There was a time a few weeks ago, however, when some feared for the matchup’s place on the card after Dvalishvili revealed a deep-looking cut sustained in training on social media.
“The Machine’s” decision to publicly display the cut caused debate, with the UFC CEO being among those unimpressed by Dvalishvili’s antics.
“The whole world knows about Merab’s cut. He posted it. Our guys are so dumb, it’s next-level unbelievable,” White said during a DWCS press conference. “All the stuff I talk about boxing, what I will give boxing, is when something happens in a camp, man, let me tell you what, it does not leak. Our guys can’t f*cking wait to throw it up on social media.
“It’s a small cut. It’s no big deal. But obviously, it needed to be posted,” White continued. “Why the f*ck would you want him to know that? It is next-level stupid. Some of these guys are so stupid it’s mind-boggling. It’s unbelievable.”
Longo On Dvalishvili’s Cut: ‘One Thing Dana Was Really Wrong On…’
During a recent interview with Kevin Iole, Longo looked ahead to Dvalishvili’s long-awaited first opportunity to reach the mountaintop in the UFC.
The veteran trainer was asked about the cut suffered by the Georgian in training, which became one of the hottest topics in the lead-up to Noche UFC 306.
Longo dismissed the importance of revealing such a blemish to an opponent like O’Malley, and he strongly pushed back on White’s reaction to “The Machine’s” social media activity.
“I’m not the social media guy, so I don’t get it. But you have to expect this sh*t with these kids today. They film everything. They film tying their shoelaces,” Longo said. “He’s been a camera guy since the second I met him. He’s crazy with the camera. But look, if it was a knee injury, I’d say that would be a problem. Now you’re gonna target something. (But) he’s gonna get cut in the fight. It is what it is. He’s gonna get punched in the face. … A cut’s a cut, and if it opens up, I don’t think it’ll have an impact on the fight.
“One thing Dana was really wrong on was he called him a dummy. He’s far from a dummy,” Longo continued. “(Dvalishvili’s) very intelligent. He’s a humble guy, got humble beginnings. He’s fighting for his country. There’s certain guys that that type of sh*t means a lot. He’s one of them. He’s (O’Malley’s) gonna have to beat this kid dead, that I guarantee you.”
Dvalishvili will look to display a different type of intelligence come fight night in Las Vegas on Saturday by using his fight IQ to secure a memorable title crowning inside the Sphere.
His opportunity to do so comes in the final fight of the 10-fight lineup, on which he’ll mark the second championship challenger to make the walk after Valentina Shevchenko’s attempt to achieve two-time status at Alexa Grasso’s expense.
While “The Machine” trains in Las Vegas with John Wood these days, he’s still expected to have the likes of coach Longo and teammate Sterling in his corner this weekend.
Noche UFC (UFC 306) is now only a couple of days away, and what better way to get hyped for the upcoming pay-per-view than with some MMA News staff predictions?
The main event will see Sean O’Malley make his second defense of the middleweight title. Following his crowning at the expense of Aljamain Sterling, “Sugar” stalled the championship ambitions of Marlon Vera this past March. He’s now tasked with repeating the feat against a teammate of Sterling’s, charging Georgian Merab Dvalishvili.
Elsewhere on the main card, the fast-rising Diego Lopes once again looks to reach the top five at the expense of Brian Ortega, while Mexican prospects Daniel Zellhuber and Ronaldo Rodriguez hope to make the most of their positions on the prominent card.
Noche UFC 306: MMA News Staff Predictions
Ahead of Saturday’s Noche UFC event, Kyle Dimond, Ryan Jarrell, Thomas Albano, Andrew Starc, Pranav Pandey, and Aakrit Sharma have provided their picks for the five matchups set for the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through five cards.
Thomas Albano (19-5)
Ryan Jarrell (15-9)
Kyle Dimond (13-11)
Andrew Starc (7-7)
Pranav Pandey (1-4)
Aakrit Sharma (0-0)
And with that, it’s time for the team’s predictions for Noche UFC 306.
Flyweight: Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode’ Osbourne
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: Osbourne has fought some very tough opposition during his UFC career, but the back-to-back losses are the major concern here. On this night of all nights, it feels like the Mexican fighters are going to have some added momentum, which I think will carry Rodriguez through here by way of a submission. (Prediction: Ronaldo Rodriguez)
Ryan Jarrell: Rodriguez looked impressive in his UFC debut, winning by submission in the second round over Denys Bondar. Meanwhile, this will be Osbourne’s tenth fight inside the UFC Octagon. Osbourne has been stopped in his last two fights and desperately needs to secure a win or possibly face losing his job in the world’s largest promotion. This is a tough fight to pick because I expect Osbourne to come out dialed in and looking his best. Rodriguez is the favorite and I can see a path to victory for the younger fighter, but I am picking Osbourne to show some grit and win a tough fought decision. (Prediction: Ode’ Osbourne)
Thomas Albano: Rodriguez has been on an absolute tear ever since his 2020 loss on Dana White’s Contender Series. He’s won six straight, which includes four finishes – with Rodriguez winning his UFC debut by way of a second-round submission of Bondar. Osbourne has proven to be an exciting fighter in his own right. However, momentum is just simply not on his side. And when you look at the capabilities of both men, Rodriguez’s wrestling is more effective, and his fighting style is more dynamic. Rodriguez is continuing to develop into a well-rounded fighter, and this should help him to another finish on a big stage. (Prediction: Ronaldo Rodriguez)
Andrew Starc: Rodriguez is coming into this one off a submission win against Bondar in his UFC debut this past February. The 25-year-old Mexican is unbeaten in his last six fights, while Osbourne has lost three of his last four, including two via submission. Given the lack of grappling defense Osbourne displayed in his last bout, I think he might be ripe for a another sub in this one. (Prediction: Ronaldo Rodriguez)
Pranav Pandey: Rodriguez may still be flying under the radar, but he’s an absolute force inside the cage. His stunning submission victory over Bondar in his debut made it clear he’s anything but his “Lazy Boy” moniker. Rodriguez brings relentless forward pressure and pairs it with elite grappling skills, making him a dangerous opponent for anyone. On the other hand, Osbourne faces some tough questions about his recent form. Having been caught in submissions in his last two fights, along with showing signs of wear from previous battles, I just can’t envision this fight unfolding in favor of “The Jamaican Sensation.” (Prediction: Ronaldo Rodriguez)
Aakrit Sharma: Rodriguez showed toughness in his UFC debut and proved that he poses a submission threat on the ground as well. Osbourne, meanwhile, is coming off two straight submission losses and is unlikely to want the fight on the ground. I believe Rodriguez is the better fighter everywhere despite Osbourne boasting more experience in the UFC. Although “Lazy Boy” should try to take Osbourne down as a submission is his easiest path to victory, I’m predicting a knockout win for him. Osbourne tends to strike with his hands down, giving a sniper like Rodriguez a ton of space to land the perfect knockout blow. (Prediction: Ronaldo Rodriguez)
Consensus: 5-1 Ronaldo Rodriguez
Lightweight: Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: This should be an absolute firecracker. Ribovics has got some frightening finishes to his name and I think he will test Zellhuber early. That classic Mexican heart is going to be on display here, and I’ve seen more from Zellhuber to suggest that he will do better once this fight goes into deep waters. I expect it to be a barnburner which, slowly, Zellhuber will start to take over in with his pressure and output en route to a TKO finish. (Prediction: Daniel Zellhuber)
Ryan Jarrell: This fight very well could be your fight of the night. Zellhuber has an eight-inch reach advantage and if he uses it effectively, it could be a long night for Ribovics. Having said that, Zellhuber has to be extremely careful with the power that his opponent possesses. We saw Ribovics kick Terrance McKinney into the shadow realm in his last fight, and he has the ability to do it in this fight too. Regardless, I expect Zellhuber to use his reach and fight smartly en route to a decision victory. (Prediction: Daniel Zellhuber)
Thomas Albano: This should be a fun matchup featuring a pair of up-and-coming lightweights. Both men are very talented strikers, and we could be in for a really underrated matchup. Since his win over Lucas Almeida on Dana White’s Contender Series, Zellhuber has won three of four fights he’s had in the UFC, with wins over Lando Vannata, Christos Giagos, and Francisco Prado. Ribovics, meanwhile, has won two of three fights he’s had since his DWCS appearance, including a 37-second knockout of McKinney in May.
