UFC 307 Countdown - Full Episode
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00:00At UFC 307, the worldwide leader in combat sports returns to Salt Lake City with a title fight doubleheader.
00:11In the main event, UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Poetom Pereira
00:23looks to defend his title against fellow heavy hitter Khalil Roundtree Jr.
00:31As one of the most devastating strikers the sport has ever seen,
00:39Pereira has left a path of destruction in his wake.
00:49His legacy-defining run continues as he charges into his sixth title fight in less than two years.
00:56Looking to derail the momentum of the Brazilian juggernaut is a determined contender in Khalil Roundtree.
01:13The Las Vegas local is to date with destiny on October 5th as he looks to test his power against Poetom.
01:26Khalil Roundtree! All in indeed!
01:36All it takes is one shot from this man!
01:41And still!
01:43Oh my goodness!
01:47In the co-main event, newly crowned bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington aims for her first title defense
01:54against the former champion Juliana Pena.
01:57I definitely see this fight playing out as a war.
02:00She's going to be the one answering to my hands.
02:03And trust me, I plan on letting my hands go.
02:06I will get my hand raised. Come hell or high water.
02:10One, two, by Pena. Oh! Juliana Pena is making this a war!
02:14Huge right hand from Pennington! Oh my goodness!
02:16Raquel is exploding!
02:17The matchup is years in the making between two of the division's most decorated fighters.
02:22And the stakes will be raised when they finally meet with UFC gold on the line.
02:26She's got the bulldog choke! She's out!
02:28Raquel Pennington gets it done!
02:31She's got it back!
02:33There's it! Juliana Pena!
02:35Welcome to the world!
02:38In this episode, we take an inside look into the preparations of her headline attractions
02:42ahead of the Octagon's return to the Beehive State.
02:45Fight!
02:49Serve!
02:50Serve!
02:51This is UFC 307.
02:52We have such a card!
02:54Woo!
02:55Countdown.
03:06The UFC 307 main event
03:09will feature two fighters whose upbringing and surroundings
03:12shape their lives and careers.
03:17From modest beginnings in Brazil,
03:19UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira
03:23has become one of the sport's biggest stars.
03:29Poetan remains connected to his roots
03:32and understands the importance of the origins of his success.
03:37I've always cut my hair here.
03:40I've cut it a lot of times.
03:42And now it's there.
03:44Cutting people's hair.
03:46I'm not a professional anymore.
03:48It's a complicated situation.
03:50A lot of people might say,
03:52but Alex is a champion.
03:54This is now. My life has changed.
03:56There's not much time left.
03:58This is the owner of the gym.
04:00Congratulations, Alex!
04:02God bless you.
04:07Hey, man!
04:08What's up?
04:09Hey, Alex!
04:12Hey, hey, hey!
04:17Where's Melvin?
04:18Melvin, do you want to play?
04:20I did until the 8th grade.
04:22I started working early, at 12 years old.
04:25It's a very hard job.
04:27It's hard for an adult to do.
04:30Okay, okay, okay.
04:37I always go back to the rubber shop.
04:39I spent a lot of time there.
04:41And I worked many hours.
04:42I think about how much it helped me to have this strength that I have today.
04:47It's different from what I do.
04:49It's not what I do anymore.
04:51But it's like fighting, right?
04:52Each one has a style.
04:56Time!
04:57Call!
04:58Which one?
04:591 minute and 6 seconds.
05:02I met Alex Cuatã
05:04when I was very young.
05:0612 years old.
05:07I was his neighbor.
05:09Then I called him to help me with the rubber shop.
05:13Then we made this friendship.
05:16When I say go,
05:173, 2, 1, go!
05:21We started his career when he was little.
05:25And to know that he's here today,
05:27he's a world champion,
05:28it's a great honor for us here at the Guila Nova Rubber Shop.
05:32These jobs I did,
05:34putting my body to the test,
05:35I think it helped me a lot.
05:37How much?
05:3832 seconds.
05:40Who's going to raise my hand here, boss?
05:43Call!
05:46It was very good.
05:47I was born in the slums,
05:48I grew up there.
05:50It's a challenge, right?
05:51It's a competition.
05:54Call!
05:56But I think this was very important.
05:58Because many things happen today too.
06:00In this world, the world of fighting.
06:12Pereira's foray into combat sports
06:15saw him record a Hall of Fame-worthy career
06:17in kickboxing as a two-division champion.
06:20When I see an elite kickboxing champion,
06:22I always want to see those guys attempt MMA.
06:25Before venturing into MMA
06:27and taking the UFC by storm.
06:29One of the baddest men on this or any planet
06:32enter the former glory two-division champion,
06:35Alex Pineda.
06:36Oh!
06:37Oh my goodness!
06:38And the consequences are extreme.
06:41Oh!
06:42Any mistake you make with him,
06:44it's night-night.
06:45Oh, you heard him!
06:46Adesanya's on wobbly legs!
06:47Oh my God!
06:49Now do it!
06:50And do!
06:52Capturing titles at middleweight
06:54and light heavyweight.
06:55Oh!
06:56Alex Pineda!
06:57Welcome to the history books!
06:59Put Pereira in rarefied air
07:01amongst the greats of the sport.
07:03But it has been his aggressive attitude
07:04towards building on that legacy
07:06that has shot him into the superstar realm.
07:17This dude continues to just move the goalposts.
07:20I'm very proud of myself
07:22because it's something that doesn't come easily.
07:26Oh!
07:28I know I did a lot.
07:30I dedicated myself a lot.
07:31I stopped doing a lot of things.
07:33Jamal heels out and still!
07:35My goodness!
07:36We've talked about rapid rises,
07:38Conor McGregor, Israel Adesanya.
07:40No one's done it quite like this.
07:42Oh!
07:43Alex Pineda remains on top of the MMA world!
07:47In two and a half years,
07:48this guy has won belts in two divisions
07:49and defended them.
