UFC 306’s venue is as much part of the show as the fighters competing. Noche UFC, the promotion’s second annual Mexican Independence Day weekend celebration, takes place at the Sphere in Las Vegas for a show billed as a first-of-its-kind sporting spectacle. Even if the attention is more on the venue than the fights, the undercard has some gems.
UFC 306’s main event sees UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley fight rival Merab Dvalishvili. O’Malley and Dvalishvili are one of UFC’s best strikers and grapplers, respectively. O’Malley seeks to establish himself as a marquee act in the UFC; meanwhile, Dvalishvili looks to avenge the loss suffered by his close friend and former champ Aljamain Sterling at O’Malley’s hands.
The other title fight set for Saturday night sees a trilogy bout between women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and former titleholder Valentina Shevchenko. Grasso stunningly submitted Shevchenko in their first meeting before the two fought to a draw in the rematch. Now they look to settle the score with Grasso likely to be buoyed by many of her countrymen and women in attendance for the holiday weekend.
Elsewhere on the card, plenty of Mexican fighters get a showcase opportunity. Brian Ortega, the former featherweight title challenger born to Mexican parents in the United States, gets his chance against fast-rising contender Diego Lopes at featherweight. The two were scheduled to meet in July before Ortega fell ill on fight night and was forced to withdraw. Lopes amazingly stayed on the card against Dan Ige, taking the fight on mere hours of notice. Elsewhere, Daniel Zellhuber is set to face Esteban Ribovics at lightweight. And Ronaldo Rodriguez faces off with Ode Osbourne at flyweight.
Take a closer look below at three non-title undercard fights worth watching at UFC 306.
Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes
Hopefully, the second time is the charm for this wicked booking. Ortega and Lopes pair some of the best jiu-jitsu on the UFC roster with dynamic striking. They’re both reliable finishers, especially Lopes who’s found the stoppage in 22 of 25 wins. Ortega and Lopes were scheduled to fight at UFC 303 on June 29 but Ortega pulled out hours before the fight. Remarkably, Dan Ige rescued the night by replacing Ortega midway through the event in a spirited loss. UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, who defends his title against Max Holloway at UFC 308, has already predicted the winner of Ortega vs. Lopes could earn the next title shot.
Irene Aldana vs. Norma Dumont
Talk about repairing an image. Aldana laid an egg in a lifeless bid for the UFC women’s bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes in June 2023. Nunes dominated Aldana (50-45, 50-44, 50-43 unanimous decision) before retiring at UFC 289. Aldana fought with renewed spirit against Karol Rosa six months later, winning a unanimous decision in a late Fight of the Year contender. Aldana — ranked No. 5 in the UFC’s official women’s bantamweight rankings — can reassert herself in the title picture alongside Julianna Pena and Kayla Harrison with a strong showing on Saturday. Dumont (No. 8) is looking to launch herself into the top five with a fifth consecutive win. Dumont most recently defeated former UFC women’s featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie. Dumont is a decision machine and might make this fight boring but the outcome is important for the division.
Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Manuel Torres
Bahamondes is appointment viewing. The 27-year-old Chilean fighter landed a highlight reel front kick on “Dana White’s Contender Series” to earn a UFC contract in November 2020. His spinning wheel kick KO of Roosevelt Roberts in 2021 was one of the best KOs of the year. He’ll take on a fellow “Contender Series” graduate with a violent appetite. Torres finished his three UFC opponents in Round 1, improving to 14 finishes in 15 wins. Whatever Aldana vs. Dumont could lack in excitement, Bahamondes vs. Torres should make up for twice over.
Who wins UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvil, and which UFC props should you target? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on UFC Fight Night, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $1,200 on UFC main-card picks, and find out.