If Ribovics is able to get in and land a couple of powerful shots, Zellhuber could find himself in trouble. I, however, feel Zellhuber will be mindful of his distance and look to land from the outside, making solid usage of his significant reach advantage. (Prediction: Daniel Zellhuber)
Andrew Starc: The rangy Zellhuber brings an all-round skillset of striking and grappling to this encounter, along with a three-fight win streak. Ribovics, meanwhile, is coming off a 37-second KO of McKinney in May — one of many knockouts and submissions on his résumé. This will be a contest between two young DWCS alums that I think will be decided by Zellhuber’s superior grappling. (Prediction: Daniel Zellhuber)
Pranav Pandey: This could be an absolute barnburner as both fighters bring well-rounded skillsets to the table. “Golden Boy” enters as the clear favorite, largely due to his significant reach advantage, which could dictate the pace of the fight. Yet, underestimating “El Gringo” would be a mistake. Ribovics not only has the defensive sharpness to evade Zellhuber’s striking but also packs powerful punches that, when paired with his well-timed takedowns, make him a dangerous and unpredictable opponent.
I anticipate this fight unfolding primarily in the striking department, with Ribovics likely keeping his distance and looking to land heavy shots from the outside. The real intrigue, however, lies in how Zellhuber responds, as he’s just as explosive as his opponent. (Prediction: Esteban Ribovics)
Aakrit Sharma: This is my Fight of the Night contender because both fighters are unlikely to shoot for a takedown and have different yet exciting striking styles. “Golden Boy” is a master at managing distance and keeping opponents at bay through teep kicks and knees during the clinch. Ribovics, on the other hand, is a powerful striker who likes to trade in the pocket. His cardio will be an extremely effective tool in this fight, and his pace and power remain the same throughout all three rounds.
Zellhuber’s last win against Prado was extremely impressive as he was more active with punches, kicks, and knees and didn’t get hit a lot like his previous fights. The Mexican struggles against high-paced opponents, though, and Ribovics excels at landing big combinations out of nowhere. Both strikers have a solid chin, so my prediction is Zellhuber to win via decision. (Prediction: Daniel Zellhuber)
Consensus: 5-1 Daniel Zellhuber
Featherweight: Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: When this fight was originally booked for UFC 303, I went with Lopes on the back of his recent form whilst making a note to say that it seems to always be forgotten just how good Ortega is because he’s not that active. Well, after some more time to think about it, I’m going the opposite way.
It does worry me that Lopes throws a lot and Ortega takes too much punishment, even in his wins. I can see this fight being close and I think I’d probably pick Lopes if he had another two rounds to work with. Over three, I think Ortega might be able to hit UFC 306 with another ‘y’all must have forgot’ performance. Or, you could say that to steal a pro wrestling term, I’m going for 50:50 booking.
I picked Lopes last time so I’ll pick Ortega this time. Considering how hard this one is to call, I have no shame in that. (Prediction: Brian Ortega)
Ryan Jarrell: This fight is very interesting on so many levels. When these two were initially matched up, I picked Ortega to get the win. Lopes is someone who is still evolving and has not reached his prime yet. I don’t think we can say the same thing about Ortega. “T-City” had a memorable win over Yair Rodríguez in his last UFC fight and it would be no surprise to see him notch another as an underdog. Having said that, I have to go with the younger fighter here. This would be the biggest win of Lopes’ career thus far, and I think he gets it. (Prediction: Diego Lopes)
Thomas Albano: This is a huge opportunity for Ortega – and an even bigger opportunity for Lopes. Over a year-and-a-half after suffering a shoulder injury against Rodríguez, Ortega returned in a big way by submitting him in spectacular fashion in February. Spectacular is also the word to describe Lopes’ time in the Octagon thus far. Just four fights into the UFC, he’s had a narrow loss to Movsar Evloev and highlight finishes of Gavin Tucker, Pat Sabatini, and Sodiq Yusuff.
This should be one of the best fights on the card. It’s a big step up to be taking on a two-time title challenger, but it’s the biggest opportunity of Lopes’ life – and he needs to make the most of it. And the thing is, he has the capability to get it done. “T-City” might be tough to finish with a solid chin, but Lopes possesses some explosive speed and power with his striking. Even on the ground, the up-and-comer could be able to duel in grappling with Ortega with his jiu-jitsu experience. Lopes, in fact, has more wins via submission in his MMA career than he holds KO/TKOs. If he continues his run with the kind of circumstances he’s facing here, one can only imagine the kind of major doors that will open for him. (Prediction: Diego Lopes)
Andrew Starc: This is a huge step up in competition for Lopes. Ortega is coming off a submission win against Rodríguez in February, while the Brazilian has racked up three first-round finishes in the past year. Lopes is the bigger man with huge KO power, and both fighters have good grappling. However, I think if “T-City” survives a first-round onslaught from Lopes, his experience will see him get the win. (Prediction: Brian Ortega)
Pranav Pandey: This is easily my favorite matchup on the card, as I believe it has all the ingredients to be the show-stealer of the night. Lopes is on an absolute tear right now, boasting impeccable credentials with knockout potential and a formidable grappling game to match. He poses a serious threat to Ortega, potentially being one of his toughest challenges to date. However, “T-City” is as tough as they come, showcasing sharp boxing skills with impressive volume striking. But what truly sets him apart is his ability to completely shift the momentum when the fight hits the mat. My only concern is whether his durability might be starting to wane.
Both fighters have a warrior’s mentality and won’t back down until the final bell. While Lopes has the edge with his youth and sharpness, Ortega’s resilience is a key factor that can’t be overlooked. He has the ability to turn the tide in the later rounds but must remain cautious of getting caught by the Brazilian’s strikes. Otherwise, “T-City” has the experience and savvy to steal the fight when it matters most. (Prediction: Brian Ortega)
Aakrit Sharma: It’s outrageous to me that Ortega is the underdog against Lopes. The Brazilian prospect has shown resilience and well-roundedness in his UFC fights so far, but Ortega has shared the Octagon for 25 minutes with the likes of Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Because the fight is three rounds, I’m not expecting either fighter to get finished. Instead, it could be a back-and-forth brawl on the feet with some exceptionally slick scrambles in between. My prediction is for Ortega to win by decision, and his experience fighting way superior competition will be a key factor in the bout. (Prediction: Brian Ortega)
Consensus: 4-2 Brian Ortega
UFC Women’s Flyweight Title: Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: There’s a lot of factors that point to this being Grasso’s time to close out this trilogy, but there are a few issues with that — one being that Valentina Shevchenko is a bit good, and two, I can see there being a fourth fight if “Bullet” reclaims the belt. The former champ just refuses to let the division move on, but I do think that Grasso has enough to win another close fight. The first time, she capitalized on a mistake. The second time, she looked as good as we’ve seen her. I think that trajectory is going to keep climbing here. (Prediction: Alexa Grasso)
Ryan Jarrell: I cannot wait to see what unfolds in this trilogy fight. The former champion is now 36 years old and I think it’s fair to say not in her prime anymore. But I think Shevchenko is still good enough to pick up this win and reclaim the title. Grasso is definitely a tough out and matches up well with the veteran. I would not be surprised if she defends her title and closes this chapter in her career. It’s just hard for me to pick against Shevchenko. I won’t be placing a huge bet on this fight, but give me “Bullet” to win a decision here. (Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko)
Thomas Albano: It’s always great to see a trilogy fight, and considering the circumstances of their first two fights, this will really be enjoyable. We’ve never had a women’s trilogy fight in UFC history until tonight, and so while O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili is the main event, this fight (containing a Mexican-born UFC champion) should have a lot of focus.