07:50I'm very happy to know that
07:52a lot of the things I've been doing,
07:54other people have tried,
07:56and didn't,
07:57looking at the competition.
07:59To see a guy like Alex
08:01go from being a two-division world champion
08:04to becoming one of the greats,
08:06he's a legend!
08:08As Pereira continues his dominant reign
08:10as a UFC champion,
08:12he's never forgotten where he came from
08:15and uses his success
08:17to help those in his former community.
08:21Good afternoon, everyone.
08:24I'm very happy to be here
08:26with all of you.
08:28My life is being blessed,
08:30and I want to pay it back.
08:32The cameras are here,
08:33but I'm not here to show myself.
08:34I want to encourage people
08:36to make donations for those in need.
08:38I think we'll be able to make a difference,
08:41not just in your lives,
08:42but in the lives of many people.
08:44Thank you very much.
08:47Let's go!
08:56We're in the Batistini neighborhood.
08:58This is where I was born and raised.
09:00We're going to make a donation
09:02of 1,100 basic baskets
09:04to help 1,100 families.
09:06That's what I've been doing today.
09:08It's something I've been doing for a while now.
09:12How are you?
09:15My reality was that of these people.
09:18A lot of difficulties.
09:20And I was always afraid of starving.
09:24If I can do this, I'll do it.
09:31I think my story has a global impact.
09:35Today I can see that.
09:37Of course, the people in the community,
09:39in the favela,
09:40they know what their lives are like.
09:42And they say,
09:43man, this guy has no conditions.
09:46He won everything,
09:47he got where he got,
09:48conquering the world.
09:50But I say that this is not impossible.
09:55It's very difficult.
09:56I know the difficulties,
09:57I've been through a lot.
10:00But I won everything
10:01with my dedication,
10:03my willpower.
10:06I think that made a big difference.
10:09Shama Shama.
10:10Shama!
10:11Yeah, Shama.
10:39Poetan returned just two months later
10:41to headline another marquee event.
10:44Looking to defend his title once more
10:46in a rematch with former champion,
10:48Yuri Prohaska.
10:50Poetan has become a global superstar.
10:52Wins over five former undisputed UFC champions.
10:55Can he beat Yuri Prohaska again?
10:58Yuri Prohaska will try to regain
11:00an undisputed UFC title.
11:03I already felt who he was
11:05since the first fight.
11:06One of the most destructive forces
11:08we have ever seen inside the octagon.
11:10All it takes is one shot from this man.
11:14And I was calmer because of that.
11:16Because sometimes you don't know
11:17the guy's strength,
11:18you don't know how he behaves.
11:19But since the first fight,
11:20I knew he wouldn't change for me.
11:22He got better.
11:25The rematch is upon us.
11:27I'm evolving.
11:28Because I'm new in the area.
11:30Poetan working on both legs early on.
11:33And I knew he would come.
11:35I knew I could be different.
11:38And that's what happened.
11:41Minutes before I left for the arena,
11:43my team showed a video of him warming up,
11:45which the UFC always shows.
11:47And I saw him trying to simulate
11:50the kicks I do.
11:52And I saw that it was worrying him a lot
11:55because it hurt him from the other fight.
11:57And I saw that his hand was a little low.
12:00Al is putting some steam behind these shots.
12:03Yuri looks a little tentative.
12:05Strong low kick.
12:06That one hurt him.
12:08And I started to hurt him.
12:10I kicked him in the stomach.
12:13You cannot make a mistake
12:14because when you do,
12:15he hurts you too bad.
12:17But before that,
12:18there was a knockdown
12:19in the last second of the first round.
12:24Huge knockdown right on the gutter.
12:26Round one.
12:27He was already waiting a lot
12:30for the kick.
12:31So his hand got in there
12:32more easily.
12:34He managed to recover.
12:36He went back to the second round.
12:37And I said,
12:38now is the time.
12:41I called all his attention
12:42to the lower part
12:44to try this kick.
12:45And it worked.
13:01He is something special, man.
13:03Switch kick.
13:04I saw Ambreste there.
13:05It was a very fast movement.
13:06I was able to kick.
13:07And then he fell.
13:08And still!
13:11It is Poetan's World
13:13in the UFC in 2024!
13:25For Alex Pereira,
13:26UFC 307 will provide a platform
13:28for the Brazilian champion
13:29to continue his hot streak.
13:33For his opponent,
13:34Khalil Roundtree Jr.,
13:37his first title shot
13:38represents the manifestation
13:40of a lifelong dream.
13:43When I started Not Too Long Ago,
13:44I'd see things like this
13:45as inspiration.
13:46I'd look at the two guys
13:47on the billboard like,
13:48man, one day I can be there.
13:50One day I can get my family
13:52out of struggle.
13:54Being here,
13:55being able to stand
13:56and look at this,
13:57and knowing what's ahead of me
13:58at this fight,
13:59I'm most grateful
14:00for the struggle.
14:02There's been so many moments
14:03of wanting to give up,
14:04but I stuck it through.
14:06This journey's been hard.
14:08It's made me strong enough
14:09right now
14:10to be able to stand in here
14:11in this moment
14:12in confidence,
14:13knowing that I can win
14:14and I can be the champion.
14:22The origins of Roundtree's
14:23journey to a UFC title
14:26can be traced back
14:27to a family tragedy
14:28that struck at an early age.
14:36You want attention?
14:38Yeah?
14:40When I was two years old,
14:42my father was murdered.
14:45He was a manager
14:46for Boyz II Men,
14:48New Edition.
14:50There was a time in his career
14:51where he was a personal bodyguard
14:53for Muhammad Ali.
14:54I have this plaque
14:55that was given to me
14:56from Boyz II Men.
14:58This is the record
14:59that had the interlude
15:01with my dad and I's name,
15:02Khalil, on it.
15:05At his funeral,
15:06I remember there being
15:07hundreds if not thousands
15:08of people,
15:09and when I think about that,
15:11you gotta be a certain
15:12type of person
15:13to have complete strangers
15:15and just a massive amount
15:16of people
15:17coming to your funeral
15:18to honor your life.
