Tag: Valentina Shevchenko

What’s Next After UFC 305? Full Confirmed Noche UFC Main Card For The Sphere On September 14

UFC 305 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering. The promotion was in Perth, Australia, last week, where the RAC Arena played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest visit Down Under. Of note were victories for UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du […]

Continue Reading What’s Next After UFC 305? Full Confirmed Noche UFC Main Card For The Sphere On September 14 at MMA News.

UFC 305 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering.

The promotion was in Perth, Australia, last week, where the RAC Arena played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest visit Down Under. Of note were victories for UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis, former interim flyweight title challenger Kai Kara-France, and lightweight fan favorite Dan Hooker.

While the aftermath of the August 17 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the middleweight title picture to the bantamweight and women’s flyweight championship conversations.

At Noche UFC (UFC 306), an event set to celebrate Mexican Independance Day inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, on September 14, reigning 135-pound kingpin Sean O’Malley will compete for the second time this year. After defeating Marlon Vera, “Sugar” will make his second defense of the gold in a long-awaited grudge match against top contender Merab Dvalishvili.

There will also be title stakes in the co-headliner, as flyweight queen Alexa Grasso completes her trilogy with the legendary Valentina Shevchenko. The pair previously fought to a draw at the first installment of Noche UFC last September and have since coached opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter.

Ortega & Lopes Among Those Setting The Stage For Title Headliners At UFC 30

Before O’Malley defends his championship and the promotion’s top female flyweights run it back again, a mix of veterans and prospects will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their positions on the major card.

That includes former two-time featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega and the up-and-coming Diego Lopes, who will give their matchup a second chance at making it to the Octagon. After a same-day withdrawal from “T-City” saw the Mexico-residing Brazilian face and defeat Dan Ige at International Fight Week instead, Lopes will have the opportunity to crack the top five in rearranged clash with Ortega.

Prior to that, highly touted Mexican prospects Daniel Zellhuber and Ronaldo Rodriguez will open the main card against Esteban Ribovics and Ode’ Osbourne, respectively, while notable names like Irena Aldana and Raul Rosas Jr. will feature on the prelims.

See below for the full UFC 306 card, as it stands.

Main Card:

  • Sean O’Malley (C) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (bantamweight championship main event)
  • Alexa Grasso (C) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (flyweight championship co-main event)
  • Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes (featherweight)
  • Daniel Zellhuber vs. Estaban Ribovics (lightweight)
  • Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode’ Osbourne (flyweight)

Preliminary Card:

  • Manuel Torres vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (lightweight)
  • Irena Aldana vs. Norma Dumont (women’s bantamweight)
  • Edgar Cháirez vs. Kevin Borjas (flyweight)
  • Yazmin Jauregui vs. Ketlen Souza (women’s strawweight)
  • Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Aoriqileng (bantamweight)
Diego Lopes
Image: UFC.com

Continue Reading What’s Next After UFC 305? Full Confirmed Noche UFC Main Card For The Sphere On September 14 at MMA News.

What’s Next After UFC 305? Full Confirmed Noche UFC Main Card For The Sphere On September 14

UFC 305 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering. The promotion was in Perth, Australia, last week, where the RAC Arena played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest visit Down Under. Of note were victories for UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du […]

Continue Reading What’s Next After UFC 305? Full Confirmed Noche UFC Main Card For The Sphere On September 14 at MMA News.

UFC 305 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering.

The promotion was in Perth, Australia, last week, where the RAC Arena played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest visit Down Under. Of note were victories for UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis, former interim flyweight title challenger Kai Kara-France, and lightweight fan favorite Dan Hooker.

While the aftermath of the August 17 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the middleweight title picture to the bantamweight and women’s flyweight championship conversations.

At Noche UFC (UFC 306), an event set to celebrate Mexican Independance Day inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, on September 14, reigning 135-pound kingpin Sean O’Malley will compete for the second time this year. After defeating Marlon Vera, “Sugar” will make his second defense of the gold in a long-awaited grudge match against top contender Merab Dvalishvili.

