Alex Pereira successfully retained his UFC light heavyweight championship, securing a technical knockout (TKO) against Khalil Rountree Jr. in the fourth round of their bout at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City. The Brazilian champion weathered a dangerous second-round scare, recovering to assert his dominance and finish the fight with a series of devastating strikes.

Rountree Jr. briefly had the upper hand, sending Pereira to the canvas with a powerful right hand in the second round. However, Pereira displayed resilience, bouncing back to overwhelm his challenger with a barrage of heavy blows in the penultimate round, leaving the referee no choice but to intervene.

This victory marks Pereira’s third successful title defence since capturing the belt, improving his UFC record to 9-1 and further solidifying his status as a force in the light heavyweight division.

Elsewhere on the UFC 307 card, Julianna Peña reclaimed the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship for a second time, defeating Raquel Pennington via a split decision. The closely contested fight saw both fighters trade heavy shots, with Peña finding success on the ground while Pennington landed significant punches in the stand-up exchanges. Peña ultimately convinced two of the three judges to award her the victory. Reflecting on the fight, Peña said, “I believed I had done enough. My jiu-jitsu coach always says to stay calm and flow like water, and that made all the difference.”

In another high-profile bout, Mario Bautista earned a career-defining victory with a split decision over MMA legend José Aldo. The judges were unanimous in favour of Bautista, who has now extended his winning streak to seven consecutive fights.

Meanwhile, Roman Dolidze was awarded a TKO victory against Kevin Holland after Holland sustained a rib injury in the first round, forcing his corner to call off the fight. Kayla Harrison, a two-time Olympic judo gold medallist, rounded out the night’s action with a comfortable unanimous decision win over Ketlen Vieira. Harrison controlled much of the fight, though Vieira put up a valiant effort, ensuring Harrison had to work hard for her victory.

Pereira’s triumph and Peña’s return to the top capped off an unforgettable night of UFC action, showcasing some of the sport’s elite talents.