15:20I think the biggest thing
15:21was that I didn't have
15:23the courage
15:24to really face
15:25certain challenges
15:26because I didn't have
15:27anyone that stood there
15:29to let me know
15:30that everything would be okay,
15:31you know,
15:32that I'd come out okay
15:33in the end,
15:34so it kind of
15:35held me back a bit.
15:38That led me down a path
15:39of self-destruction.
15:42I was smoking
15:43two packs of cigarettes a day.
15:45I was drinking
15:46a lot of alcohol.
15:48I was smoking
15:49I was drinking
15:50alcohol
15:51nonstop.
15:52I was taking
15:53random prescription pills,
15:55just trying to numb
15:56all of my pain.
15:58I remember stepping
15:59on a scale and it said
16:00305 pounds.
16:02There was a night
16:03where I was
16:04trying to fall asleep
16:05and I just felt
16:06my heart doing
16:07really, really
16:08weird things
16:09that it shouldn't
16:10have been doing.
16:12And there was a moment
16:13where I thought,
16:14okay,
16:16this is the night.
16:17Like, I'm gonna die
16:18in my sleep.
16:20And that was when
16:21I started to think about,
16:22okay,
16:23what can I do
16:24to hold on to my life?
16:26And that's what drove
16:27me to start
16:28being more open-minded
16:29to things that
16:30involved
16:31fitness
16:32and health.
16:33And MMA
16:34was perfect for me.
16:45After discovering
16:46his newfound path
16:47in MMA,
16:51Roundtree would make
16:52his mark in the sport
16:58and eventually
16:59land a contract
17:00with the UFC.
17:01Here is the
17:02uber-talented
17:03Khalil Roundtree Jr.
17:05And to think that
17:06this man right here
17:07used to weigh
17:08300 pounds.
17:10He's super talented
17:11and just a really
17:12explosive
17:13and dynamic
17:14presence
17:15in the light
17:16division.
17:17I want to be a champion.
17:19Oh!
17:20Khalil Roundtree Jr.
17:21closes the show!
17:24When I first
17:25started fighting
17:26in the UFC,
17:27brick by brick,
17:28he's building
17:29his career.
17:30In the beginning,
17:31it was really about me
17:32finding my stride,
17:33finding my placement.
17:34Oh!
17:35Massive knee
17:36from Roundtree Jr.
17:37So,
17:38the beginning of my
17:39career was very
17:40up and down.
17:41For Khalil Roundtree,
17:42it's all about
17:43finding his
17:44comfort zone.
17:46And it wasn't until
17:47a few years ago
17:48where things really
17:49started to click for me
17:50and, like, I know
17:51who I am.
17:53How about
17:54Khalil Roundtree Jr.?
17:55He's battled a lot of
17:56demons to realize
17:57this type of UFC success.
17:58Oh!
17:59Left hand chops
18:00Anders!
18:01Here I am!
18:02I'm here!
18:03Let's go!
18:04He discovered
18:05the self-belief
18:06that you need
18:07in order to take
18:08this thing to the
18:09next level.
18:10Oh!
18:11Stop!
18:12I'm not hiding anymore.
18:13I'm dealing
18:14with my fear
18:15I've never seen
18:16Khalil Roundtree
18:17look better.
18:18He's a new fighter.
18:19He's a different man.
18:20He's got nothing
18:21left to lose emotionally.
18:22That is going to
18:23allow him to just
18:24be free inside
18:25of the octagon.
18:26I don't want to
18:27wait until I'm a champion
18:28to be able to
18:29tell my story.
18:30I just want to be
18:31able to share that
18:32and, like,
18:33and really,
18:34like,
18:35inspire people.
18:36Winning the title
18:37would be
18:38proof to me
18:39that anything
18:40is possible.
18:41Not long ago,
18:42I'm depressed,
18:43ending my life
18:44turned to fighting,
18:45have the slightest
18:46belief that
18:47if I do this
18:48and if I work hard
18:49at this,
18:50I can be a champion.
18:51Sticking to that belief
18:52and now here I am.
18:53I just felt this!
18:54I'm in the top 10 now
18:56and the only thing
18:57that I want to do
18:58is fight Alex Barrera.
19:00October 5th
19:01for UFC 307.
19:03Alex Barrera will look
19:04to defend his
19:05light heavyweight belt
19:06against Khalil Roundtree.
19:07I can't wait
19:08to prove myself
19:09right.
19:10Khalil
19:11Roundtree
19:13Jr.
19:26On the back of a
19:27five-fight win streak,
19:28light heavyweight powerhouse
19:30Khalil Roundtree Jr.
19:31will get his first
19:32title opportunity
19:33at UFC 307.
19:35What stands between
19:36Roundtree and his dream
19:37is one of the most
19:38devastating strikers
19:39the division has ever seen.
19:41Current 205-pound champion,
19:43Alex Barrera.
19:47In preparation for the
19:48daunting challenge
19:49Poetan presents,
19:50the Las Vegas local
19:51has once again teamed up
19:52with longtime head coach,
19:54John Wood.
19:56He gets hit a lot,
19:57just not hard
19:58because people are so afraid
20:00because he's got stuff
20:01coming on those counters.
20:03But if we go through that,
20:05we'll get him.
20:07Guaranteed.
20:10Khalil really is
20:11a unique fighter.
20:13Yes.
20:14The hardest hitting person
20:15I've ever worked with.
20:18Those hurt my hands
20:19through the paddles.
20:21He knows that he can
20:22finish any human
20:23on the planet.
20:24Good, yep.
20:25That was kind of the thing
20:26before that we relied on
20:27where now,
20:29we're adding the technique
20:30and the tactics
20:31to be able to do that
20:32at the highest levels.
20:33We've got to give him
20:34respect.
20:35But,
20:36we've got to touch him.
20:37And you can.