There will also be title stakes in the co-headliner, as flyweight queen Alexa Grasso completes her trilogy with the legendary Valentina Shevchenko. The pair previously fought to a draw at the first installment of Noche UFC last September and have since coached opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter.

Ortega & Lopes Among Those Setting The Stage For Title Headliners At UFC 30

Before O’Malley defends his championship and the promotion’s top female flyweights run it back again, a mix of veterans and prospects will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their positions on the major card.

That includes former two-time featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega and the up-and-coming Diego Lopes, who will give their matchup a second chance at making it to the Octagon. After a same-day withdrawal from “T-City” saw the Mexico-residing Brazilian face and defeat Dan Ige at International Fight Week instead, Lopes will have the opportunity to crack the top five in rearranged clash with Ortega.

Prior to that, highly touted Mexican prospects Daniel Zellhuber and Ronaldo Rodriguez will open the main card against Esteban Ribovics and Ode’ Osbourne, respectively, while notable names like Irena Aldana and Raul Rosas Jr. will feature on the prelims.

See below for the full UFC 306 card, as it stands.

Main Card:

  • Sean O’Malley (C) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (bantamweight championship main event)
  • Alexa Grasso (C) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (flyweight championship co-main event)
  • Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes (featherweight)
  • Daniel Zellhuber vs. Estaban Ribovics (lightweight)
  • Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode’ Osbourne (flyweight)

Preliminary Card:

  • Manuel Torres vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (lightweight)
  • Irena Aldana vs. Norma Dumont (women’s bantamweight)
  • Edgar Cháirez vs. Kevin Borjas (flyweight)
  • Yazmin Jauregui vs. Ketlen Souza (women’s strawweight)
  • Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Aoriqileng (bantamweight)
Diego Lopes
Image: UFC.com

Continue Reading What’s Next After UFC 305? Full Confirmed Noche UFC Main Card For The Sphere On September 14 at MMA News.

Backup Fighter Apparently Set For Title Bout At Sphere-Held Noche UFC On September 14

Contingency plans are in place for at least one of the championship fights set for Noche UFC at the Sphere, should there be a late-notice withdrawal. The organization will stage its second celebration of Mexican Independence Day on September 14 following the success of the inaugural event in 2023. Las Vegas will once again play […]

Continue Reading Backup Fighter Apparently Set For Title Bout At Sphere-Held Noche UFC On September 14 at MMA News.

Contingency plans are in place for at least one of the championship fights set for Noche UFC at the Sphere, should there be a late-notice withdrawal.

The organization will stage its second celebration of Mexican Independence Day on September 14 following the success of the inaugural event in 2023. Las Vegas will once again play host, but the Octagon will be in extremely different surroundings.

Instead of the T-Mobile Arena, the 2024 edition of Noche UFC (UFC 306) is set to go down inside the Sphere. For months, UFC CEO Dana White has vowed to put on a sporting spectacle like nothing seen before.

Tasked with delivering fireworks inside the cage will be the four headliners, who will look to exit the Sphere with gold in their possession. That’s bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili in the main event, while flyweight queen Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko are set to complete their trilogy in the co-headliner.

Injuries and illness forcing late-notice cancellations is never ideal, not least for an event of this magnitude. With that in mind, many have suggested that backups will likely be sought for the two bouts at the top of the lineup.

And by the sounds of things, one is locked in…

Fiorot Expected To Serve As Backup For Grasso vs. Shevchenko 3

During a recent interview with Boxemag, coach Aldric Cassata claimed that the #2-ranked Manon Fiorot has been “officially” confirmed as the backup fighter for Grasso vs. Shevchenko 3 on Sept. 14.

Should her services not be required on fight night after making championship weight, the trainer suggested “The Beast” will have the chance to cash in on her earned title shot by facing the winner either at the end of this year or early 2025.

