Crisp and brutal striking once again proved key to success for Ignacio Bahamondes, as he scored a first-round finish while competing on the preliminary card of UFC 306.
Bahamondes managed to drop opponent Manuel Torres earlier in the first round and followed up with ground-and-pound, but Torres managed to survive and throw up his guard.
Torres returned to his feet and lunged forward with his counter attack. That proved to be his downfall, however, as Bahamondes landed another cracking right hand, finishing the fight from there.
Ignacio Bahamondes Impresses With Another First-Round Finish At The Sphere
Such a low IQ effort by Manuel Torres!! Fought such a stupid fight!! #UFC306
The thing about being a super aggressive finisher with a reckless approach is that you live and die by that style. Impressive KO victory for Bahamomdes #UFC306
Bahamondes is such a fucking monster man. Great counter right hand to get that KO! Now let’s give him Thiago Moises and then we can start talking about Top 15 contention #UFC306#UFCNoche
Torres was moving forward far too much. Too hasty. Needed to plan attacks and counters more against a sniper like Ignacio. #UFC306#UFCNoche#goodnight#ouch
Bahamondes has now won five of six fights since dropping his last contest in 2021. Bahamondes entered the UFC off a brutal knockout of Edson Gomez during the 2020 season of Dana White’s Contender Series.
Torres, a DWCS alum in his own right, suffers his first Octagon defeat and sees a six-fight win streak snapped. He had entered tonight’s fight off a quick submission of Chris Duncan in February.
Joshua Van came out on top in an early fight of the night contender against Edgar Cháirez at UFC 306.
After Raul Rosas Jr. got proceedings underway inside the Sphere with a largely uneventful performance, the flyweights in the second fight of the night turned the heat up.
The second round in particular produced one of the best back-and-forth battles of the year, where both men could have been finished at different points.
Ultimately, Van did enough to seal the victory after stepping in late notice, taking the second and third rounds to win 29-28 across all three scorecards.
MMA Fans React To Flyweight Barnburner Between Joshua Van & Edgar Cháirez
Just like that, Noche UFC feels like it is properly underway after Van and Cháirez helped to set the tone for the rest of the evening.
MMA fans reacted on social media to a fantastic clash at 125 pounds which featured some vintage Mexican fighting spirit.
That was a really good performance from Joshua Van, really impressed with the way he mixed up his combinations #NocheUFC
A year on from their originally scheduled showdown, UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic will finally do battle inside the prestigious surroundings of Madison Square Garden.
Not many topics have remained at the surface this year quite like the heavyweight championship conversation, which boasts two titleholders in the form of Jones and Tom Aspinall.
Although the Brit captured interim gold courtesy of Jones vs. Miocic getting postponed in late 2023, both “Bones” and the UFC have long remained firm in dismissing calls for a unification fight.
And in spite of plenty of campaigning from Aspinall and many in the MMA community, Jones’ first title defense is now officially set to come against the returning Miocic, who hasn’t been in action since suffering a devastating knockout at the hands of Francis Ngannou over three years ago.
The promotion confirmed to ESPN that the two legends will give an MSG clash a second go, headlining the UFC 309 pay-per-view on November 16.
Jon Jones will face Stipe Miocic for the UFC heavyweight title at #UFC309 on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden, UFC announced. pic.twitter.com/KzdtNoOXIx
Jones Set For First Defense 20 Months On From UFC Heavyweight Title Win
Jones (27-1, 1 NC), a former champ at 205 pounds, last entered the cage in March 2023. Over three years on from his final title defense in the lower weight class, the Rochester native debuted at heavyweight by submitting Ciryl Gane in one round to capture the then-vacant title.
His attempt to get his reign quickly underway with a defense eight months later didn’t come to fruition after a torn pectoral tendon forced him out of the MSG-held UFC 295 last November.
That injury also significantly delayed the comeback of Miocic (20-4), whose lengthy layoff has been extended by a year. The Ohio native’s previous outing came inside the Apex, where his second reign on the heavyweight throne came to a thunderous halt courtesy of Ngannou. He’d previously defeated Daniel Cormier in back-to-back fights to edge their trilogy.
With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 309 are as follows:
Jon Jones (C) vs. Stipe Miocic (heavyweight championship main event)
Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler (lightweight co-main event)
Nikita Krylov vs. Azamat Murzakanov (light heavyweight)
Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders (middleweight)
Viviane Araújo vs. Karine Silva (women’s flyweight)
Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee (bantamweight)
Karine Silva vs. Viviane Araújo (women’s flyweight)
Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura (women’s flyweight)
And headlining inside the OVO Arena Wembley in London on September 14 was nine-fight Bellator veteran Leah McCourt. After the cancellation of a championship rematch between Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards, her clash with Australia’s Sara Collins was promoted to main event status.
The Melbourne native remained undefeated, submitting McCourt inside the opening round to secure top contender status for Cris Cyborg’s Bellator women’s featherweight title.
IT'S ALL OVER! 😳
Sara Collins stops Leah McCourt in the first via RNC!
Also of note was the return of England’s own Simeon Powell, who overcame two knockdowns in the opening round to fall on the right side of a split decision against Rafael Xavier in the co-headliner. Beforehand, former UFC athlete Marc Diakiese made a successful debut and unbeaten American prospect Archie Colgan continued his winning ways.
With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights.
Bellator Champions Series: McCourt vs. Collins Results & Highlights
Full Card:
Women’s Featherweight: Sara Collins def. Leah McCourt via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 2:25
Light Heavyweight: Simeon Powell def. Rafael Xavier via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Light Heavyweight: Luke Trainer def. Laurynas Urbonavicius via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 4:15
Lightweight: Marc Diakiese def. Tim Wilde via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
It seems that Michael Chandler finally got sick of waiting.
