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Tag: The Sphere Las Vegas

  • Jon Anik Labels Noche UFC At The Sphere The ‘Sickest Sh*t’ He Has Ever Seen

    Jon Anik Labels Noche UFC At The Sphere The ‘Sickest Sh*t’ He Has Ever Seen

    Jon Anik is now hyped for Noche UFC after witnessing the impressive production quality of the upcoming pay-per-view event at The Sphere.

    UFC 306, known as Riyadh Season Noche UFC, is scheduled for September 14 at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, in honor of Mexican Independence Day. The landmark event will represent a significant milestone for the promotion, as it will be the first time a sponsor secures the prestigious title partner status in UFC history.

    The fight card, stacked with a lineup of Mexican fighters, will feature two title bouts. In the main event, Sean O’Malley will defend his UFC bantamweight crown against Merab Dvalishvili, while the co-main event will see Alexa Grasso put her UFC flyweight title on the line in a highly anticipated trilogy bout against Valentina Shevchenko.

    Noche UFC could be Dana White’s most extravagant venture yet, with the UFC CEO reportedly investing over $20 million to craft an unforgettable experience. The event is set to be the first-ever live sporting spectacle at The Sphere, a massive arena featuring stunning wraparound LED screens in 16K resolution and immersive sound technology.

    With cutting-edge audio and visual technology at its disposal, the UFC plans to deliver a groundbreaking production level at Noche UFC. Anik, having already caught a sneak peek, is buzzing with anticipation…

    Anik Blown Away by Noche UFC’s Spectacular Production At The Sphere

    Anik recently took to X to share a report from MMA Fighting, unveiling that the UFC, in partnership with ESPN, will premiere a series of six short films during Noche UFC, celebrating Mexico’s profound impact on combat sports.

    These 90-second vignettes, crafted to air between the main card fights, are helmed by acclaimed director Glenn Weiss, known for producing major live events like the Oscars and Emmys, with Carlos Lopez Estrada contributing his talents to bring the project to life.

    In another post, the UFC’s play-by-play commentator revealed that he got an exclusive preview of what the promotion has in store for their upcoming event, and he’s absolutely stunned by the sheer scale and brilliance of the production.

    “Earlier this week, I got my first look at some of the visual experiences for the UFC’s September 14th Sphere show,” Anik tweeted. “Maybe the sickest sh*t I’ve ever seen. This is the most involved, sophisticated live broadcast of which I’ve been a part. Gonna be absolutely nuts. #NocheUFC”

    The Sphere, located just off the iconic Las Vegas Strip behind the grand Venetian and Palazzo resorts, was brought to life by James L. Dolan, the owner of Madison Square Garden, in collaboration with the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. Construction began in 2018 with a jaw-dropping $2.3 billion price tag.

    The venue’s LED exterior covers a massive 580,000 square feet, towering 366 feet tall and stretching 516 feet wide. Inside, an astonishing 167,000 individually amplified speakers fill the space, while the video wall boasts 173 million individual LED light nodes. The Sphere can accommodate 17,600 attendees for concerts, though the seating will be slightly reduced for Noche UFC, holding around 17,000 for the historic event.

  • Marlon Vera Questions Merab Dvalishvili’s Chin Ahead Of Sean O’Malley Title Fight: ‘If You’re Getting Dropped By Cejudo…’

    Marlon Vera Questions Merab Dvalishvili’s Chin Ahead Of Sean O’Malley Title Fight: ‘If You’re Getting Dropped By Cejudo…’

    UFC bantamweight Marlon Vera can see former opponent Sean O’Malley stopping Merab Dvalishvili early when they square off at the Sphere.

    O’Malley, the reigning 135-pound champion, is currently gearing up for his second defense of the title since winning it from Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 in Boston last August. “Sugar” got his divisional rule underway in emphatic style this past March, dominantly outpointing “Chito” in their headlining rematch at UFC 299 in Miami.

    Vera will be the first to return to action, battling Deiveson Figueiredo this Saturday in Abu Dhabi. The champ, meanwhile, is slated to put his gold on the line opposite Dvalishvili in the main event of UFC 306/Noche UFC.

    O’Malley will look to stall the Georgian challenger’s title ambitions inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere on September 14. And should he connect with a shot early, Vera thinks he has a good chance of doing so…

    Vera: O’Malley Could Finish Dvalishvili ‘If He Catches Him Early’

    During his appearance at media day ahead of this weekend’s UFC Fight Night, Vera looked ahead to his opportunity to revive his title ambitions and commented on the next championship bout set for the 135-pound division.