“Manon is officially backup for the belt; she will be in Vegas,” Cassata said (h/t MMA Mania). “If there is no injury (to Grasso or Shevchenko), I think the (title fight) will be at the end of the year or the beginning of next year.”

Fiorot put herself in prime position for a first championship opportunity on MMA’s biggest stage by getting the better of the highly regarded Erin Blanchfield in the main event of the Atlantic City-held UFC Fight Night this past March.

That result moved the Frenchwoman to a 7-0 record in the UFC, following decision triumphs over the likes of Tabatha Ricci, Mayra Bueno Silva, Katlyn Cerminara, and Rose Namajunas.

It remains to be seen whether Fiorot will need to don the custom, Mexico-inspired fight kits to compete at the Sphere this fall. If not, it would appear that the Sept. 14 victor already has their next opponent set.

Continue Reading Backup Fighter Apparently Set For Title Bout At Sphere-Held Noche UFC On September 14 at MMA News.

UFC 306 Best Bets: Betting Preview for The Sphere

UFC 306 PicksThese are the UFC 306 best bets, a betting preview for the upcoming UFC event hosted at The Sphere…

UFC 306 Picks

These are the UFC 306 best bets, a betting preview for the upcoming UFC event hosted at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Headlining this fight card will be Sean O’Malley looking to defend his bantamweight title against the dangerous wrestler Merab Dvalishvili, and Alexa Grasso will face Valentina Shevchenko once again.

UFC 306 Best Bets

Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds for UFC 306, looking for solid favorites and live underdogs. These are the best UFC 306 picks.

Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili

The main event will see “Suga” Sean O’Malley in his second title defense against the relentless wrestler Georgia’s Dvalishvili. O’Malley captured the title with an impressive knockout over the training partner of Dvalishvili then-champion Aljamain Sterling. Next, he defended his title, avenging a prior loss, in a dominant performance against Marlon “Chito” Vera.

“The Machine” is a fitting nickname for the Georgian-born wrestler Merab Dvalishvili. He is an aggressive wrestler who constantly pushes his opponents with takedowns and does not slow down over five rounds. With his wrestling acumen, he has cut through the stacked bantamweight division with impressive wins over Olympic wrestler Henry Cejudo, Muay Thai strikers Petr Yan & Jose Aldo, and a win over contender Marlon Moraes, among others.

It’s easy to see why Merab Dvalishvili is the betting favorite going into this fight. Against Russia’s Yan, over five rounds, Dvalishvili attempted a whopping 49 takedowns with nearly 150 significant strikes landed, attempting an incredible 400 total strikes. In his three-round fight against Olympic Gold Medal Wrestler, and former UFC champion, Henry Cejudo “The Machine” out-wrestled his opponent and had more control time plus out-landed his opponents by a factor greater than two.

Despite being the champion Sean O’Malley will be an underdog going into this match. The ruthless wrestling of the Georgian will likely be too much for the US-born fighter. “Suga” has not had to face many wrestlers in his UFC career. Typically, to avoid takedowns, O’Malley keeps his distance and looks to land punches from range. He is a sniper he packs power over all five rounds. While Dvalishvili is a safe pick, O’Malley is a live underdog.

Alexa Grasso vs Valentina Shevchenko

The co-main event of UFC 306 will see Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko face off against each other for a third time. The two just coached TUF against one another. “Bullet” Shevchenko was the long-reigning division queen having defended her title in an impressive seven bouts.

In their first meeting, Mexico’s Grasso was able to capture the division title by countering Shevchenko’s spinning backkick with a takedown and submitting her. In their second meeting, the two athletes fought to a split draw so Grasso retained the title, during a Mexican Independence Day celebration.

Given how close and well-matched these two are, the betting odds are even going into this matchup. It is too close to call for a winner and the odds are not leaning any which way. It makes it too hard to pick. Grasso has a mixed style of boxing and grappling while Shevchenko is primarily a Muay Thai striker.