If there is something that the first two fights between Grasso and Shevchenko have shown, it’s that Grasso is not afraid and can take it to the longtime former champion. Whether it’s grappling or the clinch, Grasso seems to have an edge. Of course, Shevchenko is known for her crisp, technical, sometimes powerful striking and being able to land from range. Shevchenko is also one of the more unpredictable and creative strikers in the cage with her fighting style, so she can never be counted out of the fight. Shevchenko performed well in both previous outings, but neither fight went her way given that she got caught in the first fight (to Grasso’s credit) and the debatable judges’ cards in the second fight (again, to Grasso’s credit on her own performance).
Though Grasso has gotten the better of Shevchenko twice already, Shevchenko is a smart, dedicated fighter who has definitely learned from the first two outings. Not everyone is ready to consider her no longer the top dog at 125 pounds, and she may very well bring a new plan into this third fight after taking in both of their 2023 outings. My feeling is that “Bullet” reclaims her throne in another competitive outing that may prove to be one of, if not the, best women’s UFC fights in 2024. (Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko)
Andrew Starc: The Shevchenko who a few years ago seemed unassailable is perhaps no longer. 36 years old now, she’s facing an opponent in Grasso who, while maybe not as technically gifted, is certainly in her prime. You could argue Shevchenko was the more dominant in their two previous meetings, and Grasso only clinched victory the first time due to Shevchenko’s slip up. This one could go either way, but it just seems like Grasso is going to pull off the win. (Prediction: Alexa Grasso)
Pranav Pandey: Grasso and Shevchenko now stand on equal footing, with each fighter well-versed in the intricacies of the other’s skills and fighting style thanks to their previous encounters. On paper, “Bullet” seems to outclass the reigning champion in nearly every aspect — whether it’s her unconventional striking, defensive grappling, or overall skillset. However, what sets Grasso apart is her freshness, giving her a physical sharpness advantage over the more battle-worn Shevchenko. Moreover, Grasso carries a surge of confidence from her previous success against Shevchenko, which could be a decisive factor in their next showdown.
Shevchenko brings a menacing arsenal of striking threats, where one misstep from her opponent could lead to an early night. However, in her recent outings, she’s revealed glaring vulnerabilities against skilled grapplers, a weakness Grasso can exploit. If the Mexican plays her cards right and capitalizes on these openings, she has a strong path to victory. (Prediction: Alexa Grasso)
Aakrit Sharma: In their last outing, Shevchenko showed glimpses of a dominant force against Grasso throughout five rounds. She was getting the better of the striking exchanges and could secure four takedowns with over eight minutes of control time. However, the UFC women’s flyweight champion had a couple of huge moments like the second-round knockdown and the ground control in the last frame that made the fight a lot closer than it threatened to be at times.
Although Grasso is unbeaten in two fights against Shevchenko and “Bullet” no longer looks invincible in the Octagon, it’s hard to bet against her. The former champ will still have a massive power advantage and, with the right adjustments, she should be able to get a decision win over Grasso at UFC 306. Grasso’s very tough and has good jiu-jitsu, so I wouldn’t predict a submission or finish win for Shevchenko. (Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko)
Consensus: 3-3
UFC Bantamweight Title: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Images: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC & @ufc/X
Kyle Dimond: This fight is going to be fascinating because of two big questions. We’ve seen Dvalishvili get hurt in the past and survive, but will he be able to do that against a sniper like O’Malley? And how will “Suga” fare against a pressure fighter like “Merab”The Machine.” This has become a real coin flip pick for me in the weeks leading up to this fight but I am going to side with and new.
I don’t see the challenger as someone who is going to lose confidence in this fight if he can’t close that gap or if he gets hurt when doing so. I think O’Malley will more than hold his own but I can also see him being stifled at points in this fight, which will give Dvalishvili the rounds he needs to take home the bantamweight title. (Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili)
Ryan Jarrell: There was a time when I was absolutely convinced that Dvalishvili would eventually be the bantamweight champion and the man to dethrone O’Malley. But I have been slowly losing my confidence in picking the Georgian to get the job done. The main reason is because of how many openings he leaves when closing distance. “Suga” is a sniper and so precise with his punching placement. I just believe that over 25 minutes, there will be a moment when Dvalishvili gets caught and O’Malley capitalizes for the TKO finish. (Prediction: Sean O’Malley)
Thomas Albano: O’Malley’s rise to the UFC bantamweight championship has been nothing short of spectacular and star-making. Having said that, he’s taking on a man who probably would have received a title shot a lot sooner if he was willing to fight his friend and teammate in former champion Aljamain Sterling. O’Malley seems to continue to get better with every fight, but Dvalishvili presents a unique challenge that he hasn’t faced before – and perhaps the toughest that he’s ever faced.
Though it sounds generic to say, this one truly is a striker vs. grappler matchup, and whoever dictates control of the fight determines how this one is going to go. If Dvalishvili is as dominant with his takedowns and his wrestling as we’ve seen him be in the Octagon, it’s going to be a long night for “The Suga Show” and his fanbase. But if O’Malley has really worked on his takedown defense and his wrestling, then he can keep this fight standing, where it will be a great night for him.
Unfortunately for O’Malley and his fans (or for me in case I get this wrong!), I feel like unless I see Dvalishvili be stopped in his relentless takedown pursuits, I’m not going to doubt him. And considering this may be Dvalishvili’s only opportunity at the 135-pound gold after just serving as Sterling’s “bodyguard” of sorts when he was champion, I don’t think Dvalishvili is going to just let this opportunity slip through his fingers. (Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili)
Andrew Starc: Dvalishvili’s relentless wrestling and cardio seem the antidote to O’Malley’s phenomenal striking, but how will the Georgian perform under the pressure of his first title fight? Also factoring into his chances is the fact that Dvalishvili revealed to the world a cut that’s prime for targeted shots from O’Malley, and that he could possibly have a staph infection. O’Malley seems the sort of fighter that steps up a notch in big title fights, and I think he’s going to use his striking to get the win here. (Prediction: Sean O’Malley)
Pranav Pandey: In my view, Dvalishvili poses a formidable threat to Sean O’Malley, primarily due to his relentless pace and suffocating wrestling style, which has consistently left his opponents gasping for air. Yet, “Suga” isn’t one to back down easily. With his exceptional takedown defense and uncanny ability to capitalize on his reach, he’s more than capable of turning a potential wrestling clinic into a striking showcase.What truly sets O’Malley apart, though, is his sharp counter-striking, which could serve as a perfect antidote to Dvalishvili’s forward pressure. His precision and timing allow him to exploit even the slightest openings, forcing opponents to rethink their approach.
I anticipate the early rounds will see both fighters engage in a tactical chess match, cautiously gauging each other’s rhythm and distance, with neither willing to overcommit too early. While “The Machine” has proven time and again that he can push the pace, O’Malley presents a different challenge. His precision striking could sap Dvalishvili’s energy reserves faster than expected. Dvalishvili’s susceptibility to being hit, particularly around the temple, perfectly aligns with O’Malley’s prowess as a devastating headhunter with fight-ending power. While Dvalishvili has the endurance to push the fight into deep waters, evading “Suga’s” pinpoint strikes will be an immense task , though the Georgian has the resilience to pull it off. (Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili)
Aakrit Sharma: Din Thomas rightly predicts that this fight won’t be a back-and-forth. Either Dvalishvili’s wrestling will overwhelm O’Malley for five straight rounds or the champ’s takedown defense and clean striking won’t allow the Georgian to be as relentless as he usually is. O’Malley has really underrated grappling. Petr Yan could take him down at will but “Suga” didn’t take much damage on the ground and hopped back up in several creative ways. He’s improved drastically since that fight, and his ability to hit you as soon as you enter the pocket should be a problem for Dvalishvili. O’Malley’s knees should also serve him well against a grappler like Dvalishvili.
If the fight goes the distance, “The Machine” will most likely get the nod, but my prediction is O’Malley winning via KO before the fourth begins. (Prediction: Sean O’Malley)
Consensus: 3-3
That’ll do it for our Noche UFC 306 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the full Noche UFC 306 card below.
