Las Vegas is frequently the epicenter of combat sports. The desert playpen has been a home for big-time boxing for years and has more recently become familiar turf for the UFC given its occasional arena shows in the center of town and year-round presence at the Apex facility a few miles off the Strip.
But this'll be a particularly special Saturday night. Both sides of the combat aisle will be rolling out the red carpet to celebrate Mexican Independence Day weekend while holding pay-per-view shows barely two miles apart at T-Mobile Arena and the brand-new Sphere facility. PPV stalwart Canelo Alvarez will make his seventh September appearance in Nevada with a super middleweight title defense against Edgar Berlanga, while the UFC 306 show is headlined by a bantamweight bout featuring champion Sean O'Malley and a women's flyweight title bout between third-time rivals Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko.
In fact, it's the 11-year anniversary of Alvarez's first giant PPV appearance, against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013. The prelim portion of the UFC card goes live at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed a half-hour later by the first bout on the Alvarez-led boxing main card, while the UFC's pay-per-view portion is set to begin at 10 p.m. ET. The B/R combat team is ready for all of it and will endeavor to produce a real-time definitive list of the winners and losers from both shows. Take a look at what we come up with and drop a thought or two of your own in the comments.
UFC 306 at The Sphere
First things first, no one's arguing that the Sphere is a technological masterpiece. The in-person feels can barely be comprehended and the images broadcast on TV are unique to anything that's ever been seen on a pay-per-view fight card.
So if you're in it for the scientific breakthroughs, you're already a winner. But there's no denying that having a UFC show opposite a pay-per-view boxing card involving that sport's most recognizable fighter is going to leave some folks wanting. The Alvarez show on DAZN was going for $89.99 and the UFC event was its usual $79.99, meaning those who couldn't live without getting a glimpse of both O'Malley and Canelo would have to lay about $170 to do so. And if they weren't able to shell out that kind of cash, then they'd be forced to choose between the "Suga Show" and the Mexican superstar.
Clash of the Titans
Any why? Because neither Canelo nor Dana White were willing to cede ground. Alvarez has made a long-term habit of fighting in the biggest Las Vegas venue on Mexican Independence Day weekend but he lost his T-Mobile Arena spot when the UFC moved in last year, forcing him to choose September 30 instead. The cinnamon-haired super middleweight re-staked his claim to the mid-September turf this around but White didn't back down, instead staying on the same weekend but taking his act to the new venue barely two miles away.
The battle is joined. "I understand that Canelo and other great Mexican fighters have had these dates for years, but it's two dates," he told the Los Angeles Times. "You have Cinco de Mayo and independence day, you know what I mean? I'll take one of them. Period."
UFC 306's Main Event
It wasn't a fan-friendly masterpiece and it didn't end in a finish. So it's easy to suggest, especially as a better than 10-to-1 favorite, that Raul Rosas Jr. wasn't particular impressive in the prelim card opener against Chinese veteran Aoriqileng. But then you remember he's 19 years old, and the perspective changes a bit. The youngest fighter on the UFC roster picked up his fourth win in five fights since debuting 21 months ago and went three rounds to secure a victory for the first time, eventually capturing a unanimous decision by matching 29-28 scores.
Roses scored three takedowns, landed 98 strikes and spent better than seven minutes in positional control while bettering his 31-year-old foe, then had enough energy afterward to suggest he's ready for bigger game after turning 20 next month. "I'm just 19 years old with all these people behind me," he said. "Dana, it's time to talk numbers with the kid. I want a top-15 opponent next."
Mexican Independence Day Showdown
Fight fans in Las Vegas, Nevada, have incredible options this weekend (Sat., Sept. 14, 2024). Between the high-profile UFC 306 event inside The Sphere and Canelo Alvarez’s latest title defense versus Edgar Berlanga, there’s going to be a whole lot of high-level face-punching going on to celebrate Mexican Independence Day. However, all of those individual fights seem relatively minor compared to the overarching battle of promotion vs. promotion and sport vs. sport. Despite the politeness and UFC CEO Dana White’s promise to praise Canelo during UFC 306’s broadcast, make no mistake: a showdown is taking place between powerful players in combat sports for dominance in the Mexican Independence Day market.
Historically, Sept. 16 is a big day for boxing. It makes total sense that Canelo Alvarez — the biggest star in boxing, Mexico or otherwise — would set a title defense for that weekend. UFC is the newcomer, having enjoyed an incredibly successful inaugural Noche UFC event last year. The card was so much fun that White promised more to come, and he went MASSIVE by booking The Sphere for the sophomore event.
A Clash of Interests
While historically UFC has been consistent in its efforts to grow promotional popularity in Mexico, the event is ultimately a costly and exciting move from a company that recently has placed little value in spending money or taking chances. With this specific and heavy investment in UFC 306 and The Sphere, the stakes have been raised perhaps more than anybody initially realized. Take, for example, the declining seat prices of UFC 306. Tickets that were initially selling for $3,000 are now available for about $500. At the time of writing, the event has yet to sell out. Many believe this slowing in ticket sales is because of Canelo’s match in “Sin City” being a cheaper, or debatably more attractive, alternative.
Then, there’s the strange bedfellows UFC finds itself involved with regarding this event. Why is their Mexican combat sports celebration sponsored by Riyadh? White hates Oscar De La Hoya, so what is “Golden Boy” doing in attendance at Noche UFC? Another established figure in boxing promotion, Turki Alalshikh, will be in UFC 306’s crowd as well rather than supporting boxing. The explanation is personal.
Beyond the Brawls: A Look at the Larger Picture
Both De La Hoya and Alalshikh have beef with Canelo and are motivated to see his event struggle. Whether those grudges against Canelo result in further UFC 306 success remains to be seen, but the bad blood is at least enough to send boxing promoters cageside. At the end of the day, the dueling events this weekend will carry significant consequences for the sports of boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) alike. Despite that, an interesting angle here is that it doesn’t feel like either sport is fully putting its best foot forward in capturing the Mexican market. Alvarez vs. Berlanga is fine and will probably produce the Canelo victory that people want to see, but it’s not the most in-demand match up available for the superstar. Similarly, UFC 306 is a good card, not a great one. Despite hyperbolic promises, UFC 299 and UFC 300 earlier this year were more stacked with talent and name recognition. Ultimately, UFC is selling the spectacle of The Sphere more than any Mexican athlete or even the fight card itself.
Regardless of who’s victorious this year, we may see a rematch in 12 months time without any holding back.
