The main event bout for UFC 306 aka Noche UFC has been made official, featuring Sean O’Malley versus Merab Dvalishvili. The 10-fight card airs live from Sphere in Las Vegas on September 14. Dana White revealed a full lineup of action in a new video today.
Riding a three-fight winning streak, Sean O’Malley (18-1, 1 NC) makes the second defense of his bantamweight title. The 29-year-old champion of Helena, Montana earned a unanimous decision against Marlon Vera in March, after claiming the belt against Aljamain Sterling via second-round TKO last August.
Georgian Merab Dvalishvili (17-4) won 10 fights in a row. The 33-year-old contender, who makes his first attempt to become champion, defeated former two-division champion Henry Cejudo last time out in February.
White also confirmed the UFC 306 co-main event, featuring old rivals and The Ultimate Fighter 32 opposite coaches, Alexa Grasso (16-3) and Valentina Shevchenko (23-4-1). The bout pits the current women’s flyweight champion of Mexico against the former champion of Kyrgyzstan. Their most recent encounter at Noche UFC last September ended in a split draw. Their first fight in March 2023 went in favor of Grasso, who dethroned Shevchenko via fourth-round submission.
UFC 306 PPV card is also set to see a rescheduled featherweight matchup between Brazilian Diego Lopes (25-6) and LA’s former title challenger Brian Ortega (16-3). The latter withdrew from their UFC 303 showdown in June on the day of the event due to illness, and was replaced by Hawaii’s Dan Ige (18-8).
Also official for UFC 306 main card, a lightweight bout between Mexico’s Daniel Zellhuber (15-1) and Esteban Ribovics (13-1) of Argentina. As well, Ronaldo Rodriguez (17-2) of Mexico and Ode Osbourne (12-7) of Jamaica square off at flyweight.
Plus, among the previously announced bouts that are now featured on the preliminary card, the contest between Raul Rosas (9-1) of Clovis, New Mexico and China’s Aoriqileng (25-10, 1 NC) has been also made official. The bantamweight clash is set to kickoff the event.
The UFC 306 full fight card looks as the following:
Main card
- Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili – O’Malley’s UFC bantamweight title
- Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko – Grasso’s UFC women’s flyweight title
- Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes
- Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics
- Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode Osbourne
Prelims
- Irene Aldana vs. Norma Dumont
- Manuel Torres vs. Ignacio Bahamondes
- Edgar Chairez vs. Kevin Borjas
- Yazmin Jauregui vs. Ketlen Souza
- Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Aori Qileng