What mattered most at UFC 307 at Delta Middle in Salt Lake Metropolis? Listed here are a couple of post-fight musings …

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5

Completely happy trails, Carla Esparza

There wasn’t a way more becoming manner for the battle between Carla Esparza and Tecia Pennington to finish than a debatable resolution.

The judges all noticed it for Pennington (together with a questionable 30-27), and a end result former two-time UFC strawweight champion Esparza (19-8 MMA, 10-6 UFC) ended her MMA profession in a considerably irritating method.

An argument might be made Esparza ought to’ve gotten the nod, which might’ve made it a super remaining battle situation. However MMA isn’t that giving, it appears, so that is what Esparza has to cope with. She took it nicely within the second, embracing within the crowd applause and tearing up with Joe Rogan throughout her post-fight interview in an emotional second. Then along with her son Donovan in her arms sporting a cookie monster outfit, Esparza laid her gloves down within the middle of the cage and left.

The quantity of instances we’ve questioned MMA retirements on this column through the years is otherworldly. However for this one? I’ve no doubts. Esparza has been concrete in her retirement resolution from the second she introduced it greater than two months in the past, and it’s good to see she will be able to exit on her phrases.

Irrespective of how you’re feeling about Esparza’s fashion of combating, you can’t deny her success within the sport. She gained “The Final Fighter” actuality collection, was a two-time divisional champ and has her title everywhere in the document books for her physique of labor.

Lastly, Esparza is a genuinely good particular person from all my experiences through the years. It has been a privilege to cowl her profession and the entry she’s supplied alongside the way in which, and hopefully the UFC will finally honor her with a well-deserved spot within the UFC Corridor of Fame.

4

Joaquin Buckley breaks by way of

Joaquin Buckley wanted a signature win to beef up his resume so he might name for the largest fights within the welterweight division, and he received it with a third-round knockout of Stephen Thompson.

The battle wasn’t going excellent for Buckley (21-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) to the purpose of the end. “Wonderboy” was doing nicely with counter hanging and getting up from takedowns, however it additionally felt like Buckley’s energy was a ticking time bomb. It lastly went off with lower than three minutes left on the clock, and Buckley is now 5-0 since he dropped to 170 kilos from middleweight.

After the battle, Buckley successfully used his microphone time with Rogan and referred to as out Kamaru Usman. It’s an ideal callout, however he may not get it. Welterweight is stacked proper now and everyone seems to be gunning for Usman pondering he’s on the downfall with a three-fight dropping skid. Perhaps he’s? However just one particular person goes to be the following to assist in giving us these solutions.

At worst, Buckley put his title within the hat to be thought-about for that matchup, which might possible be a title eliminator for him.

3

Was Jose Aldo robbed?

Mario Bautista achieved the largest second of his profession when his hand was raised by break up resolution in opposition to UFC Corridor of Famer Jose Aldo to increase his profitable streak to seven fights within the bantamweight division. Sadly for him, nobody exterior these near him appeared to love it.

That goes particularly for the Salt Lake Metropolis crowd, who showered Bautista (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) with boos throughout his post-fight interview and sullied his second. Did he deserve that? It’s exhausting to say, actually. It was a detailed battle. It gave the impression to be tied going into the ultimate spherical, and the boxing effectiveness of Aldo (32-9 MMA, 14-8 UFC) was actually understated by the commentary staff.

I’ve stated so many instances on this column that we will’t name shut battle robberies. I’ve made exceptions through the years, however actually, this isn’t one. Our love of Aldo results in an inherently skewed view, and though Bautista didn’t do a lot to harm him, he has simply nearly as good an argument going the opposite technique to win.

Aldo nonetheless seemed good, although, and though this was a serious hit in his title aspirations throughout this post-retirement comeback run, there’s nonetheless lot of compelling fights at 135 kilos for “The King of Rio” going ahead.

2

The way forward for ladies’s bantamweight takes form

The UFC 307 primary card basically featured a four-woman event to set the inspiration of for the ladies’s bantamweight division.

Issues opened up with Kayla Harrison (18-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) doing her half by getting the unanimous resolution win over Ketlen Vieira, however it wasn’t as spectacular as she promised it might be getting into. She was reduce open for the primary time courtesy of some nasty elbows from Vieira, however the two-time Olympic gold medalist confirmed the need to win and received her hand raised.

Then within the title-fight co-headliner, Julianna Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-2 UFC) created the perfect situation for the way forward for the burden class when she reclaimed the belt – even when it was a theft break up resolution within the eyes of many over Raquel Pennington.

Peña flubbed establishing essentially the most intrigue going ahead by declining to acknowledge Harrison and create extra warmth and as an alternative problem Amanda Nunes to come out of retirement for a trilogy. I perceive why she did that, however it’s a bit irritating, as nicely.

I wouldn’t blame Nunes one bit if she noticed Peña’s efficiency and determined to come back again. That looks like a giant payday in opposition to an opponent she’s already dismantled. But when Nunes desires to do greatest by the burden class, she would let Peña and Harrison battle it out to arrange the largest comeback attainable.

1

Alex Pereira additional solidifies legend standing

Alex Pereira entered his title within the dialog for single biggest 12 months by any MMA fighter of all time when he defended his gentle heavyweight title for the third time in 175 days in opposition to Khalil Rountree.

Pereira has been the UFC’s saviour this 12 months by stepping as much as headline playing cards when the promotion wanted him most, and he as soon as once more got here by way of when he stopped Rountree by fourth-round TKO.

Rountree’s scorching begin within the battle created drama and intrigue, however Pereira’s methodical assault in the end made the end result a bludgeoning in his favor. The complete circumstances of this win solely grew to become extra spectacular within the post-fight press convention when “Poatan” revealed a litany of struggles he needed to endure to get within the octagon and have his hand raised.

Pereira is little doubt the 2024 Fighter of the 12 months after this stretch. Some will say the winner of Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway at UFC 308 later this month has a case. They do, in equity. Nevertheless it’s not sturdy sufficient. What Pereira has carried out this 12 months is not going to be repeated regularly going ahead, and the actual fact he completed each battle in his path solely provides weight to this.

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 307.