20:39And that's where he's
20:40really growing as a fighter.
20:42It's not just the talent
20:43and the raw,
20:44the power and the ability,
20:45but where and how
20:46to use it.
20:47It's just coming together
20:48really well
20:49at the right time.
20:50Throw me in a fire
20:51when the bell rings.
20:52And he's going to press
20:53and he's going to try
20:54to punk you.
20:55He's going to try
20:56to come after you.
20:57He's got the death touch.
20:58So do you.
20:59Khalil's going to be
21:00the new boogeyman
21:01after this
21:02because I truly believe
21:03he's going to finish Alex.
21:04Yes.
21:06Preparing for Alex
21:07is definitely different
21:08than any other opponent.
21:10I'm naturally a striker
21:11and so is Alex.
21:12Yeah, yeah.
21:14So,
21:15I get to spend more time
21:16focusing on the skills
21:17that I enjoy
21:18and sharpening those
21:20and just making sure that
21:21they're primed
21:22when it's time to go.
21:24Time, relax.
21:32As he prepares
21:33for his third title fight
21:34of 2024,
21:36a return to his hometown
21:37in Brazil
21:38allowed the champion
21:39Alex Pereira
21:41to reconnect with those
21:42that have supported him
21:43since the start
21:44of his incredible journey.
22:09Alex's biggest strength
22:10is his heavy hand.
22:11That's really his strength.
22:15But Alex's biggest strength
22:16is undoubtedly
22:17his intelligence.
22:31The biggest proof of this
22:32is that he was a guy
22:33who dominated in one sport.
22:37He went to the biggest event
22:38of another sport
22:41and you can see
22:42that today he's a complete guy.
22:45Alex is a striker.
22:46Khalil has the differential
22:47of a striker.
22:51And Alex has the distance.
22:52But Alex knows how to
22:53hit the short as well.
22:54That's the differential.
22:55I believe it ends
22:56with an Alex knockout.
22:58This man is the specialist
22:59of specialists
23:01when it comes to striking.
23:03Khalil is a dangerous fighter,
23:04an experienced guy,
23:06a strong guy,
23:07aggressive.
23:09But I'm going to use
23:10my intelligence,
23:11my experience.
23:20It's hard to fight
23:21with Canhoto.
23:22Theoretically,
23:23it's always harder
23:25because we don't fight
23:26with Canhoto often.
23:28But of course,
23:29I'm always evolving
23:31and I've always looked
23:32for how to fight
23:33better with Canhoto.
23:34So I'm developing that.
23:35I already did that
23:36with Jamal
23:37and it worked out very well.
23:42So I think
23:44I can do something
23:45that can surprise him.
24:00With more knockout wins
24:01than any other light heavyweight
24:02on the UFC roster,
24:03confidence is running high
24:04within the Khalil Roundtree camp
24:06and the belief
24:07that he has what it takes
24:08to overcome the daunting task
24:09that lies ahead.
24:11One of the things
24:12that we see
24:13in the light heavyweight division,
24:14they kind of have
24:15more of a prodding,
24:16big man approach.
24:18We're going to do
24:19some sling stuff today, right?
24:20So everything's here
24:21and coming.
24:22And then we're going to
24:23actually get in front.
24:24With the Motul bar,
24:25we're going to fire.
24:26And with Khalil,
24:27his big advantage is
24:28speed.
24:30Beautiful.
24:31Quality work.
24:33Good.
24:34We all know he has the power.
24:35Good, really nice.
24:36If he touches you once,
24:37it could be ended right there.
24:40There you go.
24:43Good, that's it.
24:44But being able to utilize
24:45that speed as well
24:46is such an advantageous
24:47piece for us.
24:48I don't think he's going to
24:49realize how quick you are.
24:50In no doubt.
24:52He really believes
24:53that he is an elite fighter
24:54who can win this belt.
24:56I believe in myself.
24:58I finally got to a point
24:59where I was able
25:00I finally got to a point
25:01to where I know
25:02exactly who I am.
25:03I know what I'm capable of.
25:04I know what I'm ready for.
25:07This is something
25:08that I'm absolutely ready for.
25:14I couldn't ask for a bigger,
25:15better moment.
25:17A main event
25:18with Alex Pejeta
25:19fighting for a title.
25:20This is perfect.
25:26To be in this moment now,
25:27it's a dream come true.
25:31I don't think anybody
25:32expects 25 minutes.
25:34If it is,
25:35we're ready for it.
25:36But the reality is
25:37we're all on pins and needles
25:38because we know
25:39that this could end so fast.
25:45I do want to be known
25:46as more dangerous
25:48and more of a boogeyman
25:50than Alex.
25:51Scary, scary dude.
25:53Right now.
25:54Give me 20.
25:55You got more in you.
25:57I win UFC 307
26:00by knockout.
26:01It's a serious,
26:02light heavyweight
26:03on the rise.
26:04That's the only way
26:05that this fight ends.
26:19It is Poetan's world.
26:21It must be jarring,
26:22the power that he hits you with.
26:30This dude
26:31continues to raise the bar.
26:33I believe we are going to see
26:35an amazing matchup.
26:51At UFC 307,
26:53newly crowned
26:54bantamweight champion
26:55Raquel Pennington
26:56returns for her
26:57first title defense.
27:00The journey to the top
27:01has been a long one
27:02for the Colorado native,
27:05who has been a cornerstone
27:06of the 135-pound division
27:09since its inaugural year.
27:12When I look back on my journey,
27:13I can honestly shed tears.
27:16It's been a long 14 years
27:18in this sport.
27:21I've truly worked
27:22from the bottom
27:23to the very top.
27:25I've fallen,
27:26I've gotten back up.
27:29And just to go through that,
27:32there's no other words
27:33besides proud.
27:34Raquel Pennington,
27:35she's such a competitor.
27:37So fierce.
27:38I was given a lot of
27:39great opportunities.
27:40Oh, that is close!
27:41That is close!