Main Card:
Bantamweight Championship Main Event: Sean O’Malley (C) vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Flyweight Championship Co-Main Event: Alexa Grasso (C) vs. Valentina Shevchenko
Featherweight: Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes
Lightweight: Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics
Flyweight: Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode’ Osbourne
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Aoriqileng
Bantamweight: Irena Aldana vs. Norma Dumont
Lightweight: Manuel Torres vs. Ignacio Bahamondes
Flyweight: Edgar Cháirez vs. Kevin Borjas
Strawweight: Yazmin Jauregui vs. Ketlen Souza
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on Noche UFC 306!
Tasked with topping the lineup are two champions in bantamweight kingpin Sean O’Malley and flyweight queen Alexa Grasso. Before “Sugar” defends against Merab Dvalishvili in the main event, the Mexican will complete her trilogy with Valentina Shevchenko.
Different predictions are flying for the contest, which comes a few months after their UFC 303 co-headliner fell through on the day of the event due to sickness suffered by “T-City.”
After that debacle, Sonnen sees the fight as one of the most highly anticipated of the year. But the ex-middleweight and light heavyweight contender doesn’t believe the promotion has done justice to that…
Sonnen: There Is A ‘Very Bizarre Feel’ Around Ortega vs. Lopes
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen looked ahead to this weekend’s major PPV event in Las Vegas, specifically the most marquee bout on the undercard.
That has baffled “The American Gangster,” who went as far as to describe the fight as one of the most “sought-after” of 2024 thus far.
“Brian Ortega, Diego Lopes — this thing is so wildly interesting,” Sonnen said. “Talk about a backstory, by the way. You know how helpful that is? … When you promised the world a fight and then all of a sudden you take it away. But it’s not being promoted, guys. Why is that? I’m just asking a question, making an observation. Why is it not being promoted?
“This is one of the most sought-after fights in a period of time. Can I say all of 2024? Short-term memory with a little bit of exaggeration, yeah, it’s one of them. Absolutely it is,” Sonnen continued. “There is a very bizarre feel around this contest. There is a bizarre feel because nobody’s covering the contest! people are not talking about it. People are not getting you hyped up about it. That’s very peculiar. … This is one of the great fights of 2024. This is the most under-promoted fight of 2024.”
While it may not be getting spoken about to the extent it should be in the build-up, both Ortega and Lopes will look to ensure that the leading headlines surround their winning performance on Sunday and the days that follow Noche UFC 306.
When Brian Ortega was first announced to be taking on Diego Lopes in the co-main event of UFC 303, fans circled that one out as a fight that you can’t afford to miss.
The two featherweight contenders have got two of the most exciting styles in the division and neither man is known for backing down from a scrap.
However, if you think that that’s going to make Ortega switch up his approach, you’re sorely mistaken.
Brian Ortega Says He’s Going To Go To War With Like-Minded Individual At UFC 306
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Ortega told the fans what they can expect to see from his fight at the Sphere this weekend.
Rather than using his experience against the surging Lopes or looking to fight a bit more reserved, he’s excited to compete against another man that is always willing to wade into the fire to come away with the victory.
“It’s like I told everybody, I said that you have someone who refuses to lose on the feet and refuses to lose in the stand-up so when I say that, I bet you have no idea who I’m talking about. That’s why this is an exciting fight, you get to fight almost like a version of yourself. Tad bit different styles, same mentality.”
Ortega closed things out with one final message, promising that the judges aren’t going to be needed for this fight but he won’t be the one that requires any assistance.
“Someone is going to get finished, guaranteed. You know me, you’ve seen me. I either put you on your shield or you put me on mine. I’m not going out on my shield.”
For a long time now, the faces at the top of the UFC’s featherweight division have remained the same cast of elite level competitors.
Ilia Topuria breathed a lot of new life into the 145-pound title mix after he took the title off of the long-time champion, Alexander Volkanovski, earlier this year.
At UFC 306 this weekend, Diego Lopes will look to enter that conversation by taking out another of the division’s stalwart contenders in Brian Ortega.
None of these fights are that far away for him if he puts on a big performance at the Sphere on Saturday night and though he rates all three men highly, his preference is to fight Holloway.
Lopes sees a clash with “Blessed” as his ideal scenario because of the respect that he has for the BMF champion.
That being said, he did also mention inevitably facing the current champion Topuria down the line as two of the division’s most exciting additions in recent years are sure to meet at some stage.
“Bro, I’m big fans for the Max and the Volk but my dream fight is Max. My dream fight is Max, a lot of respect for Max. The guy stay in the UFC for so long time, the guy fight everybody, everybody in the rankings, everybody in the UFC. Max is my dream fight, title or no title. Max is my dream fight for so much respect for your career but for who you want to fight for the title, I don’t know bro. I think the division needs the new face you know, I think it’s me and Ilia is the big fight for everybody, for the new face.”
Sean O’Malley had clear star potential from the moment that he impressed Dana White with his Contender Series debut that earned him a UFC contract.
Having been the main event in his last two outings where he won the bantamweight title and defended it, “Suga” is back to headline his biggest event to date.
At UFC 306 this weekend, he will be the last man to walk out at a historic event hosted inside the Sphere for Noche UFC.
Given the demographic that O’Malley is able to connect with and his polarizing qualities, there’s no denying that he’s one of the biggest names in the sport right now.
However, a former PFL winner recently made the case for why there is another fighter on the roster that is currently the brightest active star that the promotion has.
Brendan Loughnane Says Ilia Topuria Is A Bigger Star Than Sean O’Malley Right Now
Ilia Topuria put in some incredible performances during his path to becoming featherweight champion.
What some fans may not have realized at the time is the amount of support he has in Europe from both his Spanish and Georgian fans.
This was proven in front of our very eyes when he took the belt back home to Spain and walked out, as the champion, in front of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid.
Whole Santiago Bernabeu is cheering for Ilia Topuria ❤
El Matador introduced his UFC belt in front of the 85,000+ Real Madrid fans! 🇬🇪🇪🇸❤️
Looking at social media numbers alone, Topuria has a bigger following on Instagram with 4.5 million to O’Malley’s 4.3 million, despite the fact that “Suga” has been a notable name in the UFC for longer.
On a recent episode of Uncaged by talkSPORT MMA, 2022 PFL featherweight champion and 2024 finalist Brendan Loughnane made the case for why Topuria takes the top spot right now.
“Do you know what? There’s one man that we’re missing out on here that’s totally missed the conversation. Ilia Topuria, I’d put above him [O’Malley] right now, I really would. He’s walking out at the Bernabéu! Ilia Topuria has just knocked out our guy Volk who is pound-for-pound, wherever you put him, he’s in that conversation. He’s doing the same thing that Sean’s doing. I’ve never seen anyone captivate an audience quite like, well obviously bar Conor McGregor, let’s take Conor McGregor out of this, I would put Ilia above Sean O’Malley right now. Just due to the fact of the way he finished Volk.
“Sean’s got great finishes along the way, he’s obviously finished Sterling and all that but I’m talking personally. I just, this Ilia Topuria thing and the train that’s moving at the minute, again I don’t want to keep going on about this Bernabéu thing but do you know how big, well I know you know, but that is humongous and I just know what’s going on because I have the same manager as this guy. I know the type of deals he’s getting, I know the type of circles he’s moving in, he’s had less fights than Sean in the UFC I believe and I just feel like his train is moving a little bit faster at the minute, maybe I’m completely wrong.”
To earn his long-awaited first shot at title glory at the promotion’s second annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day, the Georgian challenger has won 10 straight, most recently at the expense of Henry Cejudo this past February.
We can’t say enough about the #UFC306 Artist Series poster 🔥
Both Dvalishvili and O’Malley were in attendance for Cejudo’s previous outing, which came against “The Machine’s” teammate Aljamain Sterling in Newark last year. After the then-champ defeated “Triple C,” he faced off with “Sugar” inside the Octagon.
While the attention was expected to be on those two, Dvalishvili stole headlines by putting O’Malley’s red jacket on and vaulting the Octagon wall.
Dvalishvili Recalls O’Malley Jacket Incident: ‘What Kind Of Man Is He?
During a recent interview for UFC.com, Dvalishvili looked ahead to his opportunity to unseat O’Malley from the throne and avenge his friend and training partner’s defeat in Boston 13 months ago.
