Wells: I don’t like to throw the label of a “robbery” around lightly, especially in a fight swayed by one round. However, in this case, I believe it’s appropriate.

I don’t understand scoring the first round for Peña, even if she did land a higher striking total. The difference in power was clearly in Pennington’s favor. In fairness to the official judges, I must consider they only have one perspective from cageside. Perhaps the viewing angle of Sal D’Amato and Mike Bell made it appear Peña was landing the more effective strikes. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

What made this result even tougher to swallow was the fact the incoming champion, Pennington, closed out the fight in such a decisive manner in the championship rounds. She scored the most significant moment of the fight with the Round 4 knockdown and then poured on the pressure in Round 5 to ensure she finished strong while Peña appeared fatigued.

Allow me to say the thing: “If we were using PRIDE’s scoring system …”

If you’ve been around the game long enough, you know how that sentence ends. Credit to Peña for toughing it out and securing a couple of solid rounds in the fight, but Pennington should still be the UFC women’s bantamweight champion today.

Wells’ overall score: 48-47 Pennington

Hannoun: It all comes down to Round 1, which was very close. Do you count Peña’s volume or the impact of Pennington’s strikes? Pennington’s strikes definitely had more impact, but after rewatching the fight, Peña was the busier fighter who landed more.

Rounds 2 and 3 were clearly Peña’s for her ground control, with Pennington taking Round 4 with ease after outstriking her and landing a big knockdown. Pennington also outlanded Peña in Round 5 and was able to hurt her again.

With Round 1 being so close, this fight definitely does not scream robbery. It all depends on whether you think Pennington’s shots warrant more weight than Peña’s volume, which would be totally understandable as Pennington had the much better moments on the feet. I just think Peña did better work in Round 1, which is why I gave her the fight. She outstruck Pennington overall in the fight, landed two takedowns to none, and had more control time. The visual of Pennington’s strong finish had me thinking she won the fight on the first watch, but in a round-by-round scoring system, Peña did just enough.

Hannoun’s score: 48-47 Peña

King: Upon second watch, this was a closer fight than I thought the first time around – but only ever so slightly.

It’s no secret the scoring really came down to how you viewed Round 1. Peña may have landed more, but Pennington clearly landed the two most impactful – and most importantly – the only damaging strikes of the round.

It was close and there is an inherent element of subjectiveness that comes with the exchange rate of more populous, less damaging strikes against less populous, more damaging strikes. But for me, Peña’s Round 1 strikes did not appear to do any damage at all.

It stinks for Pennington. I think it was the wrong decision. But ultimately, I’m not sure I’d call it a robbery.

King’s score: 48-47 Pennington

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor says the decision to postpone their Women’s Super League match against Manchester United was “not good”.

They were due to face United at home on Sunday but it was postponed with a week’s notice due to a conflict with Chelsea’s European schedule.

Chelsea face Real Madrid in the Women’s Champions League group stage on Tuesday, just two days after the United game was set to take place.

“We were disappointed as players and staff. I think everyone has to understand we were supposed to play,” said Bompastor.

“We were in a very good team dynamic and I think not having the opportunity to play changed everything in preparation for the game with Real Madrid.

“When you have the opportunity to play one game a week, with this decision being made to postpone the game, now we have been out of competition for 10 days which is completely different.

“If you look at the situation, the decision is not good. I think it is not good for all the English clubs who are in the Champions League competition.”

Chelsea are joined in the group stages by WSL rivals Arsenal and Manchester City this season.

The WSL has been taken over by a new independent company this season – Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) – and Bompastor says the league “need to know about the rules”.

“For them it’s good to have our feedback and as I always said to the league, I think we should be proud to have three English clubs in the Champions League this year,” added Bompastor.

“All the decisions in the league this year have to be made in order to help the English clubs compete in the Champions League.”

Former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao and 10 other MMA personalities tried their luck running for seats as city councillors but failed to earn enough votes during the elections on Oct. 6.

Barao, who once reigned as the best 135-pounder, only gathered 253 votes in Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte.

