UFC makes its debut at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Mexican Independence Day weekend, dubbed ‘Noche UFC’
• 3 min read
The latest UFC PPV offering is sure to be one of a kind. UFC 306 heads to The Sphere in Las Vegas for the first sporting event of any kind to take place in the unique venue. It will also be a celebration of Mexico as the event takes place over Mexican Independence Day Weekend and the promotion has gone so far as to name the event “Noche UFC.”
The event is anchored by a pair of title fights in the lower divisions. Bantamweight king “Suga” Sean O’Malley puts his crown on the line against top contender Merab Dvalishvili. O’Malley is riding a wave of momentum of with three straight wins to claim and then defend the title. His lone loss came in 2020 after suffering an injury. Dvalishvili, meanwhile, has won 10 in a row dating back to 2018.
The co-main event sees women’s flyweight queen Alexa Grasso stake her title against former champion Valentina Shevchenko. The two have battled twice previously with Grasso scoring the stunning submission win in their first meeting before the two battled to a controversial draw in the second. Now, they look to settle the score for good with Grasso getting massive support for her fellow Mexican fans in attendance over the holiday weekend.
“It’s Noche, but I feel like it’s not that Noche because there are so many ingredients added. It’s UFC 306 and the main event features [fighters from] U.S.A. and Georgia,” Grasso told CBS Sports. “It’s Riyadh Season’s first event. I actually really like this idea because with all this showing of one country’s culture, it’s such a cool thing. I hope in the future if it’s going to start with Mexico right now, maybe in the future UFC will do the same thing for all other countries to embrace their culture and show the world not only fighting, but also bring in the culture of each country.”
The undercard is loaded with fighters of Mexican heritage looking to show out in front of their fellow countrymen. Look no further than the featured bout on the main card for what could be the best non-title fight of the night. Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes are set to throw down in a featherweight contest months in the making. The two were originally scheduled to meet at UFC 303 in June — a fight that was also a late replacement — when Ortega fell ill on the day of the fight. On mere hours of notice, Lopes accepted — and won — a bout with Dan Ige in a bout that could never live up to what those fighters are capable of on such a short turnaround. Now, Lopes and Ortega get a chance to right the wrong when they meet inside the Sphere.
Below is the complete fight card for UFC 306 along with the latest odds. Check back all week long for the latest news, features and other content around this massive event.
UFC 306 fight card, odds
- Sean O’Malley (c) -145 vs. Merab Dvalishvili +125, bantamweight title
- Alexa Grasso (c) -140 vs. Valentina Shevchenko +120, women’s flyweight title
- Diego Lopes -185 vs. Brian Ortega +155, featherweights
- Daniel Zellhuber -225 vs. Esteban Ribovics +185, lightweights
- Ronaldo Rodriguez -145 vs. Ode Osbourne +120, flyweights
- Norma Dumont -115 vs. Irene Aldana -105, women’s bantamweights
- Manuel Torres -125 vs. Igancio Bahamondes +105, lightweights
- Yazmin Jauregui -500 vs. Ketlen Souza +380, women’s strawweights
- Joshua Van -220 vs. Edgar Chairez +180, flyweights
- Raul Rosas Jr. -600 vs. Aoriqileng +440, bantamweight
UFC 306 info
- Date: Sept. 14
- Location: The Sphere — Las Vegas
- Start time: 10 p.m. ET (Main card)
- How to watch: ESPN+ PPV
UFC 306 countdown
- Brookhouse: Best bets to consider on the main card
- Mahjouri: Undercard fights to watch beyond O’Malley-Dvalishvili, Grasso-Shevchenko
- De La Hoya plans to attend UFC 306 instead of Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga
- Campbell: Five biggest storylines to watch this weekend
- Mahjouri: An inside look at how the Sphere will operate on fight night
Who wins UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvil, and which UFC props should you target? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on UFC Fight Night, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $1,200 on UFC main-card picks, and find out.
