UFC Denver went down last night (Sat., July 13, 2024). Between rounds one and two of the Gabriel Bonfim vs. Ange Loosa fight, UFC broadcast partner UFC TVA Sports casually leaked two gigantic title fights for the upcoming UFC 306/Noche UFC fight card that is set to headline The Sphere in Las Vegas this Sept.
Twitter user MMA_Matchmaker was the first to point out the leak.
“In September, it’s going to be quite an event. Noche UFC, on September 14th inside the Sphere, Las Vegas. We already have a few fights that we can announce to you,” UFC TVA broadcasters said in French. “Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway for the Featherweight championship, and there is also Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvilli, who are confirmed for this.”
So the UFC’s French-Canadian broadcast may have just leaked the Sphere card…
Ilia Topuria vs Max Holloway
Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili(H/T @MMA__Matchmaker) #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/8wWDAWo8F0
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 14, 2024
Remember, UFC CEO Dana White always says that fights aren’t official if they don’t come from the UFC.
Now… is this real or a gigantic screw-up?
MMA Reporter Jason Hagholm wrote on Twitter that he spoke to sources, who told him the Quebec broadcaster misspoke and that the two fights are not happening.
Speaking with sources that while this was said it seems the Quebec PXP Man spoke out of turn and both Illia Topuria vs Max Holloway & Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili are unlikely for the Noche UFC event at The Sphere #NocheUFC https://t.co/rxrUWqS7wR
— Jason Hagholm (@JHagholm1) July 14, 2024
Sources also told MMAMania.com that Topuria vs. Holloway will not be taking place at UFC 306.
With the mega event only two months away and presale tickets about to go on sale, the headliner fights should come out soon.
Flyweight champion Alexa Grasso says she’s definitely fighting at The Sphere, so there’s one title fight.
Stay tuned.