Bantamweight In A State Of Flux?
An air of uncertainty looms over the women’s bantamweight division ahead of UFC 307 this coming weekend. Raquel Pennington is set to make the first defence of the belt she laid claim to by beating Mayra Bueno Silva last January, although the uninspiring nature of that performance means she has yet to convince fans she is worthy of wearing the crown previously adorned by such greats as Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes.
Pennington’s belt lay vacant and up for grabs after Amanda Nunes laid down her gloves inside the Octagon in June of 2023. “Rocky” emerged victorious after that drab five-round affair against Bueno Silva and walked away as the champion, but the lack of a definitive moment in such a poor fight has left the whole situation feeling somewhat unresolved.
Moments Of Glory
Both Nunes and Holly Holm have spectacular knockout wins over Ronda Rousey to look back on as their moment of glory, while Miesha Tate rallied like a phoenix from the flames to rescue the belt from Holly Holm’s grasp at UFC 196. Rousey’s highlight reel will long outlive the fan’s bitterness toward her after her unceremonious exit from the sport.
While Pennington has had a relatively strong showing throughout her 11-year UFC tenure, ten decisions out of her thirteen victories inside the Octagon possibly go some way to explaining why fans are not entirely convinced of her credentials as a UFC champion.
Pressure Is Mounting
Kayla Harrison will also be in action in Salt Lake City this weekend, taking on No. 2 ranked Ketlen Viera earlier on the main card. The two-time Olympic gold medal winner looked sensational in her Octagon debut at UFC 300 as she decimated Holly Holm, and a similarly impressive victory here will surely launch her into the title discussion.
With Pennington facing an opponent in Julianna Pena who returns after yet another long-term injury layoff, the time is now or never for her to show the rest of the division that she is worthy of wearing the belt around her waist. Should we be subjected to another dull, uninspiring affair in such a high-profile slot on the pay-per-view, the fans may continue to see her as somewhat of a placeholder while Harrison lays waiting for her opportunity.
Big questions should be answered this Saturday night and we may emerge from Utah with some clarity on who exactly does deserve to carry on the legacy of those who ruled the division before.
