final trip, she sustained a unanimous determination loss to Amanda Nunes (23-5 MMA, 16-2 UFC) throughout UFC 277 in July of 2022.
Pena had been scheduled to verse Nunes once more in June of final yr. Chapter three of the rivalry in the end went unwritten as a result of former withdrawing from the cardboard amid a rib damage. Irene Aldana fought in Pena’s stead that night time.
With Pena having obtained a clear invoice of well being, can she shake off the cobwebs on Saturday night time? Tune in and discover out.
Evaluation, Movie Examine, and Prediction
Stylistically, the UFC 307 foremost occasion seems to be to be a toss-up. Each the champion and the challenger maintain purple belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Search for Pennington to Strike Away
Typically within the sport of MMA, the highlight-reel end isn’t going to occur, however whenever you’ve bought a fighter of Raquel Pennington’s ilk, her fists can nonetheless inform the story, as she illustrated in her 2021 battle versus Pannie Kianzad. All through the three-round affair, Pennington was the more adept striker, throwing in some knees and mixtures in spherical three.
She did some first rate harm whereas the battle was within the clinch, outpacing Kianzad 57-50 at one level over the past 5 minutes. These efforts had been sufficient for her to get her hand raised (unanimous determination) after three rounds.
Pena Has Fists of Fury
Within the different nook, Julianna Pena can get it completed in devastating style. That’s how she bought into the UFC again in November of 2013 towards Jessica Rakoczy.
Throughout the opening spherical of the battle, after Pena took aspect management and ultimately mount, she landed a barrage of floor and pound pictures, together with elbows. Whereas Mario Yamasaki gave Rakoczy each probability to defend the pictures, Pena was just too robust that fall night time.
If Pena drops Pennington within the early going of the UFC 307 foremost occasion, momentum can be hers.
Closing Ideas
11 years in the past, Raquel Pennington and Julianna Pena had been teammates beneath Miesha Tate on The Final Fighter. A contest greater than a decade within the making lastly occurs this weekend. Don’t miss it.
Prediction: Raquel Pennington by Unanimous Choice.