For the past year-and-a-half, Chandler has been penciled in as the return opponent for Conor McGregor. The former two-division UFC champion had his comeback announced toward the start of 2023, with the Irishman scheduled to coach opposite “Iron” on The Ultimate Fighter before sharing the cage with him.
But after 2023 passed by without that matchup reaching the Octagon, talk of a UFC 300 headliner dissipated, and an official fight date in the form of UFC 303 fell through, another calendar year looks set to come and go with the absence of “The Notorious” star.
Plenty have been urging the former Bellator champ to move on and take another fight. Despite frequently dismissing those calls, it seems that Chandler has now listened. After speaking with UFC CEO Dana White, Barstool Sports’ Robbie Fox reported in a social media video that Chandler will indeed take a fight amid the uncertainty surrounding McGregor’s return.
That bout? A five-round rematch with former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden on November 16.
CORRECTION: I just got off the phone with Dana White, and there was a slight misunderstanding here. Michael Chandler may still fight Conor in his return next year, but he’s taking another fight first…. https://t.co/HanYNbDN7ppic.twitter.com/zh8CqD6QGu
Chandler vs. Oliveira 2 Set Three Years On From Title Fight
The major news means Chandler (23-8) and Oliveira (34-10, 1 NC) will run back their May 2021 showdown, which came just two months before the most recent Octagon appearance for McGregor.
That bout marked the second UFC outing for Chandler, who debuted earlier in the year with an emphatic first-round knockout of Dan Hooker in Abu Dhabi. While the decision to grant him a shot caused debate, “Iron” came within inches of a title crowning in the opening round of the UFC 262 main event.
But after “Do Bronx” survived, he quickly landed a fight-changing left hook to drop Chandler seconds into round two, setting up a memorable TKO finish and securing championship glory for the Brazilian.
Oliveira has since fallen from the throne and failed to regain his place on it opposite Islam Makhachev. Most recently, the ex-champ was unsuccessful in his bid for number one contender status in narrow fashion against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 this past April.
Chandler, meanwhile, has had his hand raised just once, brutally knoking out Tony Ferguson in 2022. Aside from that, the 38-year-old has suffered defeats to Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier, with his submission setback to the latter in November 2022 marking his last walk to the cage.
With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 309 are as follows:
Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler (lightweight co-main event)
Nikita Krylov vs. Azamat Murzakanov (light heavyweight)
Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders (middleweight)
Viviane Araújo vs. Karine Silva (women’s flyweight)
Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee (bantamweight)
Karine Silva vs. Viviane Araújo (women’s flyweight)
Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura (women’s flyweight)
Aljamain Sterling defended the UFC bantamweight championship three times before moving up to featherweight. His TKO loss to Sean O’Malley has helped teammate and friend Merab Dvalishvili to get his well-deserved title shot, though.
Sterling has no plans to move down to bantamweight despite his featherweight debut against Calvin Kattar getting a mixed response in MMA circles. With eight takedowns and almost 11 minutes of control time, he completely shut down the striker, but the bout lacked excitement.
Aljo is scheduled to fight Movsar Evloev at UFC 307, and he’s already laid down the plan to reach featherweight gold in the promotion after his next fight…
Aljamain Sterling Discusses His Future In The UFC Featherweight Division If He Wins Against Movsar Evloev
Sterling was interviewed on the Helen Yee Sports YouTube channel recently. After backing his training partner to win the title at UFC 306, the former UFC bantamweight champ opened up about his plans to reach another division’s top.
“Funk Master” questioned the UFC ranking Arnold Allen over Evloev even though his upcoming opponent beat Allen via unanimous decision earlier this year. Regardless, his aim is to enter the top 5 ranking with a solid win over Evloev and challenge the winner of Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes in a title eliminator.
“I beat a guy like that, I think that puts me in a top-five conversation and then maybe the winner of Diego Lopes vs. Ortega. I fight that guy and then I fight for a world title.”
If everything goes according to this plan, Sterling can very well look forward to fighting for the UFC featherweight champion after a couple of fights. He acknowledged that Evloev is a high-level grappler and his cardio could be a problem in their bout.
“It’s a tough fight. Two high-level grapplers and, I think I just edge him out in every department. The only thing, that if I’m being fair, the only thing that Movsar might have on me that he’s been able to show of late that I haven’t shown is the cardio. Because he can go at that pace the whole time, kind of, reminds of a Merab and I’m not ignorant to that. I can break things down and not be biased, but I know we’ll be ready to go 15 minutes.”
“Funk Master” also understands that he has to get a finish in his next fight to get more fans supporting his rise to the title. As a result, we might see some urgency to get a submission from Sterling as soon as the fight begins.
Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili will fight for the UFC bantamweight championship at UFC 306 in The Sphere, Las Vegas. The title fight is predicted to go either way because both fighters boast contrasting yet very effective styles.
However, the bantamweight division has been so stacked lately that a couple of strong contenders are already waiting for the winner. Former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo is riding a three-fight win streak since moving up and Umar Nurmagomedov has solidified his claim as well with a win over Cory Sandhagen.
Despite no official confirmation, Chael Sonnen believes that Nurmagomedov is indeed the next title contender in UFC’s bantamweight division. He’s also predicted the perfect way to announce the new challenger at UFC 306 itself…
Chael Sonnen Looks Forward To Umar Nurmagomedov Facing Winner Of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili
On his official YouTube channel, Sonnen revealed that he ran into Nurmagomedov at The Sphere which he doesn’t think of as a coincidence. Instead, the UFC veteran predicts that the no. 2 ranked bantamweight will be seated in the front rows to appear instantly in the Octagon after the main event ends.