The Georgian was quick to run with the jacket story soon after the May 2023 PPV event, even obtaining a replica and claiming to have stole O’Malley’s clothing item.
That trend has unsurprisingly continued during Noche UFC fight week, with the challenger linking his ability to don O’Malley’s jacket with his plan to have his championship belt wrapped around him next.
“I want to take his belt now,” Dvalishvili said. “I already took his jacket. I have a question for you. He can’t even defend his jacket, how’s he going to defend his belt?
“He give me jacket first, and then after he was crying. What kind of man he is? When you give somebody something, you should not cry and take back. Especially, he was crying in front of boss,” Dvalishvili added.
Given the pair’s previous in-person interactions, fans can perhaps expect some heat between the two when they take to the stage for Thursday’s press conference and Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins.
The Machine is on the hunt this weekend! 👀@MerabDvalishvil is coming for the bantamweight title at #UFC306!
Instead of the T-Mobile Arena for the second straight year, this year’s edition of Noche UFC is set to go down inside the unique Sphere venue. Ever since confirming the event, White has been consistently promising a spectacle like nothing seen before.
While the jury is still out on whether the Sphere production will deliver on that, many have already made their minds up when it comes to the lineup set to accompany it on fight night.
The UFC CEO, however, sees things differently. And he’s perhaps readying up another compilation of the doubters to post following UFC 306…
White Hits Back At Those Slamming Sphere Card
During a recent interview with KTNV Channel 13 Las Vegas, White looked ahead to his promotion’s major PPV event this weekend, which he claims has cost the UFC upwards of $20 million.
In terms of media members and analysts expressing disappointment over the lineup for Noche UFC, the CEO recalled the negative sentiments some had about UFC 300 in the lead-up.
“First of all, we made these fights to be badass fights that night. We want fights that represent Mexicans and the history of how they fight in Mexico. I guarantee you that we have done that,” White said. “This event is so big, so different, and so special, yes, this is the type of event you put those type of guys in.
“I deal with this every time we put on a fight. Going into UFC 300, the critics, the ‘experts’, all the people who know about fighting talked about that UFC 300 wasn’t a good card,” White continued. “I’ve dealt with this my entire career. You hear these kind of things from, you know, the ‘experts’. All the experts about fighting are in this building (UFC Headquarters) right here. So, yeah, we’re very confident in the card and the fighters.”
Much of the criticism surrounding UFC 300 focused on the main event, which saw Alex Pereira defend his light heavyweight title against Jamahal Hill. The bout came together on relatively late notice after other options failed to come to fruition.
This time around, it would appear that the MMA community was expecting a deeper card than has come together for Noche UFC. But regardless, those set to be in action will look to make the most of their position on the prominent lineup and deliver enthralling violence inside the Sphere.
It's the fight week we've all been waiting for! 🌞#UFC306 LIVE from @SphereVegas
Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is surprised at how wide the odds are for Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes’ upcoming Sphere showdown.
While Ortega sits further up the featherweight rankings, Lopes is highly touted and riding a wave of form that has established him as a fan favorite. With that in mind, plenty are expecting him to ascend into the top five at the veteran two-time title challenger’s expense.
But when it comes to predictions of “T-City’s” downfall, Volkanovski has told doubters to hold their horses…
Volkanovski Picks Ortega To Upset Lopes At UFC 306
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Volkanovski broke down and predicted the three major matchups set to play out at the UFC’s second annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day.
The Australian will have a vested interest in Ortega vs. Lopes, which marks a key battle in his division and sees one of his former opponents in action.
And while the man he delivered a beating to at UFC 266 back in 2021 will enter the cage as a sizable underdog this Saturday night, “Alexander the Great” thinks Ortega has the skillset to grind out a decision triumph and halt Lopes’ charge up the featherweight ladder.
“I mean, Lopes is great. A very, very good jiu-jitsu guy,” Volkanovski said. “I’m surprised that Ortega’s such an underdog. I’m gonna call my pick straight away and say Ortega. Being such an underdog…pretty good odds on Ortega for this fight. Again, Lopes is very good, but I’m surprised, stylistically, how much of an underdog Ortega is.
“Great jiu-jitsu, both of them. We all know Ortega’s known for his jiu-jitsu, incredible jiu-jitsu. Lopes is a really good jiu-jitsu artist,” Volkanovski continued. “We did see with Movsar (Evloev), he was still able to control him (Lopes) a bit. … I just feel Ortega’s gonna be okay on the ground. I don’t think Lopes is gonna have something that (Ortega) hasn’t seen before. … I’m quite surprised that he’s the underdog. … Lopes is gonna find it hard to put his lights out. Ortega’s chin is like a Max Holloway chin. … I’m leaning towards Ortega. … I’m gonna go with a decision win.”
Ortega will look to prove Volkanovski’s assessment of the matchup correct come fight night at the Sphere.
And should he accomplish that feat, “T-City” will likely join his former opponent in pursuit of challenging the winner of Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway’s title clash in Abu Dhabi next month.
T-City isn't new to making history 😮💨@BrianTCity looks to make more at #UFC306!
UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley doesn’t know where upcoming opponent Merab Dvalishvili is getting his self-belief from.
O’Malley is just days away from his second defense of the 135-pound title. And just over a year on from his crowning at the expense of the previously long-reigning Aljamain Sterling, “Sugar” is tasked with dispatching of “Funk Master’s” teammate.
That confidence is confusing, according to O’Malley.
O’Malley: Dvalishvili Has ‘Never Fought Someone Like Me’
During a recent interview for UFC.com, O’Malley looked ahead to his second assignment of 2024, the first of which saw him avenge a 2021 defeat to Marlon Vera in defense of his gold at UFC 299 in Miami this past March.
As he did in that outing and many before, the Montana native is once again expecting for his speed and slick striking to make the difference against an opponent he branded “sloppy” and “slow” on Saturday night.
“(This) fight is not going to go the way he thinks it’s going to go,” O’Malley said. “This fight is going to end brutal. The way he blitzes in, the ways he’s sloppy. He is slow. It is not going to end well for him. I do not understand where the confidence comes from. I know he’s beat a bunch of guys, but he’s never fought anyone like me.”
Alexander Volkanovski recently likened Merab Dvalishvili’s resilience to his own in his prediction for Noche UFC 306.
Dvalishvili is set to challenge reigning UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley in the headlining bout of the highly anticipated pay-per-view event, slated to take place this Saturday at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Machine is on the hunt this weekend! 👀@MerabDvalishvil is coming for the bantamweight title at #UFC306!
Despite riding the wave of an impressive 10-fight win streak, “The Machine” had to tirelessly push for his long-awaited title shot. Now, standing in his path is one of the UFC’s most skilled strikers. While Dvalishvili is widely believed to hold the grappling edge, he plans to use constant forward pressure and sharp boxing to wear O’Malley down.
Volkanovski Says Keeping Dvalishvili At Bay Is A Tough Task
In a recent prediction video for Noche UFC 306 on his YouTube channel, “The Great” shared his thoughts on the O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili matchup. The former UFC featherweight champion acknowledged that while “The Machine” boasts exceptional wrestling prowess, he remains susceptible to O’Malley’s razor-sharp striking accuracy.
“Is he [Dvalishvili] gonna be open to being hit? Yes, I believe so,” Volkanovski said. “I think Sean O’Malley’s eye is incredible. His movement’s gonna make it a little bit hard, but his relentless takedown pressure, or his pressure on takedowns, I think he’s gonna eventually get it unless he gets knocked out. I don’t care how good your footwork is, you’re not going to keep Merab away from you unless you put his lights out. That’s the only way you don’t get taken down. I think Merab is going to eventually get the takedown. I don’t care how good Sean O’Malley’s footwork is, the clinch is going to be there.”
Volkanovski went on to say that Dvalishvili shares the same unyielding, never-back-down mentality that he himself possesses, a trait that makes fighters like them incredibly difficult to defeat.