    After laying some heavy praise on his most recent opponent, the Ecuadorian gave a dismissive take on Dvalishvili, highlighting the knockdown he suffered opposite Henry Cejudo this past February as evidence he can be knocked out.

    “(O’Malley’s) a great fighter. I would be more worried about Merab’s chin,” Vera said. “He’s been dropped by everybody. I mean, if you get dropped by Henry Cejudo, good lord. F*ck, that’s a f*cking four-foot motherf*cker right there. If he (O’Malley) catches him early, the fight could be over.”

    O’Malley has shared a similar prediction, vowing to repeat the feat he achieved opposite Dvalishvili’s teammate in 2023 to deliver a statement-making second successful defense in Las Vegas this fall.

  • Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Official For Noche UFC Main Event At The Sphere

    Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Official For Noche UFC Main Event At The Sphere

    Sean O’Malley’s bantamweight championship will be on the line when mixed martial arts’ leading promotion arrives at the Sphere for UFC 306 on September 14.

    The promotion will stage its sophomore celebration of Mexican Independence Day on September 14. While Las Vegas is once again the host destination, the Octagon will be in a much different environment this time around.

    Instead of the T-Mobile Arena for the second straight year, the 2024 edition of Noche UFC is set to go down inside the unique Sphere venue. In the lead-up, UFC CEO Dana White has promised a spectacle like nothing seen before.

    And he confirmed this week that O’Malley will be tasked with closing it out in defense of his belt opposite Merab Dvalishvili. White announced the expected news in a video uploaded to the UFC’s social media accounts on Friday night.

    O’Malley Targets Second Successful Defense At The Expense Of Dvalishvili

    When the pair share the Octagon inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere, O’Malley will be looking to make Dvalishvili the second victim of his title reign.

    O’Malley (18-1, 1 NC) captured the 135-pound gold in memorable fashion last August, concluding the Boston-held UFC 292 pay-per-view event with a shocking second-round knockout of longtime champ Aljamain Sterling. The result brought “Funk Master’s” record-breaking rule to an end and set up the chance for his teammate to avenge the setback.

    While he’s had to wait for “Sugar” to settle unfinished business with Marlon Vera at UFC 299 in Miami this past March, Dvalishvili (17-4) finally has his first shot at title glory in mixed martial arts booked in.

    The Georgian has had to win 10 straight fights and go unbeaten since 2018 to make it happen. He’s most recently defeated three former champs, getting the better of José Aldo, Petr Yan, and Henry Cejudo on the scorecards to leave no doubt about his status as the unrivaled number one bantamweight contender.

  • Diego Lopes Dismisses Aljamain Sterling, Movsar Evloev Fights For UFC 306 At The Sphere: ‘Makes No Sense’

    Diego Lopes Dismisses Aljamain Sterling, Movsar Evloev Fights For UFC 306 At The Sphere: ‘Makes No Sense’

    UFC featherweight contender Diego Lopes will seemingly take nothing but a top five opponent for his planned appearance at the Sphere this fall — excluding Movsar Evloev.

    Lopes is a few weeks on from his latest success on mixed martial arts’ stage. The Mexico-based Brazilian had his hand raised in the UFC 303 co-main event, ending what had been a tumultuous International Fight Week for him with a fourth straight win.

    After original opponent Brian Ortega withdrew on the day having already forced a change in weight on the Friday, Lopes was left sharing the Octagon with Dan Ige on just hours’ notice.

    The 29-year-old outpointed “50K” and was rewarded with a boost to #12 in the featherweight rankings. Next up, Lopes is looking to break into the top 10, but he won’t be wilfully accepting anyone above him in the pecking order…

    Lopes Not Interested In First-Time Sterling Fight Or Evloev Rematch

    During a recent interview with Canal Encarada, Lopes looked back on his victory on June 29 and addressed what he hopes will come on the heels of it.

    In the aftermath of UFC 303, Lopes called for a spot on the upcoming Noche UFC card at the Sphere on September 14. He’s since been called out for that date by two top 10 contenders in former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and ex-opponent Movsar Evloev.

    But having been scheduled to do battle with higher-ranked featherweight in Brian Ortega, Lopes has little interest squaring off against Sterling or Evleov, and that’s in spite of the Russian sitting inside the top five.

