Betting alert! UFC 307 title challenger will NOT go to Utah early to acclimatize

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

This weekend (Sat. Oct. 5, 2024), UFC 307 will take place roughly 4300 feet above sea level from inside the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. That’s an important factor to consider for both athletes and sports bettors alike, because that level of altitude can severely affect an athlete’s conditioning.

In a famous example, cardio machine Cain Velasquez lost his UFC Heavyweight title to Fabricio Werdum after gassing out early in the fight. That bout took place in Mexico City at an elevation over 7300 feet, and Werdum spent over a month on location to finish his training camp.

Velasquez didn’t, and he paid the price.

There are numerous non-title fight examples. Just watch any UFC event hosted in Salt Lake City, Denver, or Mexico City, and you’ll be treated to a lot fighters fatigued midway through the second round.

Former UFC Bantamweight champion and current title challenger, Julianna Pena, is not worried, however. According to “The Venezuelan Vixen,” she’s fought at high elevation previously without any issue, because she puts in the work and shows up in shape. As such, she planned to arrive in Salt Lake City on fight week.

“I have fought in Utah before,” Peña told MMA Junkie. “I have fought in Denver before. I know that when I went out to Denver three weeks early thinking that the elevation was this gigantic thing that I had to get prepared for, I remember going out there and after I got my first cardio session done, I was like, ‘I’m not breathing hard. Nothing’s changed. What do you mean?’

“My strength coach was like, ‘I told you we didn’t need to come out here early. If you’re in shape, you’re in shape.’ I’ll be there Monday, and I’ll acclimate. I’ll have the whole week to acclimate, and if you’re in shape, you’re in shape, and you have done your work and done your job, then that’s the confidence you need. I know that I have that mat time and all of the confidence in the world as far as making sure that I’m working hard, so that’s all that matters.”

Her opponent, UFC Bantamweight strap-hanger Raquel Pennington, lives and trains in Colorado Springs, Colorado at 6000 feet. In a fight that feels likely to go all 25 minutes, could championship round cardio be the difference?

We’ll find out in just a few days.

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