“I believe, like myself, there are quite a few fighters out there who just never give up. They’re constantly there, just grinding and grinding, and it’s just too much for people. For someone like Merab, I feel like the only way I see him losing is by getting knocked out. That’s how I’ve always seen myself. I’ve always been quite confident, but I don’t believe anyone’s going to go out there and out-grind me or out-work me.”
While “The Great” predicted that Dvalishvili could clinch a win by methodically imposing his will over the entire 25-minute bout, he also warned that the ever-present danger of a knockout from O’Malley looms large.
Dana White recently lauded Al Haymon, the mastermind behind Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), for securing the iconic MGM Grand as the venue for Canelo Alvarez’s upcoming bout.
On September 14, White will be in a rare showdown in Las Vegas as two major combat sports events clash. Alvarez is set to defend his unified super middleweight title against Edgar Berlanga at the MGM-owned T-Mobile Arena, while the UFC makes history by hosting the first-ever live combat sports event at The Sphere with Noche UFC.
A HISTORIC fight week is about to begin ✨#UFC306 live from a venue like NO OTHER 😮💨
This allowed the UFC to stage one of its most expensive events on September 14, despite PBC securing the date with MGM Resorts International. Last year, White outpaced Canelo by launching the inaugural Noche UFC at T-Mobile Arena after the UFC claimed the date first. Alvarez fought Jermell Charlo two weeks later at the same venue.
The UFC and Canelo have previously locked horns over scheduling conflicts on the same night. However, White gained the upper hand on November 2, 2019, when Alvarez’s light heavyweight title fight against Sergey Kovalev was delayed by nearly two hours to avoid competing for viewers as Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal fought for the inaugural BMF title in the main event of UFC 244.
The UFC CEO initially wasn’t thrilled when PBC also locked in the September 14 date for a Canelo fight, but now he appears unfazed by the rival spectacle…
White Commends PBC For Going Head-to-Head with Noche UFC
During a recent interview with Vegas PBS, White was asked if the UFC was sending a message by going head-to-head with a Canelo event on the Mexican Independence Day weekend. The UFC head honcho, however, took the high road, praising PBC’s Haymon for his promotional acumen in securing both the September 14 date and the T-Mobile Arena for the showdown.
“I knew that there was going to be an event. You have to assume it’s going to be Canelo that night,” White said. “It is what it is. They’re going to do their thing; we’re going to do our thing. Al Haymon slid in there and stole that date from us, which I’ve got to give him props for. Al Haymon is a boxing promoter who is very, very bright, very sharp, and what makes him fascinating as a boxing promoter is that when you think of all the promoters throughout life, whether it’s P.T. Barnum, Vince McMahon, or [Bob] Arum, you’ve seen them a million times. Al Haymon is in the shadows; he’s a guy that you’ve never seen, yet he is one of the biggest fight promoters in the boxing business.”
White further added that if PBC hadn’t locked down the T-Mobile Arena for that same date, the UFC wouldn’t have opted for The Sphere as the venue for Noche UFC.
“Props to him; he [Haymon] slid in and stole my date at MGM. But if that didn’t happen, I believe everything happens for a reason. If that doesn’t happen and things don’t line up the way they did, I’m not at The Sphere, I’m not first, and a lot of other things. So this was meant to happen, and the fact that we’re going head-to-head with him that night—MGM is guaranteeing the gate to them, they’re guaranteeing them the money no matter whether they sell tickets or don’t. We actually sold the tickets that we’re selling.”
Noche UFC boasts a stacked roster of Mexican fighters and will showcase two title fights. Headlining the event, Sean O’Malley will defend his UFC bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili. In the co-main event, Alexa Grasso will put her UFC flyweight championship on the line in a trilogy bout against former champion Valentina Shevchenko.
UFC bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili doesn’t see successful takedowns as the be all and end all of his title challenge this weekend.
Having won 10 straight inside the Octagon, a run that most recently had triumphs over Petr Yan and Henry Cejudo added to it, Dvalishvili is set to compete with UFC gold on the line for the very first time.
Many in the community have gone back and forth with their predictions on who will exit the unique venue on Sept. 14 with the 135-pound belt in their possession. Most agree, however, when it comes to where each fighter will find their likely method of victory.
But Dvalishvili says fans shouldn’t be shocked if he wins in spite of O’Malley’s takedown defense holding firm…
Dvalishvili On Grappling Narrative: ‘I Beat José Aldo & I Wasn’t Able To Take Him Down!’
In terms of the expected approach and suggestions that the ground marks the only location in which the challenger can emerge victorious, “The Machine” pointed to his past success opposite renowned striker José Aldo as evidence that he can wrest the title away from O’Malley without succeeding in takedown attempts.
“Lots of MMA fans, very casual, they don’t — if they’re not watching MMA very close or they’re not training, they just say things,” Dvalishvili said. “I am number one contender. I am fighting for the belt. I am good everywhere, even striking when I need to strike. I beat José Aldo and I wasn’t able to take him down. That means I can strike too. Maybe it was boring, (but) not because of me. José Aldo was being smart.”
While Dvalishvili will look to prove as much should O’Malley withstand his inevitable grappling initiations on Saturday night, there’s little doubt where the Georgian’s main advantages over the champ lie.
The Machine is on the hunt this weekend! 👀@MerabDvalishvil is coming for the bantamweight title at #UFC306!
Between them, UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley and interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall know a thing or two about getting opponents out of there.
Both men are incredibly fast and accurate strikers who often rely on reading their opponents and lining them up for the perfect shot.
The major talking point heading into O’Malley’s second title defense at UFC 306 this weekend is whether he can land that on Merab Dvalishvili without being taken down and smothered.
Tom Aspinall Credits Sean O’Malley’s Ability To Thrive Under Pressure As A Potential Difference Maker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4awHfVkGspA
On a recent episode of Tom Aspinall’s Fight Lab on TNT Sports, the interim heavyweight champ broke down the main event that is set to take place this weekend.
When looking at O’Malley’s game and some of his previous fights, Aspinall drew special attention to how relaxed he is inside the Octagon.
This allows him to stay loose, clear-minded and creative. which the Brit believes is what makes him so effective under the bright lights.
“The timing is fantastic and as I said, how calm he is is something that I can really respect because being in there, having so much pressure on you, especially when you talk about title fights, he just makes really, really good decisions at a really good time and that’s really difficult to do.”
While “Suga” isn’t without his critics, Aspinall admitted that it was his big step-up against Petr Yan at UFC 280 that really sold him on O’Malley as a legitimate contender in the bantamweight division.
“That’s only something you can do when you’re super relaxed, you can’t do that when you’re stiff in there. You have to be like almost at that playful mindset. I was kind of on the fence with him thinking ‘yeah, he’s getting fed a couple of easy opponents and this, that and the other.’ It’s the Yan fight for me ‘cuz he showed a lot or grit in that as well. We all knew how good Yan was coming into it and then it was a tough fight, in my opinion, it could have gone either way but just the grit that he showed in there. I think he got a lot of fans’ respect, at least for me anyway.”
A lot has been made about the tribute to the Mexican people that the event is themed around but for the fans at home that won’t be sat in front of the enormous screen, would it feel any different to a regular PPV card in a standard arena?
UFC director Craig Borsari and his team have put extensive work into this specific area to make sure that even the fans that aren’t in the building get to witness something unique and special.
UFC Director On Improving Viewing Experience For Fans At Home
It would have been easy for the promotion to put on a spectacle inside the Sphere and try to adapt this venue for their regular style of PPV broadcasts, but that wasn’t going to cut it.
Borsari spoke about how, in order to make this event feel special and really get across the feeling of being inside the Sphere from the opposite side of a screen, they brought in new staff and equipment to facilitate the best possible broadcast.
“One of those principles you just touched on which is we wanted the viewer at home to have an experience as close to being inside the Sphere as possible which required us to bring in two separate TV trucks in addition to our normal A and B unit fight trucks, a separate director so Glenn Weiss is the director who will sit in one of those trucks, a whole separate set of cameras that will be designed to capture all of the content on the media plane in a way where we’re not going full frame in the broadcast but it feels as if you’re seated in the 300 or 400 level inside the Sphere watching the show.
