UFC CEO Dana White announced on social media that O’Malley will defend the bantamweight title against No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili in the main event of UFC 306, which takes place on September 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas. White has highlighted this pay-per-view show as a one-time event due to its unprecedented production costs.

Due to a sponsorship deal, the event is officially branded as Riyadh Season Noche UFC.

O’Malley’s Title Defense

O’Malley is aiming for his second title defense following victories against Aljamain Sterling and Marlon “Chito” Vera. “Sugar” O’Malley has been on a roll, winning six straight fights, not counting a no contest against Pedro Munhoz.

Dvalishvili’s Shot at the Title

Merab Dvalishvili, riding a ten-fight winning streak, has long been a top contender in the bantamweight division. If not for his close friendship and training partnership with Sterling, he might have challenged for the title sooner. Now, with Sterling moving to the featherweight division, Dvalishvili gets his opportunity to claim UFC gold.

Co-Main Event: Grasso vs. Shevchenko Trilogy

The co-main event features a highly anticipated trilogy fight between UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and former champ Valentina Shevchenko. Grasso captured the title with a fourth-round submission of Shevchenko in 2023 and defended it with a controversial split draw at the first Noche UFC event.

Additional Fights

Other notable matchups on the card include a re-booked fight between two-time featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega and rising star Diego Lopes. The main card also features Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics and Ode Osbourne vs. Ronaldo Rodriguez, among others.

TRENDING:

Full Fight Card

• Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili
• Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko
• Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes
• Esteban Ribovics vs. Daniel Zellhuber
• Ode Osbourne vs. Ronaldo Rodríguez
• Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Manuel Torres
• Irene Aldana vs. Norma Dumont
• Kevin Borjas vs. Edgar Chairez
• Yazmin Jáuregui vs. Ketlen Souza
• Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Aori Qileng

Event Significance

UFC 306 is set to be one of the most anticipated events of the year, not only because of the exciting fights but also due to its unique setting and production value. Held at the Sphere, the event will also celebrate Mexican Independence Day, adding to its cultural significance. Dana White has emphasized the event’s uniqueness, describing it as a “one-off” due to the high production costs already surpassing $17 million.

Headlining Fights

Sean O’Malley, known as “Sugar,” aims for his second title defense after defeating Aljamain Sterling and Marlon Vera. With a six-fight winning streak, excluding a no contest, he remains a formidable champion. On the other hand, Merab Dvalishvili, with an impressive ten-fight winning streak, has long been a top contender. His friendship and training partnership with Sterling delayed his title shot, but with Sterling moving to featherweight, Dvalishvili now has his chance.

Co-Main Event

The co-main event will feature UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso against former champion Valentina Shevchenko in their trilogy bout. Grasso won the title with a fourth-round submission of Shevchenko in 2023 and defended it with a controversial split draw at the first Noche UFC event.

Additional Notable Fights

Other notable fights include a re-booked matchup between two-time featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega and rising star Diego Lopes. The main card also features Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics and Ode Osbourne vs. Ronaldo Rodriguez, among others.

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