Tag: Noche UFC 306

‘That’s What A Fair Fight Looks Like…’ – Aljamain Sterling, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other MMA Fighters React To Merab Dvalishvili’s Grappling Masterclass Against Sean O’Malley At UFC 306

In a fight that will definitely go down as one of the weirdest title fights in UFC history, Merab Dvalishvili gains revenge on behalf of his team and secures the UFC bantamweight championship, defeating Sean O’Malley in the main event of UFC 306: Noche UFC. After a start that saw Dvalishvili and O’Malley’s corner be […]

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In a fight that will definitely go down as one of the weirdest title fights in UFC history, Merab Dvalishvili gains revenge on behalf of his team and secures the UFC bantamweight championship, defeating Sean O’Malley in the main event of UFC 306: Noche UFC.

After a start that saw Dvalishvili and O’Malley’s corner be warned for verbally sparring with one another during the fight’s opening seconds, Dvalishvili had a strong performance in the first, thanks to a couple of takedowns and a guillotine choke attempt.

Dvalishvili continued his dominance in the second round, scoring a couple more takedowns and rode it out in top position. Dvalishvili had another choke attempt in the second round’s closing seconds when more bizarreness unfolded. The Georgian kissed O’Malley’s back, causing O’Malley to fire off a punch to the back of Dvalishvili’s head before the end of the round.

The third round proved to be more even, with Dvalishvili continuing to find success on the ground, but O’Malley delivering the fight’s strongest strikes in the final minute of the round. Dvalishvili needed just a minute or so in the fourth round to score another takedown, working over O’Malley in top position and continuing to pummel to keep control of the defending champion.

Even with O’Malley stuffing takedown attempts in the latter rounds, Dvalishvili was dominant when he got on top. Dvalishvili even rocked O’Malley in the closing seconds of the fourth round — a round in which he completely outlanded O’Malley by approximately 60 punches.

Dvalishvili looked to stay on the outside in the fifth round but had to deal with damaging front kicks from O’Malley. Dvalishvili, however, managed to survive the round and landed two additional takedowns.

One judge scored the fight 49-46 and the other two 48-47, all in Dvalishvili’s favor.

Merab Dvalishvili Captures Bantamweight Championship With Strong Decision Win Over Sean O’Malley

Dvalishvili has now 11 straight wins after dropping his initial two in the Octagon, coming into the UFC off Dana White: Looking for a Fight.

O’Malley suffers the second loss of his MMA career. O’Malley won the championship with a knockout of Aljamain Sterling – Dvalishvili’s friend and teammate – at UFC 292. O’Malley retained the title against Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299 in a rematch from O’Malley’s first UFC loss.

Continue Reading ‘That’s What A Fair Fight Looks Like…’ – Aljamain Sterling, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other MMA Fighters React To Merab Dvalishvili’s Grappling Masterclass Against Sean O’Malley At UFC 306 at MMA News.

‘And That, Ladies & Gentleman, Is Mexican Style’ – UFC Fighters All Praise After Daniel Zellhuber & Esteban Ribovics Put On War For The Ages At UFC 306

In perhaps one of the most competitive and thrilling fights that we’ll see in the UFC this year, Esteban Ribovics managed to just narrowly eke out a victory over Daniel Zellhuber at Noche UFC 306. The fight was even throughout, with both men seemingly equal in their striking and damage. Both men displayed high-level striking, […]

Continue Reading ‘And That, Ladies & Gentleman, Is Mexican Style’ – UFC Fighters All Praise After Daniel Zellhuber & Esteban Ribovics Put On War For The Ages At UFC 306 at MMA News.

In perhaps one of the most competitive and thrilling fights that we’ll see in the UFC this year, Esteban Ribovics managed to just narrowly eke out a victory over Daniel Zellhuber at Noche UFC 306.

The fight was even throughout, with both men seemingly equal in their striking and damage. Both men displayed high-level striking, trading with one another throughout as momentum and advantage continuously shifted over the course of their 15 minutes of battle.

The third round proved to be the most intense and thrilling, starting with Zellhuber dropping Ribovics in the opening minute.

Then, about a minute or so later, Ribovics landed a right hook that wobbled Zellhuber, with Ribovics nearly finishing him against the fence — but Zellhuber fought back and managed to survive.

Ultimately, neither man swept the scorecards in any of the three rounds. Ribovics, however, managed to just score a split decision.

Esteban Ribovics Narrowly Defeats Daniel Zellhuber In Fight Of The Year Contender

Ribovics has now won three straight after initially dropping his UFC debut last year.

Zellhuber, meanwhile, sees a three-fight win streak snapped.

Continue Reading ‘And That, Ladies & Gentleman, Is Mexican Style’ – UFC Fighters All Praise After Daniel Zellhuber & Esteban Ribovics Put On War For The Ages At UFC 306 at MMA News.

