UFC celebrates Mexican Independence Day with a once-in-a-lifetime event at Sphere in Las Vegas, headlined by two blockbuster championship bouts. UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley collides with surging No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili, plus, UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso runs it back with former titleholder Valentina Shevchenko.

UFC 306: O'Malley vs Dvalishvili takes place Saturday, September 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas with the main card at 10pm ET/7pm PT on PPV.

Championship bouts scheduled for five rounds. All other bouts scheduled for three rounds.

The latest UFC PPV offering is sure to be one of a kind. UFC 306 heads to The Sphere in Las Vegas for the first sporting event of any kind to take place in the unique venue. It will also be a celebration of Mexico as the event takes place over Mexican Independence Day Weekend and the promotion has gone so far as to name the event "Noche UFC."

The event is anchored by a pair of title fights in the lower divisions. Bantamweight king "Suga" Sean O'Malley puts his crown on the line against top contender Merab Dvalishvili. O'Malley is riding a wave of momentum of with three straight wins to claim and then defend the title. His lone loss came in 2020 after suffering an injury. Dvalishvili, meanwhile, has won 10 in a row dating back to 2018. 

The co-main event sees women's flyweight queen Alexa Grasso stake her title against former champion Valentina Shevchenko. The two have battled twice previously with Grasso scoring the stunning submission win in their first meeting before the two battled to a controversial draw in the second. Now, they look to settle the score for good with Grasso getting massive support for her fellow Mexican fans in attendance over the holiday weekend.

The Rise of 'Suga' Sean O'Malley

Three men sit on a sofa. The one on the right warbles on a flute, the middle strums a guitar and the one on the left slowly taps away on a tambourine.

As one commentor on the video puts it: “I’d love to show this to someone and tell them to guess who the UFC 135lbs champ is.”

The commentor is right. Sean O’Malley, sitting on the left with the tambourine, is one of the most talented fighters in the world and has one of the most colorful personalities – and hairstyles – in the UFC.

Known for his creative social media output and seismic success in the Octagon, O’Malley has quickly become a fan favorite and UFC champion.

Not only does his unique look help him stand out – face tattoos and a vivid hairstyle are part of the 29-year-old’s unique image – but also his nickname: “Suga.”

The nickname was given to him by his first coach, Johnny Aho, back in his hometown Helena, Montana, because O’Malley was “just so sweet to watch.” O’Malley describes his fighting style to CNN Sport as being “beautiful, violent, but not a violent act.”

He has more than lived up to that billing.

20 professional fights, 18 wins, one loss and one no contest have left O’Malley atop the UFC bantamweight division, having successfully defended his title once already. He will make second title defense against Georgia’s Merab Dvalishvili on September 14 at UFC 306.

But that journey to the top of the sport’s most popular list hasn’t always been a straightforward one.

O’Malley was on the way up. In 2018, his star was ascendant and he was a fighter who was predicted for the very top.

But then he couldn’t fight any longer.

O’Malley said on social media that he was withdrawing from his fight against Jose Quiñonez on October 6, 2018 at UFC 229 after failing a drugs test.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the UFC’s anti-doping partner, later announced that O’Malley had tested positive for the prohibited substance ostarine – defined by USADA as a “non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents” – in out-of-competition tests from 2018. He was suspended for six months as a result, while he also underwent hip surgery during that time.

He was scheduled to make his return to action on July 6, 2019 at UFC 239 but shortly beforehand, he was pulled from action after once again testing positive for ostarine. He was handed a further six month suspension after USADA’s “investigation into O’Malley’s positive tests, including extensive follow-up testing, his agreement to keep a food log, his increased level of care in selecting supplements, and finding no evidence of intentional use.”

USADA said that the “pattern of low urinary ostarine concentrations observed in multiple samples provided by O’Malley was consistent with exposure to ostarine as a contaminant.”

The enforced two-year break took a toll on his mental health – he told the UFC’s website that he dealt with his share of “depression” and “anxiety” – while he also spent the time asserting his innocence. But he made sure to keep everything in perspective in that time away.

“(People) get sentenced for stuff they have never done, and that’s how I feel, in a way,” he said. “But it’s so much smaller than stuff like that. I have food. I have water. I have shelter. So, my life is still really good; I just have to make sure I keep that perspective that it could be a lot worse.”

Despite the personal setback, O’Malley used that time to hone his skills. “I feel like I’m twice as good. Overall, I’m stronger in every aspect,” he told MMA Fighting after his return.

And when he did eventually make his comeback, he came back with a bang. Two first-round knockouts reestablished his reputation as one of the UFC’s most explosive fighters.

But O’Malley was dealt another blow when he lost to Marlon Vera in late 2020, his first career defeat. O’Malley seemed hampered by an injury to his leg sustained after a devasting kick from his Ecuadorian opponent. After the fight, O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch revealed he had suffered damage to his peroneal nerve which prohibited blood flow to his right foot.

