Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison prediction, pick, start time for UFC 307

Both Ketlen Vieira and Kayla Harrison have judo backgrounds. What will be the difference maker at UFC 307?

[autotag]Ketlen Vieira[/autotag] and [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC 307 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

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Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison UFC 307 preview

Harrison (17-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) believes her UFC women’s bantamweight title reign is “inevitable.” If that’s the case, she cannot afford to lose to Vieira (14-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC). … Vieira hasn’t competed in 15 months. After dropping a split decision to Raquel Pennington in January 2023, Vieira bounced back six months later to defeat Pannie Kianzad by unanimous decision for her third in her past four bouts. … Harrison’s move from dominating the PFL lightweight division to competing at 135 pounds for the first time was smooth as she finished former UFC champ Holly Holm by second-round rear-naked choke in her promotional debut this past April.

Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison UFC 307 expert pick, prediction

In an interesting choice to kick off the paid portion of the card, Harrison will meet No. 2 ranked contender Vieira.

This is obviously an important fight given the title fight taking place in the co-main event, so I’m glad to see it on the main card.

Both fighters come from judo backgrounds but have seamlessly rounded their games since stepping onto the mixed martial arts scene. That said, I believe that Harrison will have the edge in both athleticism and urgency.

Although Vieira is officially 2-0 opposite UFC-level lefties and has the countering ability to cause some problems for Harrison on the feet, the Brazilian fighter can be a bit lackadaisical when it comes to taking the initiative in fights.

For that reason, I’ll side with Harrison to lead the dance in a fairly dominant win by unanimous decision.

Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison UFC 307 preview odds

The oddsmakers and the public heavily favor the American fighter, listing Harrison -1100 and Vieira +600 via FanDuel.

Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison UFC 307 start time, how to watch

Vieira and Harrison are expected to walk out to the cage at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET (8:15 p.m. locally in Salt Lake City). The fight will stream on ESPN+.

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