UFC 306 Riyadh Season Noche UFC Countdown previews the blockbuster event at the world-famous Sphere, where bantamweight king Sean O’Malley battles Merab Dvalishvili. The bantamweight title bout between champion O’Malley and top contender Dvalishvili headlines the historic event in Las Vegas.
O’Malley (18-1, 1 NC) captured the 135-pound title by defeating Dvalishvili’s teammate, Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 in August 2023. He successfully defended the belt at UFC 299 in March, avenging a previous loss to Marlon Vera in one-sided fashion.
Dvalishvili will enter the fight riding a 10-fight winning streak. He’s been the top contender in the division for some time but would not fight his training partner, Sterling. “The Machine” has not lost a fight since April 2018.
UFC 306 Countdown: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili
UFC 306 features a second world title bout in the fight card’s co-main event. Women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso puts her title on the line against former champion Valentina Shevchenko in a trilogy bout.
Grasso won the women’s 125-pound title by defeating Shevchenko at UFC 285 in March 2023. The two fought to a split draw later that year in September at UFC Fight Night 227. The two coached opposite each other on the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter.