The UFC returns to pay-per-view this Saturday for UFC 307, and Alex Pereira will put his UFC light heavyweight title on the line against Khalil Rountree in the main event. If Pereira is to pick up his third win of the year, what does it do for his legacy?

Ahead of Saturday’s pay-per-view card, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Jed Meshew preview the event, the headliner between Pereira and Rountree, and what is at stake for both men. Additionally, they’ll discuss the co-main event between Raquel Pennington and Julianna Pena for the women’s bantamweight title, Pena getting the shot over Kayla Harrison, José Aldo’s return to action, Harrison making her second octagon appearance, this time against Ketlen Vieira, the low-key storylines, and much more.

Catch the UFC 307 preview show above. An audio-only version of the show can be found below and on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola joked he would reimburse fans after hearing they are set to display a new banner asking him to stay at the club.

The 1894 Group, who organise displays of flags and banners at Etihad Stadium, raised more than £1,000 in just 24 hours to create a banner.

It is due to be displayed in the South Stand on Saturday, when Fulham visit at 15:00 BST, and will read “Pep Guardiola, we want you to stay” in his native Catalan tongue.

“They have to bring me the bill, I have to pay for the banner,” Guardiola said.

“What can I say? Thank you so much, I fell in love since the first day I arrived here, lets see.”

Guardiola took the reins at Manchester City in July 2016 and his contract is set to expire at the end of the current campaign, with no indication as to whether he will sign an extension.

The Spaniard has led City to 18 trophies, including six Premier League titles and a first Champions League title in 2022-23.

They are currently second in the Premier League, one point behind leaders Liverpool, after drawing the past two matches.

In July, Guardiola said he wanted to wait until the season was under way to “look at how everything is going and how connected we are” before making a decision on his future.

“When it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen,” Guardiola said at a news conference on Friday.

Manchester City are currently fighting 115 charges for alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.

That hearing, billed as sport’s ‘trial of the century’, got under way on 16 September and is projected to run for 10 weeks, with a verdict expected in early 2025.

“I’m part of this club, deep inside of my bones, and the best way to defend the club is winning games and doing my job as best as possible,” Guardiola said when asked if there is a need to defend and promote City.

“I am going to defend my club, I trust [them], since the owner, since the chairman for the relation, the CEO, and all the people working here, for many many years. I know them quite well, much more than any of you.

“The best way to defend is by doing our job the best, everyone working here has their own responsibility.

“I’m part of this club, not just the manager. I love this club and it will always be that way.”

SALT LAKE CITY – Raquel Pennington and Julianna Pena are ready for their long-awaited fight after a final staredown at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins for the UFC 307 co-main event.

The tension between women’s bantamweight champion Pennington (16-8 MMA, 13-5 UFC) and former titleholder Peña (10-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) has brewed since their time on the cast of “The Ultimate Fighter 18.” Their paths have never aligned in the octagon, but now they will, and on the biggest stage with gold on the line.

Both women made weight earlier in the day, then brought the intensity to the final faceoff for Saturday’s showdown, which takes place at Delta Center in Utah with a main card on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

Check out the video above to see the ceremonial weigh-in faceoff between Pennington and Peña before UFC 307.

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

Light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira jumps back into the spotlight for UFC 307’s main event Saturday night at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. If you’re planning to wager on any of Saturday’s fights, then you ought to learn about the lucrative UFC 307 betting promos designed just for new bettors.

For the fourth time in the last year, Pereira (11-2) makes his way into the Octagon. This time, the man who ranks as UFC’s No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter takes on Khalil Rountree Jr. (14-5), the light heavyweight division’s No. 8 challenger.

On the surface, this seems like a potential rout — and the odds with all the best online sportsbooks suggest that Pereira is a big favorite to win his fifth straight bout. But keep this in mind: Rountree is riding a five-fight winning streak and he’s known as a knockout artist. Who knows when that big punch or kick will happen?

The other big fight on the UFC 307 card is the woman’s bantamweight title fight between champion Raquel Pennington and No. 1 challenger Julianna Pena. Nobody has seen Peba fight since she lost to Amanda Nunes in July 2022, so that automatically adds a little interest.

