Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira has silenced his doubters once again, for the third time this year. The 37-year-old defended the light heavyweight title thrice in just 175 days, breaking the previous record held by UFC icon Ronda Rousey.
His fight against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307 in Utah exceeded everyone’s expectations. The fact that Poatan is the reigning champion and the second-best pound-for-pound fighter would send shivers down the spine of anyone facing him.
But Rountree Jr. was different.
The roughly four-and-a-half- minute stint inside the octagon was perhaps the longest and toughest period Pereira had experienced in a long while.
Rountree Jr. marginally overpowered Pereira in the first two rounds with impactful blows through hooks and jabs. However, as the fight wore on, the champion’s slow and steady approach began to pay off.
Pereira capitalised on every opening and gained the upper hand over his opponent. The towering Brazilian began to punish the Las Vegas native, breaking him down, busting him up, and finishing him along the fence.
His dominance culminated in a knockout in the dying moments of the fourth round, as Pereira walked away with yet another win.
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However, the way Rountree Jr. rose to the challenge was commendable, and Pereira was quick to acknowledge this fact. “I can say that this was one of the toughest fights. I expected that. He showed tonight why he’s got so much quality in here,” he said during the post-fight interview.
Rountree reciprocated the respect with an Instagram post that read, “Thanks for helping me see that I’m ready to take on the world. You showed amazing skill; you brought a version of me that I needed to experience. You’re the champion for a reason; much respect.”
A controversial comeback
Julianna Peña right) lands a punch on Raquel Pennington. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
In the co-main event, Julianna Peña became a two-time UFC women’s bantamweight champion, edging out Raquel Pennington in a competitive back-and-forth battle that went the distance (below).
Peña returned to the octagon after a two-year hiatus but never looked out of shape as she secured a split-decision win over her compatriot.
Peña started strong, outstriking Pennington in the first round and then controlling her for the second and third rounds. However, Peña began to slow down, getting dropped in the fourth round and dominated in the fifth. When the final bell rang, many believed Pennington had won rounds one, four, and five, but in the end, it was Peña who won via split decision.
“I wasn’t sure,” Peña responded when asked if she thought she had done enough to earn the victory. “I heard these judges tonight were doing some crazy stuff. Unfortunately, I went to a decision. Just a loss of focus, and that’s what I would say — I got dropped. Need to be a little bit more focused.”
Not an ideal swansong
Shadow of the past: Despite showing shades of his prime in recent fights, Jose Aldo’s (left) latest duel against a surging Mario Bautista showed that he was outclassed. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
The final chapter of José Aldo’s UFC career has been a shaky affair. In 2022, a crushing loss at the hands of Merab Dvalishvili pushed him to the brink of retirement.
But earlier this year, Aldo returned from a brief retirement in May with a masterful decision win over Jonathan Martinez in Rio de Janeiro. It was a vintage Aldo performance, as the former featherweight champion looked sharp and focused, immediately putting Martinez on the back foot and never allowing him to build any momentum.
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Although one could see shades of prime Aldo, his latest fight against the surging Mario Bautista showed that he was outclassed.
Bautista displayed a diverse range of attacks and maintained composure against ‘Junior’. The 31-year-old’s most rewarding moves came along the edges of the cage, where he repeatedly pushed and pinned Aldo.
Though Aldo had some very good moments, especially in the second round, Bautista’s constant activity, relentless pressure, and the grinding nature of his fighting style proved too much.
Two of the three judges scored the fight in favour of the Arizona-based bantamweight, who continues to demonstrate that he is a rising name in the bantamweight division.
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