A 12-fight card at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City was headlined by two title fights. In the co-main event, Julianna Peña reclaimed the title she took from Amanda Nunes as her split-decision victory over Raquel Pennington earned her the women’s bantamweight belt. Will Peña vs. Kayla Harrison be next? To set the record straight, Andreas Hale and Brett Okamoto offer their latest insights on a dramatic fight night.

Poatan’s spooky season

To fetch: It feels fitting that this fight started the month of October, when Alex Pereira resembled Michael Myers, the ruthless antagonist from the slasher film series “Halloween,” with his ability to stalk his opponents while wearing an expressionless mask on his face.

Pereira doesn’t need the mask, but the ruthlessness feels just as creepy.

Few thought he would lose to Khalil Rountree Jr., and most expected a finish in the light-heavyweight title fight. The predicted outcome came true, but the systematic manner in which Pereira defeated a stout challenger with a disciplined array of calf kicks and punches in the face of a heavy-handed opponent’s adversity was fascinating.

Rountree was fearless and was a clear and present danger with his power. He caught Pereria’s attention early when he briefly dropped the champion with a counter right hand in the second round. But Pereria never panicked. Instead, he stuck to the game plan and drained Rountree’s gas tank while compromising his mobility with the calf kicks. He was never overly concerned about finishing the fight, despite surprisingly being down 29-28 on all three judges’ scorecards heading into the fourth round.

Once he realized Rountree was exhausted, he finished with a violent series of punches, including a pair of body shots that dismembered the challenger.

It’s terrifying to watch his opponents melt away under his power.

While this championship run may not be as remarkable as Ronda Rousey’s in 2014-2015, when she defended the women’s bantamweight championship four times without a fight lasting longer than 66 seconds, Pereira’s is more devastating. Four wins, all by crushing knockout.

Pereria could try to make history by moving up to heavyweight and fighting for a title in a third weight class. Or he could move back down to middleweight to take on champion Dricus Du Plessis. He has teased both options before, but in his post-fight interview he expressed his comfort in staying put – perhaps knowing that the challenge of grappler Magomed Ankalaev is seen as unfinished business in the light heavyweight division. Once that job is done, he can move on to other weight classes.

Kayla Harrison is the queen the women’s bantamweight division needs

Okamoto: Kayla Harrison didn’t have the easiest fight on Saturday, but she got the job done — and for the sake of the women’s bantamweight division, it’s a good thing she did.

I say this with respect, but I wonder what state the women’s bantamweight division would be in today if Harrison hadn’t switched from the PFL in January.

With all due respect to Pennington and Peña, this division is on life support without Harrison. Their five-round title fight was compelling and competitive, but lacked any real drama – not just on Saturday but all week. It’s not their fault. Amanda Nunes has left a massive GOAT-shaped hole in this division, but it’s going to take something special to even come close to filling that, and Harrison is the only fighter with a chance.

Not me think the UFC would do away with it completely, but I can’t say with 100% certainty that they wouldn’t either. Just look at some of the names that are arranged in this division. According to the UFC rankings, Chelsea Chandler is 6-3 and ranked No. 15. Germaine de Randamie has fought once in four years… and lost. She is ranked No. 13. Yana Santos is 1-3 in her last four. She is in the Top 10.

These divisions hardly exist, if we are honest. Even Nunes couldn’t say much after Harrison Ketlen narrowly defeated Vieira, as she simply placed a lion and wink emoji on X. Divisions go through slumps all the time, but this isn’t a good product right now. Harrison called herself the Queen, and whether you like her or not, she’s not wrong. Without her, I have no confidence that this division will survive another year.

The fitting finale of Cookie Monster

Okamoto: In the end it was a fitting ending. Carla Esparza’s last outing in the UFC was a scoring challenge, and it didn’t go her way. But the audience in Salt Lake City gave her a very positive farewell, as did the UFC with a nice internal video package.

Esparza was unapologetically one of the least entertaining fighters in UFC history. Real. And I don’t say that derogatorily. She became known for her lack of emotion during strikes and Bruce Buffer announcements. Many of her most significant wins and losses came by split decision, as judges struggled to understand her ability to neutralize her opponents’ offense but not always dominate them with her own. The biggest win of her career, a split decision over Rose Namajunas in the rematch of their 2022 title fight, is undoubtedly remembered as one of the worst MMA fights ever.

And yet, the history books will remember Esparza and show her immense respect for the 19 victories she achieved over a 14-year career. She gave the women’s strawweight division an identity before it even existed in the UFC as champion of Invicta, becoming a two-time champion despite a very long, difficult road back to the top after initially losing her title in 2015. the most fan-friendly champion, but she more than earned the sport’s respect and never shied away from who she was. It won’t be a surprise to see her in the UFC Hall of Fame one day.