27:42She's out!
27:43She's out cold!
27:45Throughout my career,
27:46I've always fought
27:47the top names
27:48in the division.
27:49Pennington's got her back.
27:50She's got it.
27:51Andrade's gonna tap!
27:52She taps!
27:54Pennington capped off
27:55an impressive run
27:56early in her career
27:57with a win over
27:58former belt holder
27:59Misha Tate.
28:00Misha's in big trouble.
28:01There's certainly
28:02no lack of belief
28:03in Raquel Pennington's mind
28:05that she can beat
28:06the elite in this division.
28:08Earning her a title shot
28:09in 2018
28:11against the lioness
28:12Amanda Nunes.
28:14Raquel Pennington,
28:15she has put herself
28:16in position to put forth
28:17the best performance
28:18of her life.
28:19I went to Brazil,
28:20I fought in Amanda's backyard.
28:21Pennington has emerged
28:22as a world-class contender.
28:24I feel like that fight
28:25really showed my heart
28:26and the warrior inside of me.
28:27Good right hand
28:28over the top by Pennington.
28:29I went five rounds with her,
28:31which most people
28:32never did that.
28:34I just seen the passion
28:35within me.
28:36That is a fighter
28:37so long on heart.
28:38I still pushed forward.
28:39Pints of blood
28:40coming out of her nose.
28:41So much respect
28:43for the effort
28:44of Raquel Pennington
28:45in defeat here tonight.
28:46That was the biggest
28:47mountain I had to climb.
28:48She got away from the game,
28:49needed to reset.
28:51And she's ready
28:52to start making a case
28:53for a title shot.
28:54Decided to change things
28:55as a person.
28:56Oh, look at that.
28:57Raquel Pennington
28:58was not gonna be denied.
29:00And when I did that,
29:01it showed.
29:02Pennington's definitely
29:03looking better.
29:04I went on a
29:05five-fight win streak.
29:06She wants to turn back
29:07toward the top
29:08and make that a reality
29:09once again.
29:10She's topping,
29:11she's topping.
29:12Wow, gets it done.
29:13Raquel Pennington
29:14is emerging
29:15as a truly
29:16world-class contender.
29:17I got presented
29:18with the opportunity
29:19to fight for the
29:20world title again.
29:21Raquel Pennington
29:22is one of the toughest
29:23men or women
29:24I have ever met.
29:25She has rallied
29:26through adversity
29:27throughout her career.
29:28We'll see if she can
29:29break through
29:30and win the world title.
29:31I want to accomplish
29:32the ultimate goal.
29:33And so,
29:34it didn't matter
29:35who was in front of me.
29:36Nice hands from Pennington.
29:37She's landing some big shots.
29:38She was dangerous,
29:39but I just feel like
29:40I was definitely
29:41the better fighter
29:42in every aspect.
29:43Oh!
29:44Oh, she's got her.
29:45She's on it.
29:46Now she needs
29:47to keep moving forward.
29:48Pennington smells
29:49blood in the water.
29:50Oh!
29:51She got clipped.
29:52Superman punch.
29:53I achieved the ultimate goal
29:54of becoming
29:55the world champion.
29:56No one can take that away.
29:57This is what I've been
29:58working so hard for
29:59for 14 years,
30:00and now it's here.
30:01Raquel Pennington
30:02can lay claim
30:03to a UFC world title.
30:05Before the reality
30:06of her lifelong achievement
30:07at some camp,
30:08Pennington was already
30:09looking ahead
30:10to settle a longtime feud
30:11in her first title defense.
30:13Juliana Pena
30:14has been talking
30:15and talking and talking.
30:16She says that she
30:17will be next in the fight.
30:18Juliana,
30:19get your ass better
30:20inside the dotted line.
30:21It's been 10 years
30:22that I've been waiting
30:23for this moment.
30:28In 2013,
30:29the UFC introduced
30:30the women's
30:31bantamweight division
30:32and showcased
30:33the first all-female tournament
30:34of the ultimate fighter.
30:37It was here
30:38that the pass
30:39of Raquel Pennington
30:40and Juliana Pena
30:41would cross
30:42for the first time.
30:44All right.
30:45You've got the first pick.
30:46Juliana.
30:50Misha Tate,
30:51she chose me
30:52as the first person
30:53on the team.
30:54Raquel Pennington.
30:59I was very
31:00young,
31:01dumb,
31:02and naive
31:03thinking that,
31:04oh, you're Team Tate.
31:05You're my buddy.
31:06You're my friend.
31:07We're living in the same
31:08room as one another.
31:09And it's like,
31:10she ain't your buddy, dude.
31:11She hates your guts.
31:12Like, she has no loyalty
31:13to you whatsoever.
31:14I tried to befriend her.
31:15It's like,
31:16OK, we're teammates.
31:17Like, let's be friends.
31:18It was tough
31:19definitely being roommates.
31:20I like to respect space
31:21and she quickly
31:22got under my skin.
31:24It's been frustrating.
31:25It seems every morning
31:26that I'm sleeping,
31:27all I hear is Juliana
31:28blow-drying her hair
31:29and working on her makeup.
31:30Sitting there playing
31:31with vitamin bottles,
31:32just shaking them all crazy.
31:34She would stay up
31:35until like 3 o'clock
31:36in the morning
31:37drinking and hanging out
31:38with all the people
31:39in the house.
31:40And I was sleeping.
31:41I'm not here
31:42to make friends.
31:43I'm here to win the show.
31:44So I don't care
31:45about staying up
31:46until 3 o'clock
31:47in the morning.
31:48Sometimes I wonder
31:49if she listens
31:50that I was a drunk
31:51on the show
31:52and would drink all the time.
31:53I couldn't make it
31:54to training sessions.
31:55It's just comical.
31:56I was at the training sessions
31:57that I needed to be at.
31:59Beautiful.
32:00I was the one
32:01that won Fight of the Season.
