Fight Coverage
Last Time In Salt Lake City
Before UFC 307, Let’s Take A Look Back At What Happened The Last Time The Octagon Was In Salt Lake City
The UFC’s return to Salt Lake City, Utah, for UFC 307, marks the promotion’s fourth visit to the city. Nicknamed “Head Shot City” by some of the fan base after the thrilling finishes at UFC 278 and UFC 291, SLC has become an iconic stop on the calendar, known for delivering memorable moments.
Before UFC heads back to Salt Lake City for UFC 307: Pereira vs Rountree Jr. let’s look back at UFC 291, which featured some incredible finishes.
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Justin Gaethje Claims BMF Belt With KO Finish
In a rematch from their 2018 main event bout, Justin Gaethje evened the score with Dustin Poirier by head kick in the second round to become the new BMF champion. These two highly respected veterans are still elite in the lightweight division with comparable careers.
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Gaethje and Poirier each held the interim title, both getting close, but ultimately losing their chances, at being undisputed, twice for Gaethje and three times for Poirier, while bringing so many highlights along the way. These are clear candidates who bring the aura of a BMF, and when you put them in the Octagon, you might get a different result each time, but it will always be fireworks.
Poatan’s Run at Light Heavyweight Begins
Alex Pereira’s run at middleweight was quick, but epic. He fought five times at 185 and won the title in his fourth. After losing it, he moved on to another challenge at light heavyweight. “Poatan” faced Jan Blachowicz, a former champion and someone who also beat Israel Adesanya.
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The fight showcased two of the best strikers in the UFC, specifically with Pereira’s offense and Blachowicz’s defense. Each round was competitive, and while “Polish Power” slowed the fight down and mixed in wrestling, Pereira got the better end of the split decision. It was Pereira’s first real grappling test against an opponent with submission victories in the UFC, and he was able to defend just enough en route to outlanding Blachowicz in total strikes.
Derrick Lewis Delivers Again
The UFC’s all-time knockout leader, Derrick Lewis, was on the verge of losing four straight heading into 291 and he won in his favorite way. The bell rang and Lewis met Marcos Rogerio de Lima in the center of the Octagon with a flying switch knee to the chin.
You won’t see that often from a heavyweight, and when it lands, it’s almost surely the end of the contest. Lewis followed the knee with major ground-and-pound to get the finish and add to his knockout count.
UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 took place live from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 29, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
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