    “It doesn’t make sense now,” Lopes said when asked about possibly facing Sterling next (h/t MMA Fighting). “We were going to fight the number three in the world, then we fought the number 13 and went up two positions. The UFC has basically guaranteed me a fight with a top-five (opponent) now, so Aljamain Sterling makes no sense, and neither does a rematch with Movsar.

    “They know I’m in a good spot right now, They know I was going to fight the number three in the world and I’m kicking down the door for a title fight, so they want the buzz for themselves,” Lopes continued. “It makes no sense for them to call me out since they’re ranked higher than me. It makes no sense, but they know I’m generating a lot (of buzz) with fans and the UFC.”

    Lopes has instead called for a rearranged bout against Ortega or a Sphere meeting with ex-featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski.

    Sterling, meanwhile, acknowledged the Brazilian’s stance and readjusted his sights to Evloev, reiterating his willingness to face the unbeaten Russian at a September event.

  • Report: UFC Expected To Choose O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili For Sphere Main Event Over Topuria vs. Holloway

    Report: UFC Expected To Choose O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili For Sphere Main Event Over Topuria vs. Holloway

    Should current plans come to fruition, the bantamweight gold will be on the line at the Sphere-held Noche UFC event this fall.

    The promotion will stage its sophomore celebration of Mexican Independance Day on September 14. While Las Vegas is once again the host destination, the Octagon will be in much different surroundings this time around.

    Instead of the T-Mobile Arena for the second straight year, the 2024 edition of Noche UFC is set to go down inside the unique Sphere venue. In the lead-up, UFC CEO Dana White has promised a spectacle like nothing seen before.

    That hype initially left many predicting a stacked lineup to mark the occasion, but it seems those wishing for two blockbuster championship fights at the top of the lineup won’t be getting their wish granted…

    Helwani Dismisses Talk Of Both O’Malley & Topuria Defending Titles At The Sphere

    While Alexa Grasso’s second defense of the flyweight title has long been expected high up the card, there’s been considerable uncertainty when it comes to the other major matchups.

    Most notably, champions Sean O’Malley and Ilia Topuria have gone back and forth with their respective expected next challengers, Merab Dvalishvili and Max Holloway, over potential Sphere battles.

    Talk of both bouts taking place on September 14 picked up following comments on the official French-Canadian broadcast of this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Denver.

    Unfortunately, it appears that one of those pairings won’t feature at the Sphere.

    During a recent episode of his show, The MMA Hour, host Helwani provided an update on the UFC’s fall plans and addressed the rumors floating around regarding the Sphere-held pay-per-view.

    “The plan was always the Grasso title defense…and then the plan has for some time been ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley vs. Merab,” Helwani said. “Now, both fights aren’t official just yet. They haven’t been signed. But that has been the plan.

    “If they did go with that fight, then the other plan would be Ilia vs. Max most likely on the October 5 Utah card (UFC 307), which hasn’t been officially announced yet. Also on that card, we suspect, Julianna Peña vs. Raquel Pennington,” Helwani continued. “Can’t imagine they would put a Spaniard on a Noche UFC card.”

    This week also saw White provide additional details on the event, revealing that the plan is for just 10 fights to take place during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

    He also claimed the cost has already exceeded $17 million, supporting Helwani’s mention of finances as the reason why neither the possibility of Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler nor a three title fight card were entertained.

  • Dan Ige Makes Fresh Plea For Diego Lopes Rematch With ‘Equal Opportunity To Prepare’ At Sphere-Held UFC 306

    Dan Ige Makes Fresh Plea For Diego Lopes Rematch With ‘Equal Opportunity To Prepare’ At Sphere-Held UFC 306

    Should Diego Lopes not get the names he’s after at UFC 306, Dan Ige has called for the chance to face him again on the back of a full camp.

    Had plans not changed in a dramatic way late last month, Ige would currently being gearing up for a collision at the Apex with Chepe Mariscal on July 20. Instead, “50K” is drinking in widespread acclaim for his efforts on the grand stage of UFC 303.

    Ige awoke on June 29 with no expectation to fight at the International Fight Week pay-per-view in Las Vegas. But when illness forced Brian Ortega out of his co-main event against Lopes, the always game featherweight veteran answered the call.

    And the Hawaiian fought competitively across three rounds against Lopes in their 165-pound catchweight contest, which marked the third different weight for the Mexico-based Brazilian during fight week.