32:07It was this
32:08seeded doubt
32:09that she kept creeping
32:10into everybody's head
32:12about me being a favorite.
32:14She just created
32:15all these problems for me
32:16and it all stems
32:17with her being
32:18a backstabbing
32:20jealous weirdo.
32:21All those pills
32:22you take down there,
32:23you need a chill pill.
32:24I'm freaking calm.
32:26You're worked up.
32:28Ugh.
32:29She's a head case sometimes.
32:30Ugh.
32:32Dana at one point
32:33thought that we would
32:34match up in the finale,
32:35but going into
32:36the semifinals,
32:37I sustained injuries
32:38and so it didn't
32:39play out that way.
32:40A laser-like focus
32:42as Juliana Peña
32:43makes her way
32:44to the UFC's octagon.
32:46And that is
32:47some serious power there
32:49as Peña once again
32:50works Roccozzi
32:51to the canvas.
32:52This is the pressure
32:53of Juliana Peña
32:54just non-stop.
32:56Oh, Peña
32:57working the ground
32:58and pound now.
32:59Peña now dropping
33:00heavy right hands.
33:01Pouring it on now.
33:03She's covering up,
33:04but that'll do it.
33:05Juliana Peña
33:06is your Ultimate Fighter winner.
33:08What a performance
33:09here tonight.
33:11To be able to win
33:12the Ultimate Fighter,
33:13it's something that can
33:14never be taken away from you.
33:15Instead of being
33:16this wimpy deer
33:18that they kind of
33:19pigeonholed me into,
33:20they had to take notice
33:22and realize that
33:23I was a force
33:24to be reckoned with.
33:25She is a very,
33:26very dynamic
33:27and aggressive young lady.
33:28So much potential.
33:30Driven by an
33:31unwavering desire
33:32to become a UFC champion.
33:33The Peña pressure
33:34just won't stop.
33:35I'm the finisher,
33:36you guys,
33:37and I want the belt.
33:38Peña overcame
33:39numerous injuries
33:40and setbacks
33:41during an eight-year
33:42campaign for contention.
33:43This is nasty.
33:44Absolutely dominant.
33:45When I first started
33:46in the UFC,
33:48after every single fight,
33:49I was calling
33:50for the title shot.
33:51I'm ready to fight
33:52for the title.
33:53I'm ready to go
33:54and get what's mine.
33:55I don't see anything else
33:56but the title.
33:57This question's for Dana.
33:58Where's Amanda, Dana?
34:02Stylistically,
34:03she's the best possible
34:04fight for me.
34:05Huge win for Peña.
34:07Nobody's had a tougher
34:08road in the UFC,
34:09and I want to fight Amanda.
34:10It's time for her
34:11to quit ducking.
34:12That's my fight.
34:13And so when the UFC
34:14finally gave me
34:15my opportunity,
34:16I was ready to go.
34:19Live from T-Mobile Arena
34:20in Las Vegas,
34:21Nevada, USA,
34:22this is UFC 269.
34:25Juliana Peña
34:26says she is willing
34:27to meet Amanda Nunes
34:29head-on,
34:30meet her pressure
34:31and momentum
34:32in the middle of the octagon.
34:33She's ready to change
34:34her life with a
34:35signature,
34:36monumental,
34:37sport-changing win.
34:38I think the lines
34:39closed at 9-1.
34:40I was one of the
34:41biggest underdogs
34:42that the sport has ever seen.
34:43We've seen it
34:44time and time again
34:45when a champion
34:46underestimates
34:47a huge underdog
34:48while things can happen.
34:51Juliana Peña
34:52looking to spin
34:53this MMA world
34:54on its axis
34:55with a sport-altering win.
34:57Amanda Nunes
34:58looking to keep
34:59things status quo.
35:00I was taken down
35:01almost right away.
35:04Oh, she got hit
35:05with a jab there.
35:06Nunes enters,
35:07poppy lands a right hand.
35:08This is a terrible
35:09position for Peña.
35:10But I was safe
35:11and feeling like
35:12OK, this is exactly
35:13how I thought
35:14that this fight
35:15was going to go.
35:16Dominant round
35:17for the champion.
35:18We were making her work.
35:19We want this fight
35:20exactly going this way.
35:21We want the workload.
35:22Work, work, work.
35:23Go out there
35:24and take it to this girl.
35:25You got it?
35:26I said I was going to
35:27drag her into deep water
35:28and that's exactly
35:29what I ended up doing.
35:30I knew I had to
35:31bite down on my mouthpiece
35:32and fight fire with fire.
35:34Oh, Peña's doing
35:35a good job
35:36of just getting
35:37in her face here.
35:40Oh, right hand
35:41for Juliana.
35:42Oh, Juliana Peña.
35:44Juliana stunner
35:45with that left hand.
35:46Oh, this is going
35:47to make Amanda turn.
35:48My strikes were able
35:49to land before hers.
35:51This is the type
35:52of fight she wants.
35:53Oh, what a big combination
35:55for Peña.
35:56Oh, she hurt her.
35:57Nunes is in trouble.
35:59Oh, my God.
36:00Once I beat it out
36:01of her on the feet,
36:02I took her down right away.
36:04Amanda's tired.
36:05Oh, dragged down by Peña.
36:07Oh, my God.
36:08And now Peña
36:09to the back.
36:10She's got time.
36:11She's in.
36:12Juliana Peña
36:14shocks the world.
36:16That's the biggest upset
36:18in the history of the sport.
36:22No.
36:25One of my greatest victories,
36:27and it's definitely one
36:28that I'll cherish the most.
36:30I told you,
36:31don't ever doubt me again.
36:33Willpower, strength
36:34and determination,
36:35it will take you places.
36:37You know the Lioness
36:38will be back
36:39and Juliana Peña
36:40probably felt like
36:41she'd have to beat her twice.
36:42And now she'll try
36:43to defend it, presumably,
36:44against Amanda Nunes.
36:52Juliana Peña
36:53making history last December.