“The American Gangster” stated that the UFC would either have Joe Rogan announce Nurmagomedov’s title shot or he would get a proper face-off with the champ inside the ‘Octagon.
“I’m not having the debate of does he deserve it. I’m not having the debate of 18 straight, four years in the company, six in the Octagon, six wins straight. I’m not having that debate. I fully understand he could be number one contender. What I’m sharing for you, if he’s here, and they plan to put him in the front row to potentially, whether it’s a cameo for an announcement that maybe say Joe Rogan will make or it’s an organic face off. He gets in the ring and he goes nose to nose with either Merab or Sean.”
Sonnen then talked about O’Malley and Dvalishvili having contrasting takes on the next title challenger in their division. Dvalishvili thinks Figueiredo’s wins over a former champ and a title challenger make him more deserving of a shot. On the other end, O’Malley seems to have accepted the Russian’s title shot following his win over Sandhagen.
All of this would naturally not matter if Sonnen’s prediction is true. He strongly believes that the undefeated Dagestani prospect is attending the live event only to help the UFC announce the next bantamweight title fight.
It is worth noting that Sonnen doesn’t believe Figueiredo doesn’t deserve to fight for the title yet. He just sees Nurmagomedov as a bigger draw because of his last win and his training family which comprises Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman Nurmagomedov, and Islam Makhachev, among other dominant fighters.
Read More: Coach Claims Ilia Topuria Is A More Favorable Matchup For Sean O’Malley Than Max Holloway: ‘He’s Pretty Flat-Footed’
Hooker’s recent success has caught the attention of Fiziev, who, earlier this month, threw down the gauntlet on X by challenging the 34-year-old Kiwi. Fiziev even dubbed the potential matchup a “Fight of the Year contender.”
If me and Mr. Tattoo @danthehangman step into the octagon, I guarantee it’ll be an easy Fight of the Year contender 💥
However, “Ataman’s” ambitions seem to have been tossed into a cold bag by Hooker, who has expressed that he’s no longer interested in the bout…
Hooker Puts Fiziev’s Form Behind Reluctance To Accept The Bout
During a recent interview with ENGAGE, Hooker addressed Fiziev’s fight callout, revealing that he’s not keen on facing the 31-year-old Azerbaijani due to his recent string of losses.
“The Hangman” further explained that he had initially called out “Ataman” for a bout at UFC 305 but Fiziev’s request for more time meant that the opportunity has now passed.
Hooker is now aiming to fight within the top five.
“I don’t want to fight him. I’m not excited for that fight,” Hooker said. “The guy’s coming off two losses. He’s sitting on the shelf. I called him out for the Perth card; I asked him if he wanted to fight on Perth, but he wasn’t ready. Now he’s ready, but that ship has long sailed, mate. That fight does not excite me;. Obviously, it excites him, but I have absolutely nothing to gain from that fight.”
Meanwhile, Fiziev has been on the sidelines for a year following a severe knee injury sustained during his bout against Gamrot in the headliner of a UFC Fight Night event in September 2023.
Prior to that setback, “Ataman” experienced a hard-fought majority decision loss to Gaethje at UFC 286 in March of that yae. This defeat ended his impressive five-fight win streak, a run that featured pivotal victories over Rafael dos Anjos, Kevin Lee, and Renato Moicano.
At UFC 300, Justin Gaethje was on the receiving end of Max Holloway’s iconic last-second KO. The former UFC featherweight champion broke Gaethje’s nose towards the end of the first and was winning comfortably on the scorecards, making the moment all the more special.
The loss to Holloway might be a tough pill to swallow for “The Highlight”. After losing to Charles Oliveira in a title fight, he bounced back by beating Rafael Fiziev via decision and then knocking out Dustin Poirier with a head kick. A win over Holloway could’ve set him up for a title shot against Islam Makhachev.
Holloway will soon be back in action, while Gaethje has yet to spar again. Here’s how the former interim UFC lightweight champion thinks the UFC 308 main event would go…
Justin Gaethje Honestly Admits Why He’s Backing Max Holloway To Beat Ilia Topuria At UFC 308
Gaethje talked about his UFC return with some reporters from outlets like MMA Junkie at Top Golf in Las Vegas recently. After mentioning the four ideal opponents, he discussed the UFC 308 main event between Ilia Topuria and Holloway.
“The Highlight” expects the challenger to emerge victorious but was heavily impressed by Topuria’s performance against Volkanovski. He appreciated the current UFC featherweight kingpin for being patient and executing his game plan perfectly at UFC 298.
Gaethje admitted that he would like Holloway to win also because the latter knocked him out cold at UFC 300. “Blessed” overwhelmed his opponent with patient yet clear striking and a similar strategy might help him reclaim gold at UFC 308.
Here’s what the former UFC BMF title holder said when asked to pick between Topuria and Holloway:
“I mean, I really hope that Max wins. I mean, Ilia was so impressive with Volkanovski, his patience. He fought an amazing fight. Um, I don’t know. I expected something different than I saw from Max, I was very impressed. And so, in my mind, I can’t see him losing but that’s cause I just got put to sleep by him.”
With a remarkable 10-fight winning streak under his belt, Dvalishvili has been relentlessly pushing for a long-overdue title opportunity. However, O’Malley chose to defend his belt against Marlon Vera at UFC 299 this past March, successfully avenging the only blemish on his otherwise stellar UFC record.