    The 32-year-old ultimately fell short on the scorecards, but you’d do well to find someone seeing him as a loser on the night. Ige’s decision to save the day at T-Mobile Arena also no doubt banked him some good faith with the UFC, and he’s hoping to cash that in on September 14…

    Ige Suggests Fans Would Love Second Lopes Fight On Full Camps

    In the aftermath of his extremely late-notice battle with Lopes, Ige dismissed talk of staying on the July 20 lineup and instead requested a spot on the Noche UFC card, set for the Sphere in Las Vegas this fall.

    Lopes had the same event in his crosshairs, calling for either a rescheduled showdown with Ortega or a matchup with former champion Alexander Volkanovski.

    In a recent post on social media, Ige acknowledged that Lopes deserves a top five name like “T-City” or “Alexander the Great.” But should that not come to fruition, he’d love nothing more than the chance to face the rising star with a full preparation in tow.

    “I heard Yair is still climbing Mt. Everest and won’t be ready for the sphere,” Ige wrote. “Diego you deserve a higher rank for sure but if you don’t get what you want then I’m sure the fans would love to see us run it back with full camps and equal opportunity to prepare. What better place then make history again at the sphere 🫡 🇲🇽 #NocheUFC #fightersfight#stayready“

    Prior to his loss at the hands of Lopes, Ige opened his account for 2024 in brutal fashion, stopping Andre Fili in the first round at UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer this past February.

    Lopes, meanwhile, has now won all four of his fights since an impressive showing in defeat on debut against Movsar Evloev last May.

  • Aljamain Sterling Moves On From Movsar Evloev Matchup, Targets Different Ranked Featherweight For The Sphere

    Aljamain Sterling Moves On From Movsar Evloev Matchup, Targets Different Ranked Featherweight For The Sphere

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has appeared to lose patience with the undefeated Movsar Evloev.

    Sterling announced his arrival in the featherweight division with a successful divisional debut at UFC 300 this past March. “Funk Master” utilized his grappling to limit all of Calvin Kattar’s offense en route to the scorecards.

    Since then, much of the discussion regarding Sterling’s sophomore outing at 145 pounds has involved Evloev, who sits three places above the ex-bantamweight at #5 in the rankings.

    While the pair expressed mutual interest in the fight, they’ve since been at odds over its apparent delay, with both throwing blame at one another.

    Evidently, Sterling has now had enough of that back and forth…

    Sterling Adjusts Sights From Evloev To Lopes

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sterling provided an update on his future plans, as he looks to climb toward the gold at 145 pounds in pursuit of two-division glory.

    With a lengthy period of discourse with Evloev not resulting in an official booking, “Funk Master” expressed frustration at the Russian’s ongoing “excuses.”

    And with that, he has a fresh name in mind for his desired appearance at the Sphere for Noche UFC this fall.

    “Stay tuned. Hopefully we’ll have some fight news for you guys. I’m thinking about Aljamain Sterling vs. Diego Lopes as the Sphere,” Sterling said. “That has a nice ring to it.

    “Movsar, I don’t know what the hell he’s doing. I gave him a date, he hasn’t accepted yet. He started making all these excuses,” Sterling continued. “Either you want to fight on my terms or I’ll go fight somebody else. So, Diego Lopes, if you oblige, let’s make it happen at the Sphere, September 14.”

    Interestingly, Evloev’s different take on why the long-discussed fight with Sterling isn’t coming to fruition has also led him to the doorstep of Lopes and a potential rematch.

    Lopes is one of the fastest-rising names in the division, having followed a competitive short-notice debut against Evloev last May with four straight wins, the first three of which came in the opening round.

    Most recently, the Mexico-based Brazilian defeated Dan Ige in a UFC 303 matchup that came about on just hours’ notice following the extremely late withdrawal of Brian Ortega.

    While Lopes remains outside the top 10 and four places below Sterling in the featherweight pecking order, “Funk Master” seemingly wants to capitalize on the hype around the 29-year-old’s name on a major platform this September.

  • Jonathan Martinez Calls For Dominick Cruz Sphere Showdown After Taking Issue With His Commentary

    Jonathan Martinez Calls For Dominick Cruz Sphere Showdown After Taking Issue With His Commentary

    Jonathan Martinez has a bone to pick with former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, one that he wants to settle in the unique surroundings of the Sphere this fall.

    Martinez is on the hunt for his next assignment on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage following a disappointing night at the office in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this past May, where he fell to defeat at the hands of the returning José Aldo in the UFC 301 co-main event.

    Having risen into the rankings at 135 pounds courtesy of six straight wins following a knockout loss to Davey Grant, Martinez looked to ride the momentum from victories over Cub Swanson, Said Nurmagomedov, and Adrian Yañez into his showdown with the UFC legend.