36:55Amanda Nunes
36:56looking to, in her mind,
36:57right that wrong
36:58and regain
36:59that unprecedented status
37:01as double champion
37:02in the UFC.
37:04Going into the rematch
37:05with Amanda,
37:06I was very prepared,
37:07but when it boils down to it,
37:09I wasn't doing
37:10the right things.
37:12Oh, she hurt her.
37:14Bro, that choppy right hand
37:15is killing Juliana.
37:17I couldn't get back on track.
37:19Oh!
37:20She got hurt bad.
37:21That's that lead hand.
37:22The same punch.
37:24I had successful moments.
37:26Look at Peña, though, John.
37:27She is not discouraged.
37:28She's still going forward.
37:29I was turning
37:30the best striker in the world
37:31into a Division I wrestler
37:33because she didn't want
37:34no smoke on the feet.
37:36Beautiful takedown
37:37by Amanda.
37:38But it was too late.
37:40And that will do it.
37:42The greatest of all time
37:44came to fight tonight.
37:46And...
37:47down!
37:49One of the toughest human beings
37:50on planet Earth,
37:51Juliana Peña.
37:52After that fight,
37:53the next fight
37:54that needed to be made
37:55was a trilogy.
37:57We were one and one.
37:59I won by stoppage.
38:00You tapped the mat.
38:01You said,
38:02uncle.
38:03She won by decision.
38:05For me, it was like,
38:06I didn't lose.
38:07I just ran out of time.
38:10I wanted to make that happen.
38:11I wanted it to be
38:12the biggest fight
38:13in women's history.
38:15I was getting ready
38:16for my trilogy fight
38:17with Amanda Nunes
38:18when I broke my ribs.
38:21It was brutal.
38:23And it sucked.
38:25And they pulled me.
38:28I cost myself the trilogy.
38:30I cost myself the title.
38:32I cost myself a lot.
38:35In Peña's absence,
38:36Amanda Nunes would go on
38:37to defend her belt
38:38one last time
38:40before laying down her gloves
38:41and closing the book
38:42on a historic title reign.
38:45The vacant belt represented
38:46the dawn of a new era
38:47in the division
38:48and an opportunity
38:49for a hardened veteran
38:50to seize the moment.
38:52The 18-time UFC veteran,
38:54Raquel Pennington.
38:56With Peña returning
38:57to competition,
38:58the time is now
38:59for this longstanding rivalry
39:00to be settled
39:01at UFC 307
39:03with the women's
39:04bantamweight title
39:05on the line.
39:06When Raquel won the belt,
39:07you were not happy
39:08with the performance?
39:09It's an interim belt
39:10as far as I'm concerned.
39:11It's not the real belt.
39:12My fight with Raquel
39:13is finally here.
39:14Game of inches.
39:15Let's go, let's go.
39:16The animosity
39:17and the beef
39:18that we have
39:19is something
39:20that I hold
39:21near and dear
39:22close to my heart.
39:23I am the uncrowned
39:24bantamweight world champion.
39:26This is a long time coming.
39:27This is another finale
39:29of who the true
39:30real ultimate fighter is.
39:31And we're going
39:32to put it to bed
39:33on October 5th.
39:34Hut!
39:35Good.
39:36It's a fight
39:37that I've wanted
39:38for a very long time.
39:39I feel like people
39:40are just kind of seeing
39:41Juliana for who she is.
39:42I have no idea
39:43after 11 years
39:44how we have not matched up.
39:45I plan on looking
39:46some serious s***.
39:47The more she keeps talking
39:48and yapping,
39:49I'm excited
39:50to finally punch her
39:51in the mouth.
39:52I've definitely
39:53asked for this fight,
39:54but somehow she's avoided
39:55signing that dotted line.
39:56Boom.
39:57Love it, love it.
39:58Come on.
39:59She easily gets
40:00under my skin,
40:01and that's what makes it
40:02exciting for the fact
40:03that I get to punch her
40:04in the face soon.
40:05And relax.
40:08Who's next?
40:22Earlier this year,
40:23Raquel Pennington
40:24became the sixth
40:25UFC women's
40:26bantamweight champion.
40:27Raquel!
40:29Raquel!
40:33Celebrating with her wife
40:34and fellow UFC fighter,
40:35Tisha Pennington.
40:39One more, fighting.
40:40For the first time
40:41as mothers,
40:42the couple will compete
40:43on the same night
40:44at UFC 307.
40:46Just warm your hips up first.
40:48Nine.
40:49Eight.
40:50Tisha and I met
40:51back in 2012
40:52on Invicta Fighting Championships.
40:53During that time,
40:54we became friends.
40:55We both got signed
40:56to the UFC.
40:57We went to
40:58International Fight Week.
40:59She just got flirty
41:00that weekend,
41:01and one thing
41:02after another
41:03kind of stemmed,
41:04and here we are
41:05eight years later,
41:06married,
41:07and we have a baby.
41:08You guys stand up,
41:09mommy.
41:10For me, becoming a mama,
41:11it just changed everything.
41:12It truly opened
41:13a part of me
41:14that I didn't even
41:15know existed.
41:16What color is this one,
41:17mommy?
41:18This is orange,
41:19close to yellow.
41:20Aleah just turned
41:2115 months old.
41:22She's been in the gym
41:23since day one.
41:24She's been to
41:25a lot of fights,
41:26and so,
41:27it's just been
41:28really cool, you know,
41:29having her here.
41:30Just the motivation.
41:31The gym is tough.
41:32I get exhausted,
41:33but I can look to the side
41:34and I can see her little face,
41:35and it's inspiring
41:36in a completely different way.
41:37For me,
41:38I love fighting
41:39on the same card as Tisha.
41:40It brings a different
41:41type of fun.
41:42We're both in camp,
41:43and we're living together.
41:44We're going to the gym together.
41:45We're coming home together.
41:46We're going back
41:47to the gym together,
41:48and it's just nonstop.