“We could have gone about this and not put those TV trucks in place and not put those separate cameras in place and really brought you a visual experience that’s vert similar to any pay-per-view we would go on any given Saturday night, but this is a unique event and we took a very unique approach and felt that it was important for viewers at home to get the sense of the volume of the space that they’re in and try to experience that. I mean there’s nothing like being there but we wanted to come as close as we possibly could.”
UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso wants to become a member of the two-division titleholders’ club, but not at the expense of her teammates and fellow countrywomen.
The Mexican champ will appear in the co-main event on Sept. 14, once again sharing the cage with Valentina Shevchenko. After dethroning “Bullet” before retaining possession of the belt with a split draw in her first defense, Grasso is looking to close the book on their rivalry by securing a two-win lead.
Should that come to fruition on Saturday night, Grasso will turn her attention to other contenders at 125 pounds. And that’s despite harboring aspirations elsewhere…
Grasso Favors Team’s Supremacy In UFC Over Second Title For Herself
During a recent interview for Stake, Grasso assessed the remaining goals she has in the UFC, including the pursuit of gold in a second weight class.
Unfortunately for those ambitions, the flyweight queen has teammates and compatriots pursuing glory of their own both above and below. And with her preference being total domination for her team from strawweight to bantamweight, she’s happy to put talk of a divisional switch on ice for the time being.
“I would love to be a two-weight world champion. It is such a big question and goal for me,” Grasso said. “However, I have friends in the (other) weight classes such as Loopy Godinez in the strawweight division and Irene Aldana in the Bantamweight division, and our team’s goal is to all be champions in each of our weight classes. So I would have to pause that dream for now.”
While Godinez will be absent, Aldana will join Grasso as one of many Mexican standouts set to compete on the promotion’s celebratory Mexican Independence Day card this weekend, which has been branded a “love letter” to the nation by UFC CEO Dana White.
Both women will look to bring victories back to Mexico. Such a feat would also see the country maintain its sole reigning UFC champion, with Grasso emerging from her trilogy opposite Shevchenko still on the flyweight throne.
The commentators couldn't believe it 😱
Mexico's @AlexaGrasso puts her title on the line Saturday night!
Daniel Cormier says the UFC’s upcoming Sphere show marks a crucial moment for Brian Ortega’s continued stay toward the top of the promotion.
Plenty of storylines are set to play out at this weekend’s Noche UFC pay-per-view, with the most intriguing of which below the two championship headliners being a highly anticipated featherweight clash on the main card.
For “T-City,” he’ll be fighting 10 places down the rankings against one of the most in-form contenders in the division. With the hype surrounding Lopes in mind, Cormier thinks a victory could net Ortega another shot at title glory.
But a defeat? For “DC,” that could be all she wrote for Ortega’s appearances at the top of UFC cards…
Cormier: Lopes Fight ‘Telling’ On Where Ortega’s Career Is At
During the latest episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Cormier looked ahead to Saturday’s event and assessed what’s at stake for one of the highest-ranked names on the lineup.
While Ortega cemented his spot high up the pecking order by submitting Yair Rodríguez in his comeback fight this past February, “DC” believes a setback against the #13-ranked Lopes could be fatal for his continued stay at the top.
“I think this fight is going to be very telling as to where Brian Ortega is in his career,” Cormier said. “If you can’t beat these young up-and-comers, it becomes difficult to stay where you’ve lived your entire career. Ortega has lived at the top of the card for as long as we can remember.
“f he loses to a guy like Lopes — a guy who’s on a run, a guy who’s making his way to the top of the division — it becomes a bit of a changing of the guard,” Cormier continued. “But I think that happened in Mexico City. Brian Ortega was supposed to go lose to Yair Rodríguez. He got the job done and he looked very impressive in doing so. So this is a massive opportunity. … Ortega wins this fight, he’s gonna be right on the shortlist of guys that can compete for the belt.”
Ortega will look to avoid the first of those fates mentioned by Cormier by stalling Lopes’ charge up the featherweight ladder come fight night at the Sphere on Sept. 14.
Should the two-time title challenger accomplish that feat, he’ll no doubt place a close eye on the upcoming 145-pound championship clash between kingpin Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway in Abu Dhabi.
T-City isn't new to making history 😮💨@BrianTCity looks to make more at #UFC306!
UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso returns at UFC 306 where she hopes to put this chapter of her career behind her.
Over the past two years, the Mexican star has only had one opponent in mind, former champion Valentina Shevchenko.
After shockingly submitting her to win the title back at UFC 285, the two women met in a rematch at the first ever Noche UFC this time last year where the fight was controversially scored as a draw.
This Saturday, Grasso will look to end the trilogy by beating Shevchenko once again so that she can move on to new and exciting challenges that await her at flyweight.
Alexa Grasso Tees Up Future Plans For Upcoming Title Defenses, Dream Fight & Two-Weight Goals
Grasso knows that beating the “Bullet” for a second time will require her to be at her absolute best but that doesn’t mean she isn’t excited for what could be in store for her down the line.
In a recent interview with Stake.com, she spoke about how a champion vs champion clash with strawweight queen Weili Zhang is something that really piques her interest.
”Weili Zhang is my dream fight. It will be one of my biggest fights to date. She is strong, powerful and well rounded. She is a great fighter and I even heard she would love to test herself at 125, so I would love to welcome her.”
At the same time, Grasso knows that the flyweight division has several contenders who have emerged during the time that she has been locked into the Shevchenko trilogy.
The champion is happy to defend the belt against the next worthy challenger which, in her opinion, is Manon Fiorot at this time.
“I’m not the one who chooses these things, I think Manon Fiorot is more deserving of the title shot than Rose. She has been in the division longer and she has a bigger win streak. She was also next in line before she got injured, so I would like to fight Fiorot.”
Grasso also added that if she is able to keep hold of the flyweight title, she would like the opportunity to make history.
After becoming the first female Mexican UFC champion, she wants to hold two gold belts in the air, but is also conscious of doing what is best for her teammates.
“I would love to be a two weight World Champion, it is such a big question and goal for me. However, I have friends in the upper weight classes such as Loopy Godinez in the Strawweight division and Irene Aldana in the Bantamweight division and our team’s goal is to all be champions in each of our weight classes so I would have to pause that dream for now.”
The Georgian is set to challenge for the gold at 135 pounds opposite reigning kingpin Sean O’Malley, having earned his first title shot off the back of 10 straight wins on MMA’s biggest stage.
In “Sugar,” Dvalishvili is challenging a champ whose sole career loss came soon after a freak injury opposite Marlon Vera, a setback he avenged emphatically across five rounds against “Chito” this past March.
With that defense coming months on from a memorable crowning against grappling specialist Aljamain Sterling, plenty are backing the Montana native to withstand the threat brought by “Funk Master’s” teammate on Sept. 14.
But Dvalishvili has vowed to wrest the strap away from O’Malley, and he doesn’t even think doing so would represent him overcoming his biggest hurdle thus far…
Dvalishvili Picks Aldo Over O’Malley For Toughest UFC Opponent
When asked whether he’s expecting the toughest test of his career, the Georgian instead pointed to legendary former featherweight champion and one-time bantamweight title challenger José Aldo.
“I don’t think he’s the toughest opponent because I fought José Aldo, and I think he was the toughest opponent for me,” Dvalishvili said. “(O’Malley) is a new challenge, and I have all the respect for him as a fighter. I know he is good. He is dangerous. He knocks people out. He has the skill, the power, and everything else. But so do I.”
O’Malley will no doubt expect to prove those comments wrong by delivering another emphatic title defense come fight night in Las Vegas this weekend, where both the UFC and boxing great Canelo Álvarez look to celebrate Mexican Independence Day with standout events in the “Fight Capital of the World.”
It's the fight week we've all been waiting for! 🌞#UFC306 LIVE from @SphereVegas
“There are things that we can see that we can capitalize on and obviously, it’d be a fool to think that they don’t think or his coach Tim Welch wouldn’t think, ‘Oh hey, we’re going out there to just dive in on his legs.’ Of course they know that so we’re not going to do that. We’re not going to make it, ‘Oh hey, here I am,’ boom, run into something. That’s just stupid.”
