The Light Heavyweight title will be on the line this Sunday in Salt Lake City, Utah as Alex Pereira defends his title at UFC 307 against Khalil Rountree.
For the sixth time in less than two years Periera will enter a title fight as he continues to forge one of the most successful runs in UFC history.
The co-main event will be between current UFC Women’s Bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington who will enter the octagon against former champ Julianna Pena.
Our full analysis of the top three fights on the main card, as well as our tips, can be read below.
Alex Pereira has not only become one of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster because of his obvious skills and finishing abilities, but because he has been so active.
There are many athletes that bide their time once winning UFC gold, but Poatan is happy enough to fight three or four times a year, keeping his name in lights and building momentum with fans.
He joined just a handful of athletes to have won titles in two different divisions when firstly beating Israel Adesanya to win the Middleweight belt, and then Jiri Prochazka in the Light Heavyweight division.
The career of Khalil Rountree is as exceptional as it is inspirational and stories like his make this the greatest sport in the world.
He lost his father at an early age, and with that his direction and purpose, but at over 300 pounds he found mixed martial arts and forged a pathway to the UFC and beyond.
Five consecutive wins has earned him a shot at UFC gold and although he has an incredibly tough challenge in front of him, his powerful striking means he is always a chance especially against another striker.
Poatan deserves to be the favourite but the value lies with Rountree.
There have been six women’s Bantamweight champions in the history of the UFC and two of them will face each other in the Co-Main Event in Utah.
And they were once teammates on The Ultimate Fighter way back in 2013, and in a division that has always lacked a lot of depth, have somehow avoided each other.
Pena has entered the octagon just nine times since TUF but this of course includes one of the biggest upsets in history when she submitted the greatest female UFC athlete of all time in Amanda Nunes.
Six months later she lost the rematch and we have not seen her since thanks mainly to breaking her ribs which sidelined her for a large period of time.
In the meantime, UFC stalwart Raquel Pennington won the vacant title that was left by the retirement of Amanda Nunes after she retired from the sport.
Pennington has been a stark contrast to Pena in terms of activity since TUF, fighting 17 times since 2013.
She comes into her first title defence on the back of six straight wins, five of those have been by decision.
I’m confident the judges will be needed to crown the winner and there is plenty of value for the challenger.
The greatest UFC Featherweight of all time has returned from retirement and enters the octagon yet again this weekend.
What about Conor McGregor who knocked him out in 13 seconds?
Well since that fateful night Aldo has fought 13 times, winning seven times.
McGregor has won three of seven.
Aldo comes into this fight having won four of his last five and they only loss in that time was a decision loss to now Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili.
Bautista gets his shot against the Bantamweight gatekeeper having won 14 of his 16 professional MMA fights and his last six in a row.
Six of his 14 wins have been via submission but he takes on a guy that is almost impossible to get to the canvas.
If you can’t finish Aldo, it is hard to score enough to win a decision.
Thompson vs Buckley To Go The Distance
Dolidze vs Holland Does Not Go The Distance
OSP vs Spann To End In KO/TKO
Pennington vs Pena To Go The Distance
Tim Means To Win