‘Has There Ever Been A Worse Cut In The UFC?’ – Justin Gaethje, Gilbert Burns & Others React To Irene Aldana Suffering Nasty Facial Injury At Noche UFC 306 [Graphic]

Norma Dumont will have a major opportunity in her next outing after putting on a well-rounded performance in a victory over Irene Aldana that closed out the UFC 306 preliminary card at The Sphere. But the story of the fight is more centered around the mark or, rather, the nasty gash that was left on […]

Continue Reading ‘Has There Ever Been A Worse Cut In The UFC?’ – Justin Gaethje, Gilbert Burns & Others React To Irene Aldana Suffering Nasty Facial Injury At Noche UFC 306 [Graphic] at MMA News.

Norma Dumont will have a major opportunity in her next outing after putting on a well-rounded performance in a victory over Irene Aldana that closed out the UFC 306 preliminary card at The Sphere.

But the story of the fight is more centered around the mark or, rather, the nasty gash that was left on Aldana in the fight’s aftermath.

Late in the second round, Aldana and Dumont accidentally clashed heads, resulting in Aldana being busted open. While the cutman did his best to work with the cut, the cut still lingered into the third round, and the blood was definitely affecting Aldana.

Dumont continued to deliver an all-around beating, and Aldana was left with perhaps one of, if not the, nastiest and deepest lacerations that has been seen in the Octagon.

Irene Aldana Left With The Nastiest Gash On Face In Loss To Norma Dumont

This marks Dumont’s fifth straight victory in the Octagon, improving to an 8-2 record in the UFC.

Aldana, the former UFC women’s bantamweight title challenger, has traded wins and losses on a consistent basis since mid-2019, going 4-4 in her last eight.

Continue Reading ‘Has There Ever Been A Worse Cut In The UFC?’ – Justin Gaethje, Gilbert Burns & Others React To Irene Aldana Suffering Nasty Facial Injury At Noche UFC 306 [Graphic] at MMA News.

‘Best Striker In The UFC’ – Belal Muhammad & Others React To Ignacio Bahamondes’ Brutal KO At Noche UFC 306

Crisp and brutal striking once again proved key to success for Ignacio Bahamondes, as he scored a first-round finish while competing on the preliminary card of UFC 306. Bahamondes managed to drop opponent Manuel Torres earlier in the first round and followed up with ground-and-pound, but Torres managed to survive and throw up his guard. […]

Continue Reading ‘Best Striker In The UFC’ – Belal Muhammad & Others React To Ignacio Bahamondes’ Brutal KO At Noche UFC 306 at MMA News.

Crisp and brutal striking once again proved key to success for Ignacio Bahamondes, as he scored a first-round finish while competing on the preliminary card of UFC 306.

Bahamondes managed to drop opponent Manuel Torres earlier in the first round and followed up with ground-and-pound, but Torres managed to survive and throw up his guard.

Torres returned to his feet and lunged forward with his counter attack. That proved to be his downfall, however, as Bahamondes landed another cracking right hand, finishing the fight from there.

Ignacio Bahamondes Impresses With Another First-Round Finish At The Sphere

Bahamondes has now won five of six fights since dropping his last contest in 2021. Bahamondes entered the UFC off a brutal knockout of Edson Gomez during the 2020 season of Dana White’s Contender Series.

Torres, a DWCS alum in his own right, suffers his first Octagon defeat and sees a six-fight win streak snapped. He had entered tonight’s fight off a quick submission of Chris Duncan in February.

Continue Reading ‘Best Striker In The UFC’ – Belal Muhammad & Others React To Ignacio Bahamondes’ Brutal KO At Noche UFC 306 at MMA News.

Merab Dvalishvili On After Becoming A UFC Champion: ‘If I Die, I Don’t Care’

Merab Dvalishvili recently shared his thoughts on what it would mean to him if he were to finally capture UFC gold. “The Machine” has the opportunity to make his dream a reality this Saturday night as he challenges UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley in the main event of Noche UFC 306, set to take place […]

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Merab Dvalishvili recently shared his thoughts on what it would mean to him if he were to finally capture UFC gold.

“The Machine” has the opportunity to make his dream a reality this Saturday night as he challenges UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley in the main event of Noche UFC 306, set to take place at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

With a remarkable 10-fight winning streak under his belt, Dvalishvili has been relentlessly pushing for a long-overdue title opportunity. However, O’Malley chose to defend his belt against Marlon Vera at UFC 299 this past March, successfully avenging the only blemish on his otherwise stellar UFC record.

The 33-year-old Georgian enters the bout riding high after a commanding unanimous decision victory over former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 in February. Dvalishvili’s unbeaten streak boasts decisive wins over elite competition, including former champions Petr Yan and José Aldo, as well as a host of other top-tier opponents.