The 33-year-old Georgian enters the bout riding high after a commanding unanimous decision victory over former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 in February. Dvalishvili’s unbeaten streak boasts decisive wins over elite competition, including former champions Petr Yan and José Aldo, as well as a host of other top-tier opponents.
Dvalishvili has undeniably toiled tirelessly for his long-awaited title shot, and now he’s primed to prove his mettle on one of the sport’s grandest stages. ‘The Machine’ is more determined than ever to clinch the 135-pound belt…
Dvalishvili Says He’ll Feel ‘Relieved’ After Dethroning O’Malley At Noche UFC 306
During a recent interview with Bleacher Report, “The Machine” gave his insights into the upcoming title clash with O’Malley at Noche UFC 306.
Dvalishvili opened up about the significance of becoming a UFC champion, a status he says he has diligently worked towards throughout his career.
“We [fighters] have just one dream: to become UFC champion,” Dvalishvili said. “After that, I’m really, truly telling you, if I die, I don’t care. I cannot even imagine [having the belt put on me], man. I just want to feel the reality. I am doing everything for that. I don’t wanna even dream about it.”
Dvalishvili also mentioned that he’s uncertain about his plans following a potential title victory this weekend, but he’s certain it would lift a significant weight off his shoulders. He expressed a desire to show that even an ordinary person can achieve their dreams through unwavering dedication and relentless hard work.
“I don’t know what I’m gonna say, I don’t know what I’m gonna do, but I know one thing for sure: I will be so happy, so relieved, and I know I will do lots of great things with the gold and with the UFC belt,” Dvalishvili continued. “I want to travel the world, and I wanna show the people I’m just a normal guy, a small guy, but I’m hardworking, and if I work hard and I got this belt, you guys can get everything too. Just work hard and just chase your dream. Believe in yourself.”
Conor McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, recently shared his picks for an MMA Mount Rushmore. Intriguingly, Jon Jones was conspicuously absent from his list.
The reigning UFC heavyweight champion’s name is a natural inclusion in any conversation about the greatest MMA fighter of all time (GOAT), and his achievements would appear to certainly validate that status. “Bones” boasts a career marked by extraordinary accomplishments and historic milestones.
At just 23, Jones made history by defeating then-light heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua in the third round at UFC 128 in March 2011, securing his place as the youngest UFC champion ever. From that moment, he never looked back, embarking on a remarkable journey that culminated in an unprecedented 13 successful title defenses.
However, Kavanagh’s all-time MMA elite list boasts an array of unexpected names, and it overlooks Jones despite his legendary career…
Kavanagh Reveals Five Picks for MMA Mount Rushmore With No Jones
During a recent discussion with Lucky Block, Kavanagh was prompted to name the greatest MMA fighters of all time. The renowned coach listed five names, deviating from the traditional four-person Mount Rushmore.
Naturally, Kavanagh included “The Notorious” as his first pick, highlighting the remarkable achievements of his student and the profound impact he’s had on the sport.
“Unsurprisingly, I’m going to name Conor first because he became the first simultaneous two-weight world champion. That’s no small feat, but also what he did for the game in general, his general introduction of MMA to a whole world who would have never seen it, really. He’s the first and maybe the only one to truly cross over into, let’s say, normal life, and obviously, now he’s in movies as well. A lot of people to be thankful that if you’re involved in the MMA industry, you probably had a few guys walk into your gym because of Conor’s influence.”
Kavanagh then listed Russian MMA icon Fedor Emelianenko among his favorites, followed by UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn, recognizing his McGregor-esque achievements.
For his fourth pick, he named another legend, former longtime UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
“Number two, I’ll say Fedor Emelianenko. He’s one of my favorite fighters of all time. Incredible Russian fighter. I’m going to say, BJ Penn, another two-weight world champion. Incredible skill set. At four, I have to go for Anderson Silva. I think some record number of title defenses and just so skillful, you watch him back in the day when he was fighting someone who’s a kind of a friend of mine, Forrest Griffin. Forrest is so tough, so durable, so good, and Anderson made the poor guy look like he’d never trained. He has amazing skills.”
The SBG Ireland founder placed the first women’s UFC bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey, as his fifth pick, celebrating her as a trailblazer who revolutionized women’s MMA.
“At five I will say Ronda Rousey and not just for her amazing victories in the UFC, but the fact that she really introduced women’s MMA to the world. Dana was pretty headstrong all those years, saying he would never have women in MMA. And I think he took one look at her and said, let’s get women in MMA. So, there we go. That’s my five.”
Kavanagh’s omission of “Bones” from his MMA Mount Rushmore is indeed surprising, but he’s not alone in leaving out the former light heavyweight champion.
After unseating Aljamain Sterling in August 2023 and withstanding a challenge from Marlon Vera in Miami this past March, “Sugar” is next tasked with stalling the championship ambitions of Merab Dvalishvili to continue his reign atop the 135-pound mountain.
The celebration of Mexican Independence Day will also see the nation’s own champion in action, with Alexa Grasso set to defend her flyweight gold in a trilogy contest opposite Valentina Shevchenko.
Ahead of the event, all 20 fighters successfully made weight. With that, every fight has remained intact, and all that remains on Friday night is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a live stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 10 p.m. ET.
Sean O’Malley recently asserted that after Ilia Topuria’s upcoming clash with Max Holloway, the only clear course for “El Matador” is a showdown with him.
Topuria is gearing up to defend his featherweight crown for the first time in a highly anticipated clash against Holloway, headlining UFC 308 on October 26 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“Suga” has been zeroing in on Topuria ever since retaining his bantamweight title against former foe Marlon Vera at UFC 299 this past March. Following his victory, O’Malley wasted no time in calling out the Georgian-Spanish fighter, even trading jabs with him on social media and igniting talk of a potential champ vs. champ super fight.