The interviewer, Marcos Antelo, then made reference to Jorge Masvidal’s record-breaking knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239.
“Gamebred” secured the fastest finish in UFC history back in 2019 after he correctly predicted that Askren would dip his head for a takedown if Masvidal ran at him, lining him up perfectly for a flying knee.
Wood doubled down on the idea that they won’t be rushing anything on Saturday night at the Sphere, and are preparing for a complete mixed martial arts contest.
“Yeah that’s just ridiculous, there’s no way that’s happening. There’s no way we’re getting KO’d in that kind of situation. There’s no way like, are we gonna get hit? Sure. Is Sean gonna get taken down? Yes. It it gonna be a fight? Absolutely.”
UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley and his long-time coach, Tim Welch, have come through their careers alongside one another.
Due to the fact that they have worked as a team for such a long time, they have a great working relationship that allows both of them to excel in their roles.
Welch has spent the past few months helping to prepare his fighter for UFC 306 this Saturday night, where “Suga” takes on Merab Dvalishvili.
On a recent podcast appearance, Welch spoke about a technique they use when helping the 135-pound champ to become familiar with how their opponents react to different scenarios.
Tim Welch Reveals Scouting Technique For Sean O’Malley’s Opponents
On The BrendenSchmitty Show, Welch explained how a fighter in their gym named TJ is crucial to helping break down O’Malley’s opponents.
He explained how TJ helps to produce detailed reports of what and how Dvalishvili acts in instances where he’s shooting for takedowns, responding to strikes from different stances and recovering from being hurt.
The added trick that helps to translate this information to O’Malley in his training is by breaking these reactions into short clips – and memes – so that they can be constantly replayed, meaning that “Suga” can pick them up even faster.
Taking these patterns and making them into a part of their training and drills allows O’Malley to know what his opponent will do before they even do it.
“What does he do after he gets rocked and hurt like when Marlon hurt him or Henry hurt him? What does he do? Where’s his head at? What does he do? And he breaks down all these things and turns them into little GIFs or like memes so he can watch that and then it can structure the pads and the knockout shots around that… and then just having Sean rep it and rep it and rep it and then try to hit it in sparring.”
Fight week for the UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view this Saturday night has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode.
Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili and the co-main event between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko.
Saturday’s lineup is topped by an intriguing championship clash, with bantamweight kingpin O’Malley (18-1, 1 NC) looking to add a second successful defense to his reign, which got underway with a victory over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 in August 2023. He’s since retained possession of the belt by getting the better of Marlon Vera in their Miami rematch this past March.
If “Sugar” is to continue his rule atop the 135-pound mountain, he must record a victory over Dvalishvili (17-4). “The Machine” will ride a 10-fight win streak into his first title shot on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, most notably getting the better of prominent names like Marlon Moraes, José Aldo, Petr Yan, and Henry Cejudo in recent years.
Before those two run it back in the main event at Las Vegas’ Sphere, the Mexican Independence Day celebration will see one of the country’s own defending their championship.
For the third straight fight, the UFC women’s flyweight gold will be contested by Grasso (16-3-1) and Shevchenko (23-4-1), as they complete their trilogy 18 months on from the Mexican’s memorable upset submission at T-Mobile Arena. Since that result, the pair have fought to a draw at last year’s Noche UFC event and coached opposite one another on the 2024 edition of The Ultimate Fighter.
Ahead of those two contests in Las Vegas, fans can catch previews in the full episode of UFC 306 Countdown on the promotion’s YouTube channel.
UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley sees a reason for upcoming opponent Merab Dvalishvili’s most notable teammate actually rooting against the challenger this weekend.
O’Malley is set for his second assignment of 2024 on Saturday night. After headlining UFC 299 in Miami this past March, the 135-pound kingpin will put his gold on the line in the main event of Noche UFC.
“Sugar” has been tasked with topping the lineup for the promotion’s celebration of Mexican Independence Day this year, which comes at a notably different venue in the form of Las Vegas’ Sphere.
O’Malley and his supporters will be expecting “The Machine” to fall short. And, according to the champ, Dvalishvili’s own teammate may be hoping for the same fate…
O’Malley Has A Theory On Dvalishvili, Sterling Friendship
Talk of Sterling providing Dvalishvili with valuable insight into sharing the cage with “Sugar” has been a prominent topic in the lead-up to the Sept. 14 event.
However, given the manner of his defeat in Boston last year, O’Malley wouldn’t be surprised if “Funk Master” is secretly rooting for the Georgian’s failure in order to make his efforts against “Sugar” look better.
“I mean, I don’t know what Aljo’s gonna tell Merab. Like, ‘F*ck, he’s fast, he’s sharp, he’s accurate, he’s hard to take down. Good luck!’ Like, there wasn’t a lot of success Aljo had in that fight,” O’Malley said. “If anything, Aljo probably shouldn’t tell him anything because it’s probably just gonna make him a little bit nervous.
“Who knows, Aljo probably hopes I beat Merab. It makes Aljo look better,” O’Malley continued. “I’m just curious if Merab was happy that I knocked out Aljo. If I didn’t knock out Aljo, Merab still would be waiting around. So I have a little theory that maybe they’re not as good buddies as we all thought.”
And when it comes to the venue for his first attempt at securing that, the Georgian likely couldn’t have wished for a grander setting than the unique surroundings of the Sphere.
A HISTORIC fight week is about to begin ✨#UFC306 live from a venue like NO OTHER 😮💨
Sean O’Malley will defend his UFC bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili to headline UFC 306 on September 14, 2024. Although the fight card looks like just another UFC PPV, fans can look forward to an unprecedented level of production quality during the live event and broadcast.
This is the first time UFC has rebranded a card based on a sponsor, (Riyadh Season) and UFC 306 is the most expensive event in the promotion’s history by far. It’ll take place at The Sphere in Las Vegas, and media members who got a sneak peek at the planned visual experience have mostly been blown away.
Ariel Helwani has now reiterated some interesting facts that should make Noche UFC 306 a memorable experience for fans around the world…
From Broadcast Quality To Haptic Seats, Riyadh Season Noche UFC Is Going To Break Several Traditions
Helwani took to Twitter to share some outstanding facts about UFC 306 and many things that live viewers and fans at home will experience for the first time.
Some interesting factoids about UFC 306 next weekend, per the promotion:
* This will be the first 1080p TV broadcast of a UFC event in ESPN history.
* First time UFC has ever used haptic seats during an event. Haptic seats provide force feedback based on the action in the…
The UFC, for the first time in history, will use haptic seats that will provide feedback based on the fight happening. The live audience can also listen to the entire event in Spanish and the fighters will be wearing unique kits designed for the Mexican heritage theme.
The Parking Lot A of Las Vegas’ Sphere will host a two-day experience for the fans but the exact details remain unknown yet.
Most importantly, the UFC has collaborated with a wide range of producers who’ve worked on huge sporting and entertainment shows such as Taylor Swift’s Eras tour and the Super Bowl. The crew for Riyadh Season Noche UFC has the following accolades:
A Grammy win and two nominations.
29 Emmy wins and 80 nominations.
Two Oscar nominations.
A Golden Globes Win and five nominations.
The promotion has also signed eight new Octagon girls for UFC 306 who should inaugurate rounds as usual. Unsurprisingly, all of them have Mexican roots.
For the fans watching from home, Riyadh Season Noche UFC will be the first ESPN-era UFC event to be broadcast on TV at 1080p. According to Jon Anik, the UFC has ensured that the at-home experience is commendable too.
They have gone to great lengths to make the at-home experience unbelievable!
It is safe to assume that UFC 306 has everything aligned to make it a groundbreaking sporting event. Now, fans worldwide only expect the fights to deliver as well.
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.
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.
"Now, with the fights just days away, UFC has invested more than $20 million to realize White’s dream to bring an event to Sphere…"
UFC 306 production includes 6 short films between fights, each bout taking place in a different ‘world’ https://t.co/fAFtzJgMQH via @MMAFighting
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”
Earlier this week, I got my first look at some of the visual experiences for the UFC's September 14th Sphere show. 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.