Dvalishvili has undeniably toiled tirelessly for his long-awaited title shot, and now he’s primed to prove his mettle on one of the sport’s grandest stages. ‘The Machine’ is more determined than ever to clinch the 135-pound belt…

Dvalishvili Says He’ll Feel ‘Relieved’ After Dethroning O’Malley At Noche UFC 306

During a recent interview with Bleacher Report, “The Machine” gave his insights into the upcoming title clash with O’Malley at Noche UFC 306.

Dvalishvili opened up about the significance of becoming a UFC champion, a status he says he has diligently worked towards throughout his career.

“We [fighters] have just one dream: to become UFC champion,” Dvalishvili said. “After that, I’m really, truly telling you, if I die, I don’t care. I cannot even imagine [having the belt put on me], man. I just want to feel the reality. I am doing everything for that. I don’t wanna even dream about it.”

Dvalishvili also mentioned that he’s uncertain about his plans following a potential title victory this weekend, but he’s certain it would lift a significant weight off his shoulders. He expressed a desire to show that even an ordinary person can achieve their dreams through unwavering dedication and relentless hard work.

“I don’t know what I’m gonna say, I don’t know what I’m gonna do, but I know one thing for sure: I will be so happy, so relieved, and I know I will do lots of great things with the gold and with the UFC belt,” Dvalishvili continued. “I want to travel the world, and I wanna show the people I’m just a normal guy, a small guy, but I’m hardworking, and if I work hard and I got this belt, you guys can get everything too. Just work hard and just chase your dream. Believe in yourself.”

While Dvalishvili is projected to be the toughest challenge for “Suga” so far, achieving victory won’t be a walk in the park. O’Malley, an elite-level striker, presents a formidable threat with his heavy hands, which could effectively counter Dvalishvili’s wrestling-heavy style.

Continue Reading Merab Dvalishvili On After Becoming A UFC Champion: ‘If I Die, I Don’t Care’ at MMA News.

Sean O’Malley: Ilia Topuria ‘Needs Me’ To Move Up After Max Holloway Fight

Sean O’Malley recently asserted that after Ilia Topuria’s upcoming clash with Max Holloway, the only clear course for “El Matador” is a showdown with him. Topuria is gearing up to defend his featherweight crown for the first time in a highly anticipated clash against Holloway, headlining UFC 308 on October 26 at the Etihad Arena […]

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Sean O’Malley recently asserted that after Ilia Topuria’s upcoming clash with Max Holloway, the only clear course for “El Matador” is a showdown with him.

Topuria is gearing up to defend his featherweight crown for the first time in a highly anticipated clash against Holloway, headlining UFC 308 on October 26 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

“Suga” has been zeroing in on Topuria ever since retaining his bantamweight title against former foe Marlon Vera at UFC 299 this past March. Following his victory, O’Malley wasted no time in calling out the Georgian-Spanish fighter, even trading jabs with him on social media and igniting talk of a potential champ vs. champ super fight.

However, before O’Malley can lock horns with Topuria, he must first overcome another Georgian obstacle — Merab Dvalishvili.

The 29-year-old Montana native is set to put his title on the line against “The Machine’ in the headlining bout of Noche UFC 306, taking place this Saturday inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Suga” is convinced that once Topuria finishes business with Holloway, he’ll need to face a high-profile opponent like him…

O’Malley Shares Mixed Feelings On Possible Topuria Match

During a recent interview with Bleacher Report, O’Malley weighed in on a potential super fight with Topuria.

The reigning UFC bantamweight champ expressed that, after Noche UFC 306, he has no shortage of challengers waiting in the wings. However, he believes “El Matador” will be left without a worthy opponent after defending his title against Holloway.

“The more I think about the Ilia fight, I’m like, you know what, Ilia needs me,” O’Malley said. “Who’s he going to fight next? [If] he goes out there and beats Max [Holloway at UFC 308], who is he going to fight next? I have guys lined up. I have big fights. Ilia needs me more than I need Ilia.”

However, “Suga” voiced some hesitation, suggesting that he doubts Topuria will even make it past “Blessed” at UFC 308.

Instead, he floated the idea of facing rising star Umar Nurmagomedov, a fight “The Young Eagle” has previously likened to the magnitude of the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor showdown.

“To be honest, I don’t think he’s gonna get past Max anyway, so I’m kind of switching gears from that. We got guys like Umar that I think are going to be massive fights,” O’Malley added.”

Although Topuria, who knocked out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 to capture the 145-pound title, has never openly entertained the idea of facing O’Malley, he didn’t entirely dismiss it.

After O’Malley called him out following UFC 299, “El Matador” left the door open for a potential showdown, fueling further speculation about a future clash.

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley: Ilia Topuria ‘Needs Me’ To Move Up After Max Holloway Fight at MMA News.