Ready to learn about the huge UFC 307 betting promos created to maximize your opportunity to profit? Here are the sportsbook promo codes available to you. By the way, you’re entitled to sign up for all of these offers if you want. You’re not required to pick and choose between them.

Best UFC 307 Betting Promos & Bonuses

Best UFC 307 Betting Promos: BetMGM Bonus Code SBWIRE for UFC 307 Betting

When you create a BetMGM account with the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE, you’re guaranteed a protected first bet up to $1,500 — which happens to be the biggest protected first bet on the market.

BetMGM has your back on your first bet when it’s anywhere from $5 to $1,500. If that first bet doesn’t win, BetMGM returns the full amount of that first bet as bonus bets.

You’ll get five bonus bets — each worth 20% of your original wager — if your original wager was $50 or more. You’ll get one bonus bet — matching your original wager — if your original wager was less than $50. You receive seven days to play your bonus bet(s).

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ESPN Bet Promo Code for UFC 307 Betting

When you launch an account with the ESPN BET promo code SBWIRE, you secure a $1,000 Bet Reset. This is a fancy name to let you know that ESPN BET will protect your first bet.

Wager anywhere from $10 to $1,000 on your first bet. If it does NOT win, then ESPN BET sends back the full amount in the form of bonus bets. You’ll acquire five bonus bets and each one will be worth 20% of your original wager. You receive seven days to play these bonus bets on UFC or any other sport you enjoy.

Best UFC 307 Betting Promos: Fanatics Sportsbook Promo for UFC 307 Betting

Consistent bettors will appreciate Fanatics Sportsbook’s welcome offer. When you set up an account with the Fanatics Sportsbook promo, you can earn as much as $1,000 in bonus bets over 10 days.

After you sign up, the first day you place a bet shall be known as Day 1. Make sure to bet on an event with odds of -200 or better — and make sure to bet somewhere in the $5 to $100 range. When you do these two things, Fanatics Sportsbook sends you a matching bonus bet. On each of the next nine days, you can opt in to enjoy the same deal. So, if you make a $100 first bet each day, you’ll collect $1,000 in bonus bets. Once a bonus bet hits your account, you have seven days to play it.

Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code SBWIRE1000

When you start a Caesars Sportsbook account with the Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBWIRE1000, you receive a protected first bet up to $1,000.

All you need to do is wager somewhere in the $10 to $1,000 range. Here’s why this matters: If your first bet loses, Caesars Sportsbook returns the full amount to you as one bet credit. In essence, this is a second chance to get it right. You’ll have 14 days to play your bet credit, so

Just download the Caesars Sportsbook app — one of the nation’s most comprehensive sports betting apps — to have the latest odds and specials at your fingertips.

Best UFC 307 Betting Promos: bet365 Bonus Code SBKWIRE

Register for a bet365 account with the bet365 bonus code SBKWIRE to seize a First Bet Safety Net up to $1,000.

When you have the First Bet Safety Net, then bet365 cushions the blow if your first bet doesn’t fare how you want. Here’s how: Bet anywhere from $10 to $1,000 on your first bet. If you don’t win, bet365 gives you bonus bets for a matching amount. You’ll have seven days to use your bonus bets.

Best UFC 307 Betting Promos & Bonuses: Handicapping UFC 307 Odds & Main Card

Of the five fights on UFC 307’s main card, three are regarded as near-tossups. That’s always a good thing.

The list of fights too close to call starts with the women’s bantamweight title bout between defending champion Raquel Pennington (16-9) and top-ranked challenger Julianna Pena (12-5). Pennington has won six fights in a row while Pena hasn’t fought in more than two years — when she split back-to-back title fights with now-retired Amanda Nunes. The oddsmakers say Pennington is a slight favorite.

Right before that fight, bantamweights Jose Aldo (32-8) and Mario Bautista (14-2) go at it. Aldo, who ranks 10^th among bantamweights, twice owned the featherweight title. He has found new life as a bantamweight, but he’s 38 years old ,while Bautista is just 31. Bautista also carries a six-fight winning streak into this one and he’s a slight favorite.