    Unfortunately for the #14-ranked contender, he was convincingly outpointed at Jeunesse Arena, and he subsequently had to watch on as Aldo returned to the top 10 spot he had desired.

    A couple of months on, the Factory X standout is looking ahead to his opportunity to bounce back, and he hopes it’ll come against another prominent name in the sport…

    Martinez Was ‘Never A Fan’ Of Cruz

    During an interview with MMA Junkie at UFC X during International Fight Week, Martinez reflected on his setback in South America and named his preferred option moving forward.

    After outlining his desire to join the lineup for the upcoming pay-per-view event at Las Vegas’ Sphere on September 14, Martinez pitched former champion Dominick Cruz as the ideal opponent.

    Explaining that choice, the 30-year-old Californian said he’s been noting some frustrating remarks from “The Dominator” while he’s been commentating over his fights in recent times.

    “I want to be on that (Sphere) card in September,” Martinez said. “I want to be on that card, and I’ve been hearing Dominick Cruz wants to fight on that date, too. Hopefully they give me him. I just hear him every time I fight he’s always saying, ‘I don’t know why they don’t check Jonathan’s kicks.’ Put him in front of me and let him do that and see what happens.”

    While analyzing his defeat to Aldo, Martinez admitted that he was somewhat starstruck by the “King of Rio” on May 4. Suffice to say, he wouldn’t have that issue should he be stood across from Cruz inside the cage down the line…

    “I was never a fan. He was just there to me.”

    The promotion is set to stage its second Mexican Independence Day celebration, titled Riyadh Season Noche UFC, from the Sphere on September 14.

    While nothing major has been announced toward the top of the card to date, the likes of Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez, Yazmin Jauregui, and Edgar Cháirez are among the names with reported matchups for the lineup thus far.

  • Diego Lopes Highlights Two Opponents He’d Like To Face In Sphere Return After UFC 303 Win

    UFC featherweight fan favorite Diego Lopes has his sights set on two options for his expected matchup at the Sphere this September.

    Lopes’ outing at this past weekend’s UFC 303 pay-per-view event was among the biggest stories throughout International Fight Week, as he co-headlined in incredible circumstances.

    After answering a short-notice call to face Brian Ortega on the June 29 card following the original co-main event falling through, the Mexican-based Brazilian stepped up once again when “T-City” couldn’t make the featherweight limit last Friday morning.

    On fight day, however, Lopes found himself back on the scales, this time to weigh in for a 165-pound catchweight contest against Dan Ige. That came about after Ortega was struck by illness hours before UFC 303.

    Lopes ultimately emerged victorious over his late-notice replacement opponent, grinding out a unanimous decision victory across three rounds of action inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

    Pre-fight, Lopes had already announced his intention to make the turnaround to fight at the Sphere in September. And having gone above and beyond last week, it would appear that the UFC is unsurprisingly set to grant that wish…

    Lopes Calls For Rescheduled Ortega Fight Or Volkanovski Clash At The Sphere

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaXTQaGJF9s

    During a backstage media scrum at T-Mobile Arena, Lopes reflected on his tumultuous fight week and victorious performance at UFC 303 while in conversation with reporters.

    Responding to a question regarding his next fight from Caroline Pearce of TNT Sports, the Mexican-based Brazilian reiterated his plan to make the walk inside the Sphere for Riyadh Season Noche UFC.

    And the surging featherweight also had a couple of opponents in mind…

    “I would really love to fight on the Sphere (card). If you think about this, it’s such a special day, Mexican Independence Day weekend. I live in Mexico. It would be amazing to fight,” Lopes said. “They could just basically reschedule the fight against Ortega, I’d love that.

    “If that’s not available, I’d love to have a fight against Alexander Volkanovski. I think that would be a great fight as well,” Lopes continued. “I think we need to sit down with the UFC and check what the plans are, but I think it should be somebody in the top five that I should be fighting with.”

    When quizzed on the possibility of rescheduling Ortega vs. Lopes for the September 14 event during his post-event press conference, UFC CEO Dana White noted that the promotion needs to gauge “T-City’s” availability and plans.

    Volkanovski, meanwhile, has been taking a break from competition ever since losing the featherweight title in violent fashion against Ilia Topuria in February.

    While he’s been firm in stating that the gold will be on the line in his comeback fight, perhaps the allure of the Sphere could tempt the Australian to do battle with one of the division’s fastest-rising names.