Tag: UFC 306

Israel Adesanya Predicts How Sean O’Malley Will Fare Against ‘Khabib-esque Mauler’ Merab Dvalishvili 

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is high on the striking of Sean O’Malley, and he thinks Merab Dvalishvili will be in trouble if he finds himself in front of it for too long. The promotion stages its second annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day this weekend, with the unique Sphere venue in Las […]

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya Predicts How Sean O’Malley Will Fare Against ‘Khabib-esque Mauler’ Merab Dvalishvili  at MMA News.

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is high on the striking of Sean O’Malley, and he thinks Merab Dvalishvili will be in trouble if he finds himself in front of it for too long.

The promotion stages its second annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day this weekend, with the unique Sphere venue in Las Vegas playing host to Noche UFC (UFC 306) on Sept. 14.

Two pieces of gold will be on the line, with O’Malley’s second defense of the bantamweight title set to follow the trilogy fight between flyweight elites Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko.

Not many main events this year have split opinions and predictions quite like O’Malley’s upcoming showdown with Dvalishvili. And the latest to reveal which side of the fence they sit on is no stranger to the positions of both champion and challenger…

Adesanya Backs O’Malley To Meet Dvalishvili’s Takedowns With KO Blow

During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya broke down and predicted the major matchups set to unfold inside the Sphere on Saturday night.

“The Last Stylebender” paid close attention to the headliner, assessing how the champ will handle a smothering grappling style from the challenger that he branded similar to that of the great Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Despite high praise for Dvalishvili, however, Adesanya is backing O’Malley to find the knockout blow as the Georgian enters range in pursuit of a takedown.

“Aljo (Aljamain Sterling) couldn’t get him down, and Aljo trains with Merab. I’m sure Merab might get him down, but Sean will probably get back up. And if he (Dvalishvili) doesn’t get him down, he’s in trouble,” Adesanya said. “Styles make fights. Merab’s style is not Aljamain’s style. When we trained together, he had a different pace, cardio, and different energy as well. … Sean can fight. I’ve seen him in round four, round five look clean. But Merab is like, Khabib-esque. He’s a mauler.

“While Sean’s finding his groove, Merab’s gonna put it on him and just try to take him down. If he gets him down, it’ll be just when Sean gets tired,” Adesanya continued. “When you know someone is coming for a takedown constantly, you can find it, you can find the shot, and Sean can find the shot. … Yeah, I’m gonna go Sean by TKO.”

O’Malley will look to prove Adesanya’s prediction correct come fight night in Las Vegas by sending Dvalishvili to the same fate as teammate Sterling fell to in August 2023.

In doing so, “Sugar” would move closer to his ultimate ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage, which includes a shot at two-division glory up at featherweight and a place in the GOAT conversation.

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya Predicts How Sean O’Malley Will Fare Against ‘Khabib-esque Mauler’ Merab Dvalishvili  at MMA News.

Jorge Masvidal Gives Ominous Prediction for UFC 306: “It’s going to be f**king amazing.”

Jorge Masvidal Gives Ominous Prediction for UFC 306: "It’s going to be f**king amazing."Jorge Masvidal expects great things out of the UFC’s highly anticipated debut at Sphere in Las Vegas. On September…

Jorge Masvidal Gives Ominous Prediction for UFC 306: "It’s going to be f**king amazing."

Jorge Masvidal expects great things out of the UFC’s highly anticipated debut at Sphere in Las Vegas.

On September 14, the UFC is set to present a combat sports event like no other alongside two massive world title clashes. In the co-main event of the evening, Valentina Shevchenko will look to reclaim the flyweight women’s title when he meets the division’s reigning queen, Alexa Grasso. Their trilogy fight comes one year removed from a controversial split draw in their rematch at last year’s Noche UFC event.

Jorge Masvidal on Noche UFC

Then in the UFC 306 headliner, ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley puts his bantamweight gold for the second time in 2024 when he squares off with the division’s top-ranked contender, Merab Dvalishvili.

Having already seen an event inside Sphere first-hand, two-time welterweight title challenger Jorge Masvidal expects this weekend’s once-in-a-lifetime card to deliver something truly special.

Jorge Masvidal on Noche UFC

“I don’t know if it’ll [the venue] impact the way they fight so much,” Masvidal told Kevin Iole. “It’s going to be an experience, though, because I’ve been in there [the Sphere] for a 3D show, and it was amazing. It was mind-blowing—the graphics, the stuff—but obviously, they’re not doing that now. But I still think they’ll play a lot of the graphics on their projectors and stuff, so it’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“I really wish I could have made it to this event. The card is stacked from top to bottom with a lot of up-and-coming talent. It’s going to be f*cking amazing, maybe even some future world champions on this card right here. So I think it’s a great, great card, man” (h/t MMA News).