Alexa Grasso faces off with Valentina Shevchenko ahead of The Ultimate Fighter 32 this summer

Raul Rosas Jr. vs Aori Qileng

At just the age of 19, Raul Rosas Jr. has put together an impressive 4-1 record thus far in the UFC. He is a hot prospect who has been booked against “The Mongolian Murderer” Aori Qileng who is 3-3 1 NC in the UFC. Overall in MMA, Qileng is a veteran with a 25-11 record.

Raul Rosas Jr. is still a developing fighter with sharp skills who is improving in between fights. Going into his UFC 306 matchup, Rosas Jr. is a betting favorite, and for good reason. The young athlete will likely earn a win and is a fairly safe bet.

Ignacio Bahamondes vs Manuel Torres

Ignacio Bahamondes vs Manuel Torres is one of the more interesting fights on UFC 306 once we look at the odds. “La Jaula” Bahamondes is a dangerous striker with some impressive head-kick knockout wins. “El Loco” Manuel Torres is on a six-fight win streak winning all of his fights by first-round stoppage, by KO/TKO, or submission.

UFC Vegas 34

Torres is a dangerous fighter who is in a rush to finish his opponents, nearly all of his wins have come by way of submission to KO/TKO. He will pose problems on the feet for Bahamondes, who is the more popular fighter. Bahamondes is the favorite going in but Torres might be a good pick if you’re looking for a live underdog.

UFC 306 is booked for September 14 live from Las Vegas.

Sean O'Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Sphere

Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko Go Head-to-Head in $10k Basketball Contest

Alexa Grasso, Valentina ShevchenkoUFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and former titleholder Valentina Shevchenko squared off on the basketball court ahead of their…

Alexa Grasso, Valentina Shevchenko

UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and former titleholder Valentina Shevchenko squared off on the basketball court ahead of their Octagon trilogy.

Grasso and Shevchenko, who are scheduled to meet for the third time at UFC 306 next month, battled as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 32. The season has featured plenty of exciting moments, prospects, and drama in and out of the cage.

UFC CEO Dana White often refers to the season-to-season tradition ‘Coaches Challenge’ as his favorite part of the show. Grasso and Shevchenko competed in a sport neither is familiar with for a significant payout to themselves and their team’s fighters.

Grasso and Shevchenko, along with their TUF 32 teams, met at the practice facility of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. While White wasn’t able to attend the competition in person, he offered hosting duties to WNBA star Kelsey Plum.

The two flyweights had to make baskets from different areas of the court, and each spot had a corresponding point value. Shevchenko took a simple, yet effective approach, as she continually made baskets from inside the arc to grow an insurmountable lead.

After three time periods, Shevchenko defeated Grasso to earn $10k for herself, and $2k for each of her fighters.

Valentina Shevchenko dominates Alexa Grasso in Hoops

Watch Grasso and Shevchenko’s hoops showdown here.

Grasso retained the UFC flyweight title against Shevchenko in their Noche UFC rematch last year by split draw. She pulled off one of 2023’s biggest UFC upsets when she submitted Shevchenko by face-crank at UFC 285, ending Shevchenko’s record-setting title reign.

After their controversial rematch went Grasso’s way, Shevchenko is looking to regain the UFC flyweight title and reclaim the throne. Before the loss to Grasso at UFC 285, she won nine consecutive fights, including title-defending knockouts over Lauren Murphy and Jessica Eye.

Alexa Grasso faces off with Valentina Shevchenko ahead of The Ultimate Fighter 32 this summer

B/R Pound-for-pound UFC Rankings: August 2024

July was an action-packed month for the UFC, with a handful of exciting Fight Night cards across the U.S. and a stacked pay-per-view in Manchester, England.…

July was an action-packed month for the UFC, with a handful of exciting Fight Night cards across the U.S. and a stacked pay-per-view in Manchester, England.…