However, before O’Malley can lock horns with Topuria, he must first overcome another Georgian obstacle — Merab Dvalishvili.
The 29-year-old Montana native is set to put his title on the line against “The Machine’ in the headlining bout of Noche UFC 306, taking place this Saturday inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“The more I think about the Ilia fight, I’m like, you know what, Ilia needs me,” O’Malley said. “Who’s he going to fight next? [If] he goes out there and beats Max [Holloway at UFC 308], who is he going to fight next? I have guys lined up. I have big fights. Ilia needs me more than I need Ilia.”
However, “Suga” voiced some hesitation, suggesting that he doubts Topuria will even make it past “Blessed” at UFC 308.
“To be honest, I don’t think he’s gonna get past Max anyway, so I’m kind of switching gears from that. We got guys like Umar that I think are going to be massive fights,” O’Malley added.”
Although Topuria, who knocked out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 to capture the 145-pound title, has never openly entertained the idea of facing O’Malley, he didn’t entirely dismiss it.
After O’Malley called him out following UFC 299, “El Matador” left the door open for a potential showdown, fueling further speculation about a future clash.
Suga, congrats.. Was a beautiful performance! There is a fight chasing you with Merab.. Get that done first .
UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad has arrived at the fight capital of the world to help support a teammate of his.
Iron sharpens iron is a clichéd saying in combat sports, but it’s a commonly used phrase because it is largely true.
At UFC 306 this weekend, Muhammad believes that fight fans are going to see the evolution of one of his close training partners, who has helped him reach the top of the 170-pound weight class.
Lightweight contender Ignacio Bahamondes has been incredibly entertaining during his UFC tenure, and “Remember The Name” is expecting big things from him on September 14…
Belal Muhammad Says Ignacio Bahamondes Will ‘Show Out’ At The Sphere
Bahamondes has been in the UFC for four years now, winning his contract via Dana White’s Contender Series on the same episode as light heavyweight contender Carlos Ulberg.
With some incredibly flashy finishes on his highlight reel, he’s always worth keeping an eye out for, and his clash with Manuel Torres this weekend is no different.
The 27-year old knockout artist is looking to secure back-to-back victories at the Sphere and his teammate only has positive things to say about him.
Speaking on an episode of UFC 306 Embedded, Muhammad spoke about the relationship they have built and the hard work Bahamondes has been putting in for this fight.
“Biggest show of the year so far, the Sphere. Excited for it, here with my brother Ignacio Bahamondes. Literally my right hand man for all my camps, so to be able to come here, support him, and watch him make history, it’s going to be an epic week.
“Honestly, that’s my brother so I would do anything for him and he’s helped me and he’s helped me grow so much in all my fight camps, and especially more recently, everything that we’ve done together, I’ve seen him come in and grow as a fighter. To see where he is now, people are going to be surprised when he shows out on Saturday at the Sphere.”
The UFC has attempted to go above and beyond to make Noche UFC (UFC 306) an event for the ages that will no one will forget in a hurry.
From the moment that Dana White started hyping the event up as a once in a lifetime spectacle, there have been high expectations for the first combat sports event that will be taking place inside the Sphere.
One thing that fans who are in attendance this Saturday can expect is a greeting from the boss himself, as well as several fighters, via the use of holograms in the lobby of the Sphere.
A press release provided more information on this additional feature for the fans.
“Top names from the UFC roster will appear in life-size, volumetric 4K in Proto machines for fans to interact with in the lobby of Sphere. UFC CEO Dana White will also appear in hologram form. It is the first time Proto holograms have been used in the world of MMA. It will give fans an unprecedented selfie experience with their heroes. It is also the first time Proto will be used inside Sphere.”
MMA Fans React To Dana White & UFC Fighter Holograms For UFC 306
There has been some criticism regarding UFC 306, even if the event sounds like it’s going to be fairly unique and distinct from regular PPV cards.
The promotion has certainly spent a lot of money to deliver that, largely thanks to the backing of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, which is sponsoring the event as part of Riyadh Season.
Fans on social media reacted to the news that, going along with all of the new bells and whistles that have been added for Saturday night, holograms are now in on the act also.
“If no one slips in a ‘Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi-you’re my only hope.’ Opportunity lost.”
If no one slips in a "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi-you're my only hope." Opportunity lost.
“Tickets to UFC Noche: $3,000 UFC Noche Fighter Merch: $250 Food and Drinks at the Sphere: $450 Having hologram Dana White scream at you that Jon Jones is the P4P number 1 as soon as you enter the Sphere: PRICELESS!”
In 2013, UK MMA pioneer Dan Hardy retired from competition after being diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, which meant he wouldn’t be cleared to fight.
Hardy would later find out and reveal five years down the line that a second opinion from a different doctor revealed that with him not feeling any of the effects of the condition, he could’ve continued fighting.
Instead, the former UFC welterweight title challenger had already began his career as a commentator and analyst, which would eventually lead him to the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
As a key figure in the promotion as both a color commentator and the head of fighter operations for PFL Europe, Hardy is playing a pivotal role in helping to structure the promotion.
“The Outlaw” spoke in a recent interview with Sky Sports about wanting to bring in a “masters division” for older fighters who want to continue competing. Instead of fighting the next wave of upcoming contenders, they’d be facing opponents who are ay similar stage of their careers.
In fact, Hardy himself would be open to the idea of competing in that bracket.
Dan Hardy Teases Potentially Competing In ‘Masters Division’ In The PFL
Hardy has wanted to make a combat sports return for many years now, but in every instance, the fights or plans have fallen through for various reasons.