41:49It's a new mountain
41:50that I'm climbing
41:51and navigating through.
41:52It's not something
41:53that's, like,
41:54an inconvenience.
41:55It's something
41:56that's extremely motivating.
41:57It's really cool
41:58to go out there
41:59and be able to show Aleah
42:00how strong her mamas are
42:01and the things
42:02that she can go out
42:03and accomplish
42:04with whatever
42:05you put your mind to.
42:08Pennington will extend
42:09her record-breaking resume
42:10of bantamweight fights
42:11at UFC 307
42:12when she puts her title
42:13on the line
42:14against fellow
42:15135 mainstay
42:16Juliana Pena.
42:18I'm excited
42:19for this fight.
42:20I'm excited
42:21for this fight.
42:22This is my first title defense.
42:24There's a lot of history
42:25leading up to this fight.
42:26Felt like we were
42:27going to match up
42:28in the finale
42:29of the Ultimate Fighter.
42:30That's not what
42:31the universe had planned,
42:32and now here we are
42:3311 years later
42:34on the biggest platform
42:35for the ultimate goal
42:36in the world title.
42:37All right, gang.
42:38We're going to hit your jab,
42:39and behind the jab,
42:40we're going to hit
42:41super.
42:42Boom, boom.
42:43Just like that.
42:44Juliana has
42:45the heart of a warrior,
42:46and she doesn't stop
42:47coming forward.
42:48She can be all bloodied up,
42:49but she's still going to get up
42:50and she doesn't quit.
42:52But I'm just overall
42:53a well-rounded fighter
42:55in every aspect.
42:57I love that pace.
42:58Excellent.
42:59Step back.
43:00Parry it down.
43:01Into your kick.
43:02Oh, yes.
43:03I'm in my prime.
43:04It's only up from here.
43:05I'm at that peak.
43:06Let's go, champ.
43:07Nice job.
43:08This fight is going to give
43:09the world the opportunity
43:10to see that I am
43:11a true champion,
43:12and you're in line for it.
43:13You're trying to fight
43:14again for it.
43:16But at the end of the day,
43:17you're not going to win it.
43:19Let's go.
43:21While Pennington draws
43:22motivation from her family,
43:25her opponent,
43:26Juliana Peña's ambition
43:27to regain the title
43:29is also fueled
43:30by those closest to her.
43:33Hello.
43:35How are you?
43:36Being a full-time fighter
43:37and a full-time mom
43:39can present some challenges.
43:41There's definitely
43:42an extra motivation
43:43to succeed
43:44because of my daughter.
43:46What do you say?
43:49Thank you so much.
43:51It's a little bit
43:52of my house
43:53just being a launching pad
43:54to just get me
43:55from one place to the other
43:56and living in my car
43:57and going from
43:58one practice to the next.
43:59Bye, guys.
44:00Have a great day today.
44:01Bye, Teddy.
44:02Bye, John.
44:04That poor girl,
44:05she probably wants
44:06to do something
44:07that is actually just for her
44:08instead of just being
44:09lugged around
44:10to all my practices.
44:14She's just
44:15the light of my life.
44:16She really is so funny,
44:17and it's like having
44:18a built-in best friend.
44:19You know, you can
44:20show her things
44:21and teach her things.
44:28But I want to show her
44:29what hard work and dedication
44:30can get you.
44:35Tanya's desire to succeed
44:36is shared by her
44:37longtime boxing coach
44:38who once again
44:39helps prepare
44:40the former champion
44:41to bring the
44:42bantamweight title
44:43back to Chicago.
44:45Juliana,
44:46she's a fighter.
44:48She is the
44:49epitome of a veteran.
44:51All we have to do
44:52is hardwire specific strikes
44:53that fit her personality.
44:57You saw that
44:58against Nunes.
44:59That's what makes
45:00her a veteran
45:01is that she comes in here
45:02and she does the work.
45:04The big problem
45:05with Raquel
45:06is that she's durable.
45:07If you're gonna go out there
45:08and be reckless
45:09and spend a lot of energy,
45:10she's gonna lie in wait.
45:12Juliana's big advantage
45:13is her power.
45:14When Juliana
45:15touches her button,
45:16she's gonna know
45:17right away.
45:19It is her belt
45:20and we look at it
45:21as like Raquel's
45:22just been keeping it warm.
45:24I am confident
45:25in my preparation.
45:26I am working hard
45:27and at the end of the day,
45:33the Peña power
45:34brings more
45:35than what Raquel
45:36has to offer.
45:38Yeah.
45:40Her mouth is what
45:41keeps her relevant.
45:43And so she says
45:44a whole lot of things.
45:46She has to hype herself up.
45:48But at the end of the day,
45:49I think she needs to
45:50truly sit down
45:51and understand
45:52that I am the world champion.
45:55I definitely have
45:56more technique.
45:57I feel like I'm better skilled.
46:00I feel like I'm
46:01a better fighter.
46:03I feel like I'm
46:04a better fighter.
46:06I see my game plan
46:08taking dominance.
46:12I will remain champion.
46:17I will beat Raquel
46:18at UFC 307
46:22with sheer willpower,
46:25hard work, determination,
46:26grit,
46:30and desire.
46:36I will get my hand raised
46:39come hell or high water.
46:44I plan to dominate.
46:45Whether that's going to be
46:46submitting Juliana,
46:47knocking Juliana out,
46:49I truly feel like
46:50something different
46:51has unlocked inside of me.
46:54I'm excited to
46:55unleash that on her.
46:58I'll definitely be the one
46:59with my hand raised.
47:00The Bantamweights
47:01do battle at UFC 307
47:03before the 205ers
47:04take center stage
47:05in the main event.
47:10Alex Pereira looks to
47:11extend his legendary run
47:13against a determined
47:14challenger
47:15looking to make history.
47:20It all goes down
47:21on October 5th
47:23live on pay-per-view
47:24from the Delta Center
47:26in Salt Lake City.
47:33www.deltacenter.com