UFC 306 LIVE: Sean O’Malley dominated by Merab Dvalishvili at ‘Noche’ event in Sphere
Re-live the action, after Sean O’Malley lost his bantamweight belt to Merab Dvalishvili in Las Vegas
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Your support makes all the difference.In the main event of UFC 306 on Saturday, Sean O’Malley lost the men’s bantamweight title to a dominant Merab Dvalishvili at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
“Sugar Sean” O’Malley was making his second defence of the belt, having won it from Aljamain Sterling with a picture-perfect knockout last August, before retaining it with a masterclass against Marlon Vera in March.
But the American star faced a stern test on Saturday, as he encountered a challenger on a 10-fight win streak. Georgia’s Dvalishvili entered the Sphere on the back of three straight victories against former champions: Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan and Jose Aldo.
And Dvalishvili added O’Malley’s name to that list by outwrestling the striking specialist for the best part of 25 minutes. O’Malley had his moments, including one scything elbow that cut open his challenger, but there was no doubt about the result when the scorecards arrived – with all of them in Dvalishvili’s favour: 49-46, 48-47, 48-47.
And in the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko outpointed Alexa Grasso to regain the women’s flyweight belt, having previously lost to the Mexican and drawn with her in their first two meetings.
Re-live updates and see all results from UFC 306, below.
UFC 306 LIVE: Edgar Chairez vs Joshua Van
Round three
Nice one-two from Chairez but Van quickly replies with an overhand of his own. Both beginning to slow down after a gruelling first two rounds but still vast potential for a finish here.
Chairez slips and ends up his back, Van flies in with a hammer fist but doesn’t connect. Up against the cage and the pair and Van finds himself at risk of a triangle, but manages to escape and produce a fair few good ground strikes - something that could prove pivotal on the scorecards.
Not as high octane as the previous rounds but a very entertaining fight nonetheless as it goes the distance. The judges scorecards are in, and...
Joshua Van def. Edgar Chairez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Superb display from Van, especially given the fact he took the fight on short notice. No training camp? No problem.
UFC 306 LIVE: Edgar Chairez vs Joshua Van
Round two
Swing and a miss from Chairez and Van comes into the second looking a different man.
Brilliant combinations from Van and Chairez is stumbling on his feet in real danger. The Mexican is getting battered, the fight is maybe five seconds away from being stopped - but then out of nowhere, spinning back fist from Chairez!
Van is right back on the defensive and needs to take Chairez for a reprieve. The two get back to their feet and are going tit for tat with headshots. They end up on the ground again and Chairez goes for a guillotine, his specialist submission, but can’t lock it in.
A wild second round. Some way to start the night.
UFC 306 LIVE: Edgar Chairez vs Joshua Van
Round one
Chairez starts the more aggressive and finds early success with his low kicks. Quickly becomes clear that Van is struggling to deal with the targeting of his left leg.
Growing in confidence, Chairez begins to do damage further up the body and connects with a vicious knee. With a minute to go, he connects with a one-two to knock Van down, but the American is back up instantly.
Van is able to survive for the rest of the round. Chairez will be happy with the first five minutes.
UFC 306 LIVE: Raul Rosas Jr. vs Aoriqileng
We join the broadcast midway through the only early prelim of the night as Raul Rosas Jr. goes to battle with Aoriqileng.
A largely dominant effort from the 19-year-old as the fight goes the distance.
Raul Rosas Jr. def. Aoriqileng via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Three in a row for Rosas Jr. Onto the prelims - Edgar Chairez vs Joshua Van up next.
UFC 306 LIVE: The real ‘star’ of the show isn’t even a fighter
If the UFC delivers on its president’s promise, tonight will bring the “greatest sporting event of all time”. Those were the words of Dana White, talking up the first sports event to take place at the revolutionary Sphere in Las Vegas: UFC 306, or UFC Noche, or Riyadh Season UFC Noche (306).
See, the sell of tonight’s fight card has been muddled. The pay-per-view event is UFC 306, following the MMA company’s typical numbering pattern. Nominally, it is UFC Noche, a celebration of Mexican fighters on Mexican Independence weekend (even though the main event does not feature a fighter from the nation). And promotionally, it is Riyadh Season UFC Noche, as the second UFC event with Saudi involvement.
Yet it might well have been called UFC Sphere. Many readers will be aware of the game-changing venue, which opened a year ago and sports a domed screen all over its exterior, and another immersive screen inside. It has thus far hosted music groups like U2 and Eagles, has screened films, and has played a background role in the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
But on Saturday (14 September), the Sphere will play no background role. “The Sphere is the star of the show,” an ever-bullish White told ESPN this week. “You’ve never experienced anything like this in your life. While we were watching U2 [...] you listen to the music and watch the images, and every once in a while you look over at U2. I’m like: ‘This would be fascinating to pull off a sporting event.’ This is where sports and entertainment truly come together for the first time ever.”
But is all as it seems? Here are the potential problems with tonight’s show...
The real ‘star’ of UFC 306 isn’t even a fighter
UFC president Dana White thinks Las Vegas’s Sphere could get the event ‘nominated for an Oscar, an Emmy and a Grammy’
UFC 306 LIVE: Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili headline ‘Noche’ event
In the main event of UFC 306 tonight, Sean O’Malley takes on Merab Dvalishvili in a highly-anticipated bantamweight title fight.
“Sugar Sean” O’Malley is making his second defence of the belt, having won it from Aljamain Sterling with a picture-perfect knockout last August, before retaining it with a masterclass against Marlon Vera in March.
The American star may face a stern test in Las Vegas, however, as he encounters a challenger on a 10-fight win streak. Georgia’s Dvalishvili enters the Sphere on the back of three straight victories against former champions: Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan and Jose Aldo.
And in the co-main event of UFC 306, Alexa Grasso defends her flyweight title against divisional icon Valentina Shevchenko, in a long-awaited trilogy bout. Grasso submitted Shevchenko in a shock result in 2022, before the pair fought to a controversial draw in 2023.
Elsewhere at UFC 306, which has also been branded ‘UFC Noche’ as a celebration of Mexican fighting on the nation’s Independence weekend, Diego Lopes fights Brian Ortega.
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