However, competing under the PFL banner against fellow legends and veterans of the sport would appear to be the most realistic and suitable option for an MMA comeback.
When asked whether he would put himself forward for a masters division, Hardy said that he has recently tried to speak to the PFL about having him step back inside the cage.
“Hey, why not? Yeah, why not. I actually said to the PFL the other day, we were coming out of an event and I said, ‘Look, like, I’ll dust off and come back for another 12 months,’ and I gave them three or four names. I’d be like, ‘Look, this is a good little selection of names.’”
When asked if he was being serious, he doubled down on the idea of competing once again to cap off his 36-fight pro career.
“Yeah, I’ll always fight. I’ll always fight, I love fighting, I love the adrenaline rush of it. I love the ‘do or die’ feeling of a fight, it’s the singlemindedness. You’re getting in there, you’re throwing techniques and you know, you’re hoping that your game plan is going to be the one that is victorious. I’m a little bit older now, absolutely, but of course, if we’ve got a masters division and I’ve got a few good ideas in mind…”
Sky Sports’ Nik Hobbs questioned whether Hardy would be willing to reveal any of the names that he put forward to the PFL. After some hesitation, he named former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis as a potential opponent.
“Not right now, no. But, well, I will say Anthony Pettis has always been someone I’ve had a lot of respect for and his name has been thrown around a few times regarding a future opponent for me. So maybe that’s an option, but we’ll see.”
In the champion Sean O’Malley, you have an incredibly dangerous striker who is always calm under pressure and reads fights incredible well. Merab Dvalishvili, meanwhile, is a perfect counter part to that and swaps aesthetically pleasing offense for an unbreakable will and never-ending gas tank, which he uses to overwhelm opponents from bell to bell.
In many ways, the two men are the perfect counter to one another and that provides the question: who will be able to implement their specific skillset the best?
This clash of styles that goes back to the earliest days of mixed martial arts is something that John Kavanagh referenced when weighing in with his thoughts.
John Kavanagh Breaks Down UFC 306 Main Event, Picks His Winner
Speaking to Lucky Block in a recent interview, the head coach of Conor McGregor described the upcoming bantamweight title fight as a “throwback.”
Both O’Malley and Dvalishvili are capable in all areas but there’s no denying where they are at their best, which just so happens to be their opponent’s kryptonite in this fight.
“I’m really, I’m really looking forward to that. In MMA today it’s usually two guys that are quite well skilled everywhere. And this one I feel is a bit of a throwback to when you’ve somebody very skilled in striking versus somebody very skilled in grappling, so the classic striker versus grappler. If Merab is unable to close that distance, he’s going to be in a lot of trouble. If Merab can close that distance and start chaining his takedowns together, he’s got the most incredible gas tank. He just goes and goes and goes. If he’s able to get attached, Sean’s in a lot of trouble. So it’s a very interesting fight for me as a fan and as a coach.”
Kavanagh followed up his thoughts on the matchup by giving his prediction for the fight, leaning toward the belt staying in O’Malley’s possession thanks to his lethal striking.
“If you were to put a gun to my head for a prediction, I do think Sean will catch him. He’s such a sharp shooter. He’s got fantastic striking and I could see him landing some of those big stray shots. He has a win over Merab’s teammate Aljamain Sterling so I’m sure that Aljamain is helping out Merab a lot in the preparation for this but Sean is on a real run at the moment and I could just see him getting that finish.”
Topping the lineup will be reigning UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley, who is tasked with getting the better of the surging Merab Dvalishvili if he’s to record a second successful title defense and stall the Georgian’s bid to exact revenge for his teammate Aljamain Sterling’s loss to “Sugar” last year.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see Alexa Grasso making a defense of her flyweight gold at the Mexican Independence Day celebration for the second straight year. After her Noche UFC headline rematch with Valentina Shevchenko ended in a draw in 2023, the pair will complete their trilogy inside the Sphere after coaching opposite one another on this year’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter.
Also set to make the walk on Saturday night will be the likes of featherweight fan favorite Diego Lopes, former 135-pound title challenger Irene Aldana, and highly touted youngster Raul Rosas Jr.
Ahead of the event, you can get some help from the group of experts at MMA News by checking out their predictions for the Noche UFC 306 main card here.
Noche UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 306 (as of 9/13), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Sean O’Malley (-125) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (+105)
Alexa Grasso (-130) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (+110)
Brian Ortega (+164) vs. Diego Lopes (-198)
Daniel Zellhuber (-230) vs. Esteban Ribovics (+190)
Ronaldo Rodriguez (-155) vs. Ode’ Osbourne (+130)
Preliminary Card:
Irena Aldana (-115) vs. Norma Dumont (-105)
Manuel Torres (-135) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (+114)
One of the most notable names on the Bellator roster has announced that, after six years with the promotion, his contract has expired.
Yaroslav Amosov is the former Bellator welterweight champion and still has a lot left to give in his career at just 31 years old.
Prior to losing his title to Jason Jackson in his last outing, which marked the first defeat of his professional career, Amosov compiled a staggering record of 27-0. That run included with wins over the likes of Logan Storley, Douglas Lima, and Roberto Soldić.
The Ukrainian was inactive throughout 2022 after joining the likes of Wladimir Klitschko, Oleksandr Usyk, and Vasiliy Lomachenko in defending their country against the Russian invasion.
He returned in 2023 to defend his title, putting on a dominant performance in a rematch with Storley that led to conversations regarding whether he was the best in the world at his weight.
Yaroslav Amosov Announces End Of Bellator Run, Teases UFC Future
Amosov announced the news via his own Instagram account. He reflected on his time under the Bellator banner and spoke about what could be next for him.
