Fighters to Watch at UFC 307 (And Their Cards to Collect)

Top UFC 307 Fighters

UFC 307 is the culmination of multiple must-witness combat storylines. After nearly two years, the UFC gets its second title fight in almost a decade without Amanda Nunes under the bright lights. As the division moves on, Julianna Pena and Racquel Pennington will attempt to cement their legacies as some of the best ever to do it in the bantamweight division.

Down the card are two elder statesmen in the UFC – Jose Aldo and Stephen Thompson. Jose Aldo is pushing 40 years old and is still going strong after a brief retirement, and Thompson is over the hill and has lost three out of his last four fights. Do these greats still have what it takes to climb the mountain, or is this the end of their epic journies inside the Octagon?

And in the main event, Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree. No one has captured imaginations like Pereira since perhaps Conor McGregor. The silent and stoic striker takes on the heavy-handed Rountree in yet another quick turnaround fight after becoming the first man in history to capture both the middleweight and light heavyweight titles. He’s made nearly everyone who has dared stand before him look downright foolish to attempt striking with him – will he neutralize Rountree’s attempt at glory, or will we see one of the greatest upsets of all time?

Amidst the drama of UFC 307, there is one constant: Topps UFC will have cards that will memorialize the moment, and these are just a few of the cards you can collect, with selections from Topps Midnight UFC, Topps Chrome UFC 2024, and a cheeky little preview from Topps Knockout 2024.

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Top UFC 307 Fighter Cards

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Julianna Peña – Bantamweight

The combat sports world was in utter shock when Julianna Pena soundly defeated Amanda Nunes to win the bantamweight belt at UFC 269 in December of 2021. Eight months later, she’d lose the belt back to Nunes, who would retire immediately after the fight. Now Pena is again challenging for the belt against fellow The Ultimate Fighter 18 vet, champion Raquel Pennington. For both of these formidable ladies, this fight will cement their legacies. Does Pennington have what it takes to stay on top? Can Pena shake off ring rust after fighting just over four times in four years?

2024 Topps Chrome UFC Chrome Veteran Auto #CVA-JPE Juliann Peña

Raquel Pennington – Bantamweight

The UFC bantamweight champion is on a six-fight winning streak, and even though she’s the most active fighter in women’s bantamweight history, she’s racked up these wins and the championship relatively quietly, taking out all comers since she lost to former champ Holly Holm in 2020. Julianna Pena is undoubtedly her most formidable challenge since that loss. This is truly one of the most fascinating fights in a division still reeling from the retirement of GOAT Amanda Nunes.

2024 Topps Knockout UFC 1-2 Combo Relic Auto #OTC-RPN Raquel Pennington

José Aldo – Bantamweight

Former UFC featherweight GOAT, UFC Hall of Famer, and UFC bantamweight title contender José Aldo has shaken off the rust of his brief retirement – but will he be able to keep Mario Bautista, another up-and-coming lion from building his name off Aldo’s undeniable greatness? Bautista has six submission wins to his name, while Aldo, a black belt in BJJ, has only one loss via submission – all the way back in 2005. Aldo has always been a magician on the ground, whereas Bautista will look to impose his will and exhaust Aldo en route to a victory via tap-out, which would extend his winning streak to seven. Can he do it?

2024 Topps Midnight UFC Stroke of Midnight Autos #SMA-JAO José Aldo

Kayla Harrison – Bantamweight

In one of the most fascinating fights of the night, Kayla Harrison – the first woman in US history to get an Olympic gold medal in Judo – takes on #2 bantamweight and Jose Aldo teammate Ketla Vieira. This is a fascinating matchup, as Vieira currently has the best takedown defense in women’s UFC bantamweight history (92.9%), and Harrison’s Judo throws are damn-near unstoppable – she averages almost 4.5 per fight in her short and undefeated UFC career. Whoever wins this fight will likely take on the winner of Pennington vs. Pena for the bantamweight title.

2012 Topps USA Olympics Kayla Harrison #13 Silver

Stephen Thompson – Welterweight

For the 41-year-old karate fighter Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, UFC 307 can be the end of the line. He’s lost three out of his last four visits to the Octagon, he isn’t fighting nearly as much as he used to, and it seems like his title contention days are over. Despite this, he’s still ranked in the top ten in the welterweight rankings, so the path to the welterweight title for his opponent Joaquin Buckley could be just beginning. Buckley is on a four-fight winning streak and has 13 knockouts. Granted, he’s never fought anyone like Wonderboy. Does Thompson have one more magical moment, or will he be a stepping stone for the next generation?

2024 Topps Chrome UFC AKA “Wonderboy” #AKA-12 Stephen Thompson

Khalil Rountree Jr. – Light Heavyweight

Rountree is on a five-fight winning streak, is the number 8 ranked light heavyweight, and has wins over former contender Anthony Smith and the extremely tough Dustin Jacoby. He also hasn’t fought since December 2023 and could be one of the biggest underdogs in a title fight in recent memory. Pereira is currently the -525 favorite to defeat Rountree, but with seven knockouts to his name, he has a puncher’s chance, and anything can happen at these heavier weight classes. Can Rountree make history at UFC 307 and shock the world?

2024 Topps Chrome UFC Negative Refractor #113 Khalil Rountree Jr

Alex Pereira – Light Heavyweight

No fighter has captured the imagination and adoration of UFC fans over the last three years more than Alex Pereira. Since entering the UFC in November 2021, he’s only lost to former middleweight champ Israel Adesanya (who he has defeated soundly in both MMA and kickboxing). Pereira has stepped up time and time again on short notice in various weight classes and has quickly established himself as one of the most fearsome strikers in UFC history. Will his opponent, Khalil Rountree (who also has heavy hands), play the striking game with him, or will he do everything he can to take Pereira down and capture the gold? Can Pereira stop Rountree’s progress and chalk up another easy night in the Octagon?

2024 Topps Midnight UFC Twilight #TT-12 Alex Pereira

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More Topps UFC Cards

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• Israel Adesanya Cards to Collect
• Behind the Design of Topps Midnight UFC
• Top UFC Fights of 2012