Here’s everything you need to know about O’Malley-Dvalishvili and Shevchenko-Grasso 3 at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Sean O’Malley makes the second defense of his UFC men’s bantamweight championship against Merab Dvalishvili in the main event of two-title-fight UFC 306 on Saturday, Sept. 14, in Las Vegas.
The event, which the fight promotion is billing as Noche UFC becauase it falls on Mexican Independence Day weekend, also features a women’s flyweight title bout between champion Alexa Grasso and former champ Valentina Shevchenko.
The main card at Sphere is on ESPN+ pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET, with prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m.
O’Malley (18-1, 1 NC) is unbeaten in his most recent seven bouts, including a decision win over Marlon Vera in March in his first title defense. O’Malley is No. 4 in the ESPN pound-for-pound men’s rankings. Dvalishvili (17-4) has won 10 in a row, most recently a February decision over former two-division champion Henry Cejudo. He is No. 2 in the ESPN men’s bantamweight rankings.
Neither Grasso (16-3-1) nor Shevchenko (23-4-1) has fought since last September’s split draw, which was a rematch of the March 2023 bout in which Grasso took away the title via fourth-round submission. Grasso is No. 2 in the ESPN pound-for-pound women’s rankings, Shevchenko No. 3.
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Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen preview the upcoming trilogy fight between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 306.
ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. ET
Men’s bantamweight championship: Sean O’Malley (c) vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Women’s flyweight: Alexa Grasso (c) vs. Valentina Shevchenko
Featherweight: Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes
Lightweight: Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics
Men’s flyweight: Ronaldo Rodríguez vs. Ode’ Osbourne
ESPNews/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET
Women’s bantamweight: Irene Aldana vs. Norma Dumont
Lightweight: Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Manuel Torres
Strawweight: Yazmin Jauregui vs. Ketlen Souza
Men’s flyweight: Édgar Cháirez vs. Joshua Van
ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass, 7:30 p.m. ET
Men’s bantamweight: Raul Rosas Jr. def. Aoriqileng
(c) = defending champion
He’s coming for that bantamweight title ????@MerabDvalishvil is confident heading into #UFC306
[ @RiyadhSeason #NocheUFC LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/ZdsmWieaRu
¡Hora de callar y pelear! ????@SugaSeanMMA vs @MerabDvalishvil
[ #UFC306 at @RiyadhSeason #NocheUFC en vivo ahora en @ESPNPlus PPV ] pic.twitter.com/7R5Z4vFkyc
Blessed to be a part of history! ????@AlexaGrasso will defend her belt tomorrow night at #UFC306
[ @RiyadhSeason #NocheUFC LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/wq5051U7ra
She’s feeling stronger than ever! ????@BulletValentina is recharged ahead of #UFC306
[ @RiyadhSeason #NocheUFC LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV | SAT | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/ECyyTqr85K
The scenes at Sphere ???????????? #NocheUFC pic.twitter.com/XJAts6fx8t
The #NocheUFC main event is on!
Sean O’Malley (135)
Merab Dvalishvili (134) pic.twitter.com/HDEJ40dhkv
The #NocheUFC co-man event is official.
Alexa Grasso: 124
Valentina a Shevchenko: 125 pic.twitter.com/gmMtMwWeeF
Daniel Cormier and Brett Okamoto discuss how the atmosphere at the Sphere could give Sean O’Malley an advantage over Merab Dvalishvili at Noche UFC.
Brett Okamoto: The UFC has a history of paying performance bonuses to athletes at every event. This weekend, it will potentially dole out one of those bonuses to a fan.
ESPN UFC CEO Dana White said he will pay $25,000 to anyone who identifies hidden Easter eggs in a running movie that will air during UFC Noche on Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