Jorge Masvidal excited for UFC 306 main event

Masvidal also shared his excitement for the long-awaited clash between O’Malley and ‘The Machine,’ suggesting that ‘Sugar’ could end things early, but it’ll ultimately come down to whoever keeps it “more real” inside the Octagon.

“The main event is one that I’ll be watching closely, brother. I’ll be watching the main event 100%. I’m a big fan of both of them. I love Merab’s style—just coming forward, does not give a f*ck, does not know how to get tired. This guy just has an unbelievable gas tank, is pretty good at wrestling, and now he’s mixing it up better, where he’s throwing punches and getting right to it.

“But Sean is a sniper—one shot, one kill type of guy. Great athlete with great distance, great timing, and the longer arms, so it’s going to be a battle. I think whoever can keep it more real is obviously going to win, but it’s going to be a battle no matter what. I think it’s going to end up being a really good fight, or maybe I can see Sean maybe catching him early too—you never know.”

Jorge Masvidal on Noche UFC

Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs

We’re deep into Noche UFC (UFC 306) fight week, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on September 14 to take to the stage and answer some questions. The MMA leader’s latest numbered event takes place at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the main attraction of the […]

Continue Reading Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs at MMA News.

We’re deep into Noche UFC (UFC 306) fight week, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on September 14 to take to the stage and answer some questions.

The MMA leader’s latest numbered event takes place at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the main attraction of the Mexican Independence Day celebration will see UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley put his belt on the line against Merab Dvalishvili.

Setting the stage for the headliners will be another title fight, with reigning flyweight queen Alexa Grasso looking to record a second victory over the great Valentina Shevchenko in their trilogy, which comes after their rematch ended in a draw at last year’s inaugural Noche UFC event.

Also on pay-per-view will be #12-ranked featherweight Diego Lopes, who will shoot for the top five in a rearranged showdown with former two-time title challenger Brian Ortega.

As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the pre-fight press conference. The Noche UFC edition saw every fighter set to make the walk inside the Sphere in two days’ time with mic in hand.

Check out a replay of the presser below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, followed by all the highlights and faceoffs.

Noche UFC 306 Pre-Fight Press Conference Stream

Noche UFC 306 Press Conference Highlights

Noche UFC 306 Press Conference Faceoffs

Continue Reading Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs at MMA News.

Kamaru Usman Rectifies Merab Dvalishvili’s Misconception About Fighting Umar Nurmagomedov

Umar Nurmagomedov would appear to be next in line for whoever comes out on top in this weekend’s UFC 306 main event. Champion Sean O’Malley looks to earn his second title defense when he takes on Merab Dvalishvili at the Sphere. However, in the lead up to this fight, Dvalishvili has explained why he doesn’t […]

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Rectifies Merab Dvalishvili’s Misconception About Fighting Umar Nurmagomedov at MMA News.

Umar Nurmagomedov would appear to be next in line for whoever comes out on top in this weekend’s UFC 306 main event.

Champion Sean O’Malley looks to earn his second title defense when he takes on Merab Dvalishvili at the Sphere.

However, in the lead up to this fight, Dvalishvili has explained why he doesn’t believe that Nurmagomedov is currently at the front of the pack.

The cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov is undefeated at 18-0 but his only win over a ranked opponent was his most recent outing against Cory Sandhagen, which elevated him all the way to the #2-spot.

Dvalishvili has instead made the case for former flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo being his first challenger if he becomes champion on September 14, after winning three in a row since moving up to 135 pounds.

Kamaru Usman Argues Why Merab Dvalishvili Should Be Lobbying For Umar Nurmagomedov Fight Next

On a recent appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, Dvalishvili once again explained why he doesn’t think Nurmagomedov has got enough high-level wins to justify a title shot.

There’s no denying that this would be a big fight for the UFC considering the legacy of Nurmagomedov’s family name and that’s something that Usman addressed.

After hearing Dvalishvili’s reasoning, he looked to get across to him why fighting Nurmagomedov should be an option that he considers rather than disregarding him.

“The Nigerian Nightmare” spoke about how it’s important for a champion to make the most of their time at the top by getting the biggest possible fights out there, which right now in the bantamweight division, means taking on the undefeated contender.

“I get it, if we’re going by the rankings senses, it makes more sense 100% but, at the same time, we have to understand and I want you to understand this. This is one thing I’m gonna tell you Merab. If by God’s grace you are the champion, you have to understand that as the champion, now I have to use this belt, this position to accumulate as much income as I can at that time because time waits for nobody.

“At some point, we’re gonna get old, we’re going to change and the belt is going to change hands, there’s going to be new champions even whether you retire the champion or not. There’s going to be a new champion so the job, the goal, is to pull in as much as you can while you’re in that position and we can’t deny that a fight with a guy like yourself and Umar Nurmagomedov would be a bigger sell than a fight with Deiveson Figueiredo at this time, even though Figueiredo is still, I think, a big name.