The night’s card opens with a middleweight clash between No. 10 Roman Dolidze (13-3) and 15th-ranked Kevin Holland. The oddsmakers have Holland, who returned to the middleweight ranks this summer, as a slight favorite despite being lower in the rankings. Dolidze defeated light heavyweight Anthony Smith just three months ago.

Now for the expected routs: In women’s bantamweight action, No. 2 Ketlen Vieira (14-3) is a massive underdog to No. 3 Kayla Harrison (17-1) despite owning a higher ranking. Harrison, who won Olympic gold medals for judo in 2012 and 2016, could use a win Saturday to secure a title shot in the near future.

Then there’s the main event, which is noteworthy because Alex Pereira (11-2) finds himself in the Octagon for the third time in less than six months. That’s an incredibly quick pace. In fact, you can count on two hands the number of UFC champions who have successfully defended a title three times in one year. Nonetheless, Pereira is nearly a -500 bet to win again.

Before you bet on any of Saturday’s action, make sure to take advantage of any or all of the UFC 307 betting promos explained above.

Renato Moicano is all in for a fight with Justin Gaethje.

Moicano (20-5-1 MMA, 12-5 UFC) battered Benoit Saint Denis en route to a second-round doctor’s stoppage TKO September at UFC Fight Night 243 in Paris.

Moicano’s star continued to rise after notching his fourth-straight win, and the Brazilian thinks the sky is the limit for him with his ever growing popularity.

“Now, the best thing is that you don’t need to rely on nobody,” Moicano said on his “Show Me The Money” podcast. “Sometimes to get a title fight, you need big names like Gaethje or you need somebody who fought for the title. Right now, you just have to keep winning.

“It doesn’t matter who you fight now. It could be Paddy Pimblett. It could be Dan Hooker. It could be Justin Gaethje. It doesn’t matter. One more win, two more wins, doesn’t matter – you’re going to fight for the title because now people start to recognize you.”

Paddy Pimblett still interests Moicano, but he’d want to up the stakes for that fight. As for Dan Hooker, Moicano is ready to move on to an even bigger fight – Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC), which Chael Sonnen called a no brainer of a matchup. Moicano fought with a shoulder injury in his win over Saint Denis, but insists he’d be ready before the end of the year.

“To be completely honest with you, Paddy Pimblett is a good fight because he is famous, but I would rather fight with him if we do ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ because that’s going to be funny and a lot of exposure,” Moicano said. “Other than that, for just a fight, I would rather face Justin Gaethje because I think Dan Hooker is not going to get the fight. He had the opportunity now to say let’s fight, but he’s saying that I dodged him in Perth.

“That’s not true. They didn’t offer me that fight. Let’s make the fight for December. I’m telling you that I’m ready for December, January. It doesn’t matter. But if Dan Hooker doesn’t want that fight, let’s go with Justin Gaethje. I saw Chael Sonnen talking about that and I agree with him: Justin Gaethje would be a good fight. It doesn’t matter, brother. I’m coming for the gold, my brother. I will be f*cking champion of this division.”

Manchester United will turn to Thomas Tuchel if the club decide to sack manager Erik ten Hag, while Real Madrid are interested in Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran.

Manchester United will revive talks with former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel if they sack Ten Hag. (ipaper), external

United’s hierarchy will meet on Tuesday to discuss the club’s plight after co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe watches them play Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday. (Athletic – subscription required), external

Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi has rejected an offer to succeed Ten Hag at Old Trafford (Sportitalia – in Italian), external

Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen says he would be open to a return if Ruud van Nistelrooy, currently assistant manager at the club, was to become manager. (No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast, via Mirror), external

Real Madrid are closely monitoring Aston Villa’s 20-year-old Colombia striker Jhon Duran. (Football Insider), external

Arsenal are interested in Barcelona’s 18-year-old Spain Under-19 forward Arnau Pradas. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish), external

Manchester City have discussed Crystal Palace’s England midfielder Adam Wharton, 20, as a replacement for the injured Rodri. (Football Insider), external

Everton will attempt to revive new contract talks with England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, 27, if the proposed takeover by the Friedkin Group is approved. (ipaper), external

Liverpool are keen on signing England forward Eberechi Eze, 26, from Crystal Palace. (Football Insider), external

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are both plotting a move for Arsenal’s Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, 31. (Fichajes, via TeamTalk), external