Although O’Malley called it an accident, but Welch said on his YouTube channel that he felt responsibility for what transpired, saying the ankle wraps were too tight and that he should have delayed the beginning of the encounter to get them redone.

While some fighters might have had their confidence rocked by their first defeat, O’Malley suffered from none of these issues.

He rattled off three straight wins to vault himself back up the rankings before his fight against Pedro Munhoz was ruled no contest due to an accidental eye poke from O’Malley.

With his form reestablished, O’Malley showed why he was seen as the next big star. First, he beat former bantamweight champion Petr Yan and then obtained the division’s title belt for himself with a stunning knockout of Aljamain Sterling last year.

With all that hype now surrounding him, O’Malley tells CNN it never became too much. “I never really felt that pressure of having to perform. I always kind of, I enjoy it. I get to go out there and do that, so I’m excited.”

But one challenge remained before he could cement himself at the top of the sport; revenge against Vera.

O’Malley vs. Vera 2 was booked for March 9 earlier this year.

In traditional O’Malley fashion, he arrived to his first pre-fight facedown with the Ecuadorian in flamboyant style, wearing black sunglasses, a bright green shiny coat, no shirt and white pants and white shoes.

In simple terms, O’Malley looked the part. And when it came to the action in the ring, O’Malley played it.

Decked out with his blue and pink cornrows and pink fight shorts, O’Malley put in an impressive performance, using his “crisp boxing and diverse striking, sharp footwork and superior speed to batter Vera for the majority of the contest,” MMA journalist E. Spencer Kyte wrote on UFC.com.

O’Malley was a deserving winner, retaining his title for the first time. Not only that, but he was the talk of the MMA world.

Former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski called O’Malley’s performance “impressive,” while welterweight fighter Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson said his “feints and distance management are some of the best in the game!!!”

The Challenger: Merab Dvalishvili

Merab Dvalishvili is a different kind of fighter. He’s not known for flashy finishes, but he’s earned his position as the No. 1 contender in the bantamweight division by being a relentless, grinding fighter. He’s won 10 straight fights, with nine of them being unanimous decision victories.

Dvalishvili is a wrestler at heart, and he’s likely to try and take the fight to the ground and control O'Malley there. However, Dvalishvili is also a tough, durable striker, and he’s not afraid to stand and trade punches.

Dvalishvili has shown that he can handle a high volume of strikes. He’s been in numerous slugfests, with his previous bout against Petr Yan going the distance. He even got the better of the Russian in the early rounds of the fight, but ultimately, Yan’s experience and ability to work the body landed him the win.

Dvalishvili is also known for his high-volume, powerful, and accurate kickboxing. He's able to land powerful punches from a distance and is a threat to finish a fight via stoppage.

The Fight: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili

This fight is a clash of styles. O’Malley is the more flashy and dynamic fighter, while Dvalishvili is the more grinding and relentless fighter.

The key for O’Malley will be to avoid being taken down and to keep the fight standing. He needs to use his speed and agility to his advantage and to pick his shots carefully. He will also have to have a good plan for dealing with Dvalishvili’s relentless pressure.

The key for Dvalishvili will be to get the fight to the ground. He needs to use his wrestling skills to control O’Malley and to tire him out. He’ll also need to be wary of O’Malley’s power and accuracy on the feet, as he’s susceptible to getting hit.

This fight is a tough one to predict. O’Malley is the more talented fighter, but Dvalishvili is the more experienced and durable fighter. Ultimately, the fight could come down to who can impose their will on the other fighter for the duration of the contest.

The Big Questions:

Will O’Malley’s flashy style be enough to overcome Dvalishvili’s grinding style?

Can Dvalishvili take O’Malley down and control him on the ground?

Who will be able to withstand the pressure and come out on top?

What to Watch For:

The fight is likely to be a back-and-forth affair, with both fighters having their moments.

O’Malley is likely to start strong and try to finish the fight early.

Dvalishvili is likely to be more patient and to try to wear down O’Malley over time.

This fight is definitely one to watch. It's going to be a battle of wills and styles. The winner will be the one who can adapt to the other's style and impose their will on the fight.

Beyond the Main Event:

The co-main event between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko is also a rematch, and it’s sure to be a heated affair. Grasso won the first meeting by submission, but Shevchenko is out for revenge. This fight is likely to be a close one, and it could go either way.

The rest of the card is also stacked with interesting fights. It’s a great night of action, and it’s sure to be a memorable event.

UFC 306 is a must-watch for any MMA fan. It’s a night of championship action, with two title fights, a rematch, and a bunch of other great fights. The event is sure to be a memorable one, and it’s a great opportunity to celebrate Mexican Independence Day.