Read also: Coach Ray Longo Pushes Back On Dana White’s Criticism Of Merab Dvalishvili: ‘He’s Far From A Dummy…’ 

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Rectifies Merab Dvalishvili’s Misconception About Fighting Umar Nurmagomedov at MMA News.

Diego Lopes “Ready for war” against Brian Ortega at UFC 306 then Corners Alexa Grasso

Diego Lopes UFC 306The Brazilian-Mexican Diego Lopes will look to get a quick finish in his featherweight bout against Brian Ortega, then…

Diego Lopes UFC 306

The Brazilian-Mexican Diego Lopes will look to get a quick finish in his featherweight bout against Brian Ortega, then he will run back and corner Alexa Grasso in her title fight against Valentina Shevchenko.

Diego Lopes Wants to Finish Brian Ortega

‘T-City’ Brian Ortega is a top-ranked fighter who is a perpetual contender in the competitive featherweight division. He has an impressive snap down on submissions and packs power in his hands. Diego Lopes is a scrappy fighter who is always in exciting bouts and is hungry to climb the featherweight rankings. A win over Ortega very well put him in the conversation for fighting for the featherweight UFC title.

It is a massive opportunity at UFC 306 for Diego Lopes. He will look to leave a memory for fans who watch the event at The Sphere in Las Vegas as part of the Noche UFC Mexican celebration.

Speaking to the media ahead of UFC 306, Diego Lopes explained:

“I know Brian is a great fighter. I’m ready for whatever comes up, but the idea is to run back to the locker room, get changed and go back to corner Alexa.“

Absolutely we do talk about this. I am ready for a war. I’m ready to go full out, and we do debate this as a team and make decisions according to whatever happens, but yeah we spoke about it. We have a strategy for it.

“It’s not every day that you hear that. I’m going to fight the No. 3 ranked guy in the division, so it’s just great to hear that kind of compliment and that really sets me up in a better position to come up strong.” [Ht MMAJunkie]

Diego Lopes is set to fight Brian Ortega, and then the next bout of the evening will be Alexa Grasso facing Valentina Shevchenko in the co-main event. The UFC event will be headlined by a bantamweight title match between ‘Sugar‘ Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili.

lopes ige 3
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 29: (L-R) Dan Ige is punched by Diego Lopes of Brazil in a 165-pound catchweight fight during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Merab Dvalishvili Wants To Avenge Aljamain Sterling Loss, Prove O’Malley Got ‘Lucky’

Merab Dvalishvili has been chasing a shot at the bantamweight title for a long time now but there was one major obstacle in his way. For a long time now, he has been training partners and close friends with Aljamain Sterling, who held the 135-pound belt for over two years. Sterling’s reign came to an […]

Continue Reading Merab Dvalishvili Wants To Avenge Aljamain Sterling Loss, Prove O’Malley Got ‘Lucky’ at MMA News.

Merab Dvalishvili has been chasing a shot at the bantamweight title for a long time now but there was one major obstacle in his way.

For a long time now, he has been training partners and close friends with Aljamain Sterling, who held the 135-pound belt for over two years.

Sterling’s reign came to an end at UFC 292 last year where he was stopped by Sean O’Malley in the second round.

Sterling debated whether the referee on that night, Marc Goddard, was guilty of an early stoppage and this is something that Dvalishvili has been very vocal about.

Now he has the opportunity to get revenge for his teammate by taking the belt off of O’Malley at UFC 306 inside the Sphere.

Merab Dvalishvili Says He Wants To Prove That Sean O’Malley Was ‘Lucky’

During a recent appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, Dvalishvili spoke passionately about his thoughts on the Sterling vs O’Malley fight.

He doesn’t see why the official would call the action when he did because despite the defending champion being dropped, he continued to move before taking several follow-up shots that led to Goddard stepping in.

The challenger says that this gives him more motivation ahead of September 14 where he wants to show that “Suga” had luck on his side on that night in Boston.

“I want to win this fight and I want to show the world he’s just a regular [guy] and he just got lucky because yeah, he did throw punch, he did clip Aljamain Sterling but Marc Goddard really helped him because when Aljo was down, he was keep moving, he was trying to grab the leg, he was moving and where Marc Goddard called him to move, he moved and then he stopped. If you tell him move and then he move, why you stop it you know. Me, when I fight, before the fight in locker room when referee comes I always tell referee, ‘Hey, if I get clipped, don’t stop me. Let me fight, I rather sleep, I rather die. Then, of course, you stop me but long as I’m moving, I’m doing something, please don’t stop me because I don’t need you.’

“Aljo was still in this fight but I was so mad when Marc Goddard stop the fight early again. So yeah, this is also like you said Henry, this is avenge this loss.”

Read also: Coach Ray Longo Pushes Back On Dana White’s Criticism Of Merab Dvalishvili: ‘He’s Far From A Dummy…’ 

Continue Reading Merab Dvalishvili Wants To Avenge Aljamain Sterling Loss, Prove O’Malley Got ‘Lucky’ at MMA News.