Noche UFC 306 announced for Sphere in September

The UFC announced two world championship bouts as the headliners for the Noche UFC event set for Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 14.

Using the Sphere’s state-of-the-art technology and immersive experience, the UFC is poised to deliver an unparalleled atmosphere for fight fans. 

In the main event, UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley will take on surging No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili. One of the biggest stars of the sport, O’Malley is known for his electrifying performances against top-tier opponents such as Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan.

Now on his second title defense, O’Malley aims to continue his reign atop the bantamweight division by halting Dvalishvili’s momentum and ten-fight winning streak.

This fight brings with it a sense of personal vendetta, as O’Malley won the bantamweight belt last August with a knockout over longtime friend and training partner of Dvalishvili, Aljamain Sterling. As one of the most requested fights across the entirety of the organization, this main event is shaping up to be among the most exciting bouts of the year.

The co-main event features UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso taking on former champion Valentina Shevchenko. Grasso, the champion and No. 1 women’s pound-for-pound fighter hails from Guadalajara, Mexico, and looks to defend her championship dominantly. 

Shevchenko, one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, is determined to reclaim her spot atop the 125-pound division. This will be the third time the two fighters meet.

Grasso submitted Shevchenko for the belt in March 2023 and they later reached a draw in their rematch the following September. Now, after coaching opposing teams on Season 32 of The Ultimate Fighter, the two will meet again.

Other bouts on the card will include:

•     Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes
•     Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics
•     Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode Osbourne
•     Manuel Torres vs. Ignacio Bahamondes
•     Irena Aldana vs. Norma Dumont
•     Edgar Chairez vs. Kevin Borjas
•     Yazmin Jaruegui vs. Ketlen Souza
•     Raul Rosas vs. Aoriqileng

This event will be the first live sporting event at Sphere and will leverage next-generation technologies to create an entirely new UFC experience. UFC President Dana White touts this as an all-out, one-time-only event.