With nine fights in the promotion, he was able to announce himself on the global stage, and despite not competing since last November, wherever he ends up is sure to produce an anticipated debut.
“Friends, my contract with @bellatormma has ended. It was an unforgettable 6 years. A time that will be etched in my heart forever. Thank you all 🙏 soon I will announce my next actions! Unforgettable emotions during winning the title, even greater while defending it, the first defeat in 11 years, the war in the homeland… but I’m sure it’s only made me stronger 👊🏼 it’s all a small part of a big story. This is not the finish line, this is a new beginning.”
In the second part of the caption, Amosov spoke about being excited to continue his career but being “ready for a new phase.”
His final words teased that the UFC could be his next destination after he signed the post off with “See you in the octagon.”
A hunch or a leak? Dustin Poirier’s teammate appeared confident when predicting a month and opponent for his farewell fight in the UFC.
It initially appeared as though fans had seen Poirier make the walk for the final time this past summer. After a vintage knockout of Benoît Saint Denis in March, the former interim UFC lightweight champion had one last opportunity to achieve undisputed status.
But while he gave it his all through four rounds against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 in Newark, “The Diamond” succumbed to a rear-naked choke in the final frame of the pay-per-view main event.
The veteran’s Octagon interview suggested that an official retirement was on the way, but the fire beneath Poirier has not fully diminished. And after pondering a farewell fight, the Louisianan has appeared to make that decision final.
A man who knows Poirier well from their ongoing stint as teammates over at American Top Team recently picked one out…
Dawson Predicts Poirier vs. Gaethje 3 In February 2025
During a recent interview with MMA News’ Ryan Jarrell, Dawson spoke on the current status of Poirier’s career and apparent plans to compete one final time before hanging up the gloves.
While reiterating his belief that “The Diamond” is not yet done, “KGD” predicted a February 2025 return for his ATT training partner but insisted that didn’t come from a place of insider knowledge.
“I think he’ll fight in February. I don’t have any insider information,” Dawson told MMA News. “I don’t know anything. There’s no (set) date or anything like that. I just don’t think he’s done. I’ve texted him a couple times and he sounds like a man who wants to fight again.”
But when pondering a date for his own next appearance inside the Octagon, the same month reared its head…
“Let’s do February, on Dustin’s card.”
In terms of an opponent, Dawson was 100 percent certain in stating that a rumored clash with former ATT standout Colby Covington is not on the table. Instead, the 30-year-old displayed a grin while producing a different name.
“I know for a fact he’s not fighting Colby Covington. I called him and asked him about it, and he said, ‘Heck no.’ He said something a little worse than ‘heck,’” Dawson said, before smiling and taking a long pause when asked who he thinks Poirier will face. “Justin Gaethje.”
Shot-in-the-dark prediction, educated guess or a statement of fact? We’ll let you decide.
Regardless, it would appear that Poirier’s mind is indeed made up and that his memorable championship clash with Makhachev won’t mark the final chapter in his story.
I will.
Once more into the fray, into the last good fight I’ll ever know. Live and die on this day, live and die on this day https://t.co/N9H3j2OR5p
Tasked with aiding in an unforgettable night are a pair of championship headliners, the second of which will see bantamweight kingpin Sean O’Malley top the lineup in defense of his gold against the in-form Merab Dvalishvili.
The Mexican Independence Day celebration will also see one of the country’s own defending her title, with Alexa Grasso completing her trilogy with all-time great Valentina Shevchenko in the co-main event.
Elsewhere, fast-rising featherweight fan favorite Diego Lopes and former two-time title challenger Brian Ortega give their matchup a second go, while the likes of Irene Aldana and Raul Rosas Jr. also take to the cage.
Noche UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili Weigh-In Results
Noche UFC 306 takes place Saturday, September 14 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT.
See above for a replay of the Noche UFC 306 weigh-ins via MMA Fighting, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Bantamweight Championship Main Event: Sean O’Malley (135lbs) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (134lbs)
Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is high on the striking of Sean O’Malley, and he thinks Merab Dvalishvili will be in trouble if he finds himself in front of it for too long.
Two pieces of gold will be on the line, with O’Malley’s second defense of the bantamweight title set to follow the trilogy fight between flyweight elites Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko.
“The Last Stylebender” paid close attention to the headliner, assessing how the champ will handle a smothering grappling style from the challenger that he branded similar to that of the great Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Despite high praise for Dvalishvili, however, Adesanya is backing O’Malley to find the knockout blow as the Georgian enters range in pursuit of a takedown.
“Aljo (Aljamain Sterling) couldn’t get him down, and Aljo trains with Merab. I’m sure Merab might get him down, but Sean will probably get back up. And if he (Dvalishvili) doesn’t get him down, he’s in trouble,” Adesanya said. “Styles make fights. Merab’s style is not Aljamain’s style. When we trained together, he had a different pace, cardio, and different energy as well. … Sean can fight. I’ve seen him in round four, round five look clean. But Merab is like, Khabib-esque. He’s a mauler.
“While Sean’s finding his groove, Merab’s gonna put it on him and just try to take him down. If he gets him down, it’ll be just when Sean gets tired,” Adesanya continued. “When you know someone is coming for a takedown constantly, you can find it, you can find the shot, and Sean can find the shot. … Yeah, I’m gonna go Sean by TKO.”
O’Malley will look to prove Adesanya’s prediction correct come fight night in Las Vegas by sending Dvalishvili to the same fate as teammate Sterling fell to in August 2023.
Former interim UFC lightweight champion and BMF titleholder Justin Gaethje is beginning to look ahead to his return fight.