Felipe Arantes, who went 5-6-1 under the UFC banner with his best win being a submission over Yves Jabouin, earned 14.607 votes in São Paulo. Godofredo Pepey, who lost to Arantes by knockout in the octagon back in June of 2013, received 77 votes in Fortaleza.

The second-most voted MMA personality was Chute Boxe leader Rudimar Fedrigo with 3.758 in Curitiba which was also not enough. Former Chute Boxe fighter Jose “Pele” Landi-Jons also ran for a seat in Curitiba, but received only 143 votes. Evangelista Santos, another Chute Boxe veteran, gathered 341 votes in his hometown Rondonopolis.

The least voted MMA figure was 56-fight veteran Paulo Bananada with only 12 votes in Sapé. TUF veteran Delson Heleno received 111 votes in Teresopolis, while Ronys Torres had 472 votes in Manacapuru. Ralph Gracie, with 1.422 votes in Rio de Janeiro, and Tiago Trator, voted for 257 times in Laranjal do Jari, complete the list.

Artem Vakhitov dismisses the notion that UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is the best striker in MMA.

Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) retained his title by battering Khalil Rountree in Round 4 of Saturday’s UFC 307 main event at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Vakhitov (2-1), a former rival of Pereira’s in kickboxing, wasn’t as high on Pereira’s performance as everyone else was.

“I don’t think that he’s really good and the best striker because to have just one good punch, it doesn’t mean you’re a really good striker,” Vakhitov told Submission Radio.

“A real striker is someone who has a lot of combinations, very different opportunities. He’s just taught well: one punch and deliver in it. But it doesn’t mean having good distance and timing and other stuff. So I think he’s not a really good striker because of it.”

Vakhitov and Pereira fought twice in Glory Kickboxing in back-to-back bouts. Pereria won their first meeting by split decision at Glory 77 in January 2021. Vakhitov avenged that loss eight months later by majority decision at Glory 78.

Pereira said he doubts Vakhitov can recreate their kickboxing history in the UFC, but Vakhitov thinks otherwise. The 33-year-old will look to earn a UFC contract Tuesday when he meets Islem Masraf (3-0) at Dana White’s Contender Series 75 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

“Yes, for sure I saw it, and he could say now whatever he wants. But the time will come, and he will change his opinion, I’m sure,” Vakhitov said. “Fighting in small gloves is a different sport. We have a very good and experienced team. For sure in the future, if the fight would happen, we would do everything to be ready for it.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah has signed a new long-term contract at the club.

The 21-year-old has been at the Reds since he was five and made 33 appearances in all competitions in his debut season last term.

He has played twice in the current campaign under head coach Arne Slot – the 2-0 win against Ipswich in Liverpool’s Premier League opener and the 5-1 victory over West Ham in the League Cup.

“I couldn’t be happier at this minute,” he told Liverpool’s official website., external

“I think the way the new manager has come in, his coaching style has definitely been a massive part of that.

“I think this is the best club in the world for me to develop at and become a better player.”

Quansah made his first-team debut under previous boss Jurgen Klopp, with an impressive display off the bench against Newcastle in August 2023.

He also played as Liverpool beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final last season.

Amanda Nunes took on social media to send a unique message to UFC CEO Dana White.

“The Lioness”, who retired from the sport after defending her UFC bantamweight title against Irene Aldana in June of 2023, posted a video singing “Outdoor”, of Brazilian samba group Só Pra Contrariar.

Nunes changed the lyrics to ask White to “call me, please,” adding that “I miss you so much.”

The original lyrics are as follows.

I can’t believe you won’t look for me

I’ve suffered too much beyond what I deserve

Oh, please call

I miss you so much

Nunes left the UFC as a two-division champion, winning 14 of her past 15 fights. Julianna Peña — the lone loss for Nunes during that stretch, who beat “The Lioness” for the 135-pound belt before losing their rematch — called for a trilogy bout after defeating Raquel Pennington in the co-main event of UFC 307 this past Saturday in Salt Lake City.