Gaethje entered 2024 riding high off the back of a memorable knockout victory over Dustin Poirier in Salt Lake City the previous July. The result saw the Arizona native avenge his 2018 loss to “The Diamond” and collect the symbolic BMF title in the process.
Although he hoped to subsequently add the 155-pound crown to his trophy cabinet, Gaethje took a detour to put his BMF belt on the line opposite featherweight legend Max Holloway.
Gaethje has since been allowing himself the necessary time to recover and recuperate, but he’s now getting that ‘itch’. And while sidelined, the 35-year-old has compiled a group of names he thinks can help get him back to the top…
Gaethje Open To Oliveira, Poirier Rematches Or Hooker, Volkanovski
During a recent media scrum, Gaethje provided an update on his current status and plans to return to full-contact training following the scary knockout he suffered last time out.
“The Highlight” acknowledged that he is raring to go and could be back in sparring by the end of October. With that, he’s looking ahead to his next matchup and has four names in mind for his pursuit of returning to the championship fray.
“I said I was gonna take six months before I sparred. it’s been four, and I’m gonna have a difficult time making it to six months ’cause I’m itching,” Gaethje said. “I think I’m gonna give it another month before I spar and then get back into camp. So we’ll see.
“There’s kind of like, another opportunity for somebody like how Dustin Poirier stepped in. There’s not a clear contender. Obviously I have to fight, but if I win, I’m right back in there,” Gaethje continued. “Dan Hooker (makes sense). I have a list. Hooker, (Charles) Oliveira, Poirier, and (Alexander) Volkanovski is a list of four people that I think — any of those would do for me what I need to do to get back in the picture.”
Of note there is a possible trilogy fight with Poirier, against whom Gaethje has gone 1-1 inside the Octagon.
We’re deep into Noche UFC (UFC 306) fight week, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on September 14 to take to the stage and answer some questions.
Setting the stage for the headliners will be another title fight, with reigning flyweight queen Alexa Grasso looking to record a second victory over the great Valentina Shevchenko in their trilogy, which comes after their rematch ended in a draw at last year’s inaugural Noche UFC event.
As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the pre-fight press conference. The Noche UFC edition saw every fighter set to make the walk inside the Sphere in two days’ time with mic in hand.
Check out a replay of the presser below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, followed by all the highlights and faceoffs.
Noche UFC 306 Pre-Fight Press Conference Stream
Noche UFC 306 Press Conference Highlights
"Dreams come true!"@MerabDvalishvil has been waiting a long time to fight for the belt 👊
Belal Muhammad recently had a change of heart regarding his pick for the Noche UFC 306 main event.
O’Malley is poised to put his UFC bantamweight title on the line against Dvalishvili in the headlining bout of one of the year’s most anticipated pay-per-view events, set to take place at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, this Saturday.
Meanwhile, Dvalishvili rides an impressive 10-fight win streak, boasting wins over former champions such as Petr Yan and Jose Aldo. “The Machine” had been campaigning for a title shot for some time, and his wish was finally granted after a commanding victory over former two-division titleholder Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 this past February.
Initially, the defending champion was labeled as the underdog against Dvalishvili, but as fight week unfolded, the tides shifted, and O’Malley emerged as the betting favorite for various reasons.
Likewise, “Remember the Name” has also experienced a shift in perspective, now leaning towards a different pick for the upcoming showdown…
Muhammad Revises His Pick for O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili Showdown
During a recent interview with MMA legend Demetrious Johnson, Muhammad weighed in on the O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili title fight. The newly crowned UFC welterweight champion admitted that just a month ago, he believed “The Machine” had what it took to dethrone O’Malley.
However, after some reflection, he’s now leaning towards “Suga”, confident that O’Malley’s precise, well-timed striking will be enough to counter Dvalishvili’s relentless wrestling and secure his title defense.
“If you’d have asked me maybe a month ago, I would say Merab’s gonna wrestle, and Merab is on another level,” Muhammad said. “Especially with his last fight, beating Cejudo the way he did, but I’ve swayed—I’m picking O’Malley in this fight. I think he’s a sharpshooter; he’s so good at moving laterally. Merab gets hit a lot in a lot of his fights, and he’s been rocked a lot. He’s a ‘Machine’, so he’ll walk through those punches, but I just think that O’Malley hits differently than anybody he’s fought.”
“He has so much confidence after knocking out Aljo, who I think has better striking than Merab. Merab is very wild when he runs in, and even with his takedowns, he’ll sacrifice defense just to shoot in and grab a hold of you. Once he grabs a hold of you, it’s gonna be a long night, but I think that O’Malley has been training for him. He knows how to do that back step. I think I see Merab walking into something.”
“Remember the Name” expressed concerns that Dvalishvili seems to be prioritizing social media promotion over his actual training, implying that he may have lost the fire to win the title. Muhammad also criticized “The Machine” for his recent antics, specifically calling out his decision to publicize suffering a cut during training.
“Merab has just been posting. I think he’s been doing too much social media, thinking about promoting and being a character instead of training hard for the fight. You’re getting stitches, you’re showing you’re getting stitches, then you’re taking them out with scissors, then you’re drinking in Mexico, and you’re showing all of this stuff that does not need to be documented. All of this stuff does not need to be posted. But I think now he’s in that social media mindset where it’s not about the hunger anymore. It’s not, ‘This is my first time getting this title shot; it took me this long to get here; I can’t let the opportunity pass me up.’ It’s, ‘Let me show the UFC that I can be sold. I can sell myself. I can do this,’ and you’re thinking about other stuff instead of the goal, which is to win the fight.”
