Pre-fight Discussion UFC 306 Riyadh Season Noche UFC: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili -The Sphere Card - Prelims 7:30 pm et ESPN+ Main 10 pm et Main PPV
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lol, dunno.
looks like a decent card to me but then I've been watching MMA since.....
Pride 1, baby! Tokyo Dome, 1997.
That being said, not worthy of a PPV IMO.
Hate to have to go to a pirate site to watch my girl Grasso whoop on Valentina
but it is what it is.
looks like a decent card to me but then I've been watching MMA since.....
Pride 1, baby! Tokyo Dome, 1997.
That being said, not worthy of a PPV IMO.
Hate to have to go to a pirate site to watch my girl Grasso whoop on Valentina
but it is what it is.
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Thanks for the thread purp. I'm looking forward to the 8 new octagon girls that will be introduced. Among other things.
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I assume it’s cause they thought the sphere hype would make up for it.
Dana is losing it or something. He thinks slap fighting is good, and he clearly overpriced this sphere event.
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Former Coach Says Dvalishvili Will ‘Have to Eat Some Punches’ to Beat O’Malley
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TRISTEN CRITCHFIELD SEP 9, 2024 COMMENTS
Ray Longo has a pretty good handle on what type of skills Merab Dvalishvili brings to the table. Before Dvalishvili moved his training to Las Vegas, he worked with the Serra-Longo Fight Team in New York. As Dvalishvili prepares to challenge Sean O'Malley for the bantamweight crown in the UFC 306 main event on Saturday at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Longo offered some insight into what “The Machine” will have to do in order to leave with a title belt in his possession.
“He’s going to have to eat some punches to win this fight – period,” Longo said on “The Anik & Florian Podcast.” (transcription via MMAjunkie.com)
“O’Malley is a sharpshooter. If you go in there thinking you’re not going to get hit or you’re just going to do this or do that, I think that’s a huge mistake.”
UFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!
While Dvalishvili is the most dangerous wrestler O’Malley has faced thus far during his promotional tenure, the Georgian standout hasn’t squared off against someone with the standup prowess of the reigning champion.
The most peril Davlishvili has faced on the feet during his current 10-bout winning streak came against Marlon Moraes at UFC 266, when he was dropped in the opening stanza. It remains the only knockdown Dvalishvili has suffered during his UFC career to date.
Because of that experience, Long believes Dvalishvil will be aware of the challenges O’Malley presents.
“If I tell you how many times I worked on getting underneath the left hook with him [before the Moraes fight] – and that’s exactly the punch he got hit with. “I said, ‘You’re going to have to walk through fire at some point in this fight.’ That’s exactly what he did. It’s going to be kind of the same thing. Merab knows what he’s up against,” Longo said.
“I think O’Malley is really good. I don’t think O’Malley has ever faced anybody with the pressure of Merab, and I don’t think Merab’s fought anybody with the length and the accuracy and the power of O’Malley.”
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TRISTEN CRITCHFIELD SEP 9, 2024 COMMENTS
Ray Longo has a pretty good handle on what type of skills Merab Dvalishvili brings to the table. Before Dvalishvili moved his training to Las Vegas, he worked with the Serra-Longo Fight Team in New York. As Dvalishvili prepares to challenge Sean O'Malley for the bantamweight crown in the UFC 306 main event on Saturday at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Longo offered some insight into what “The Machine” will have to do in order to leave with a title belt in his possession.
“He’s going to have to eat some punches to win this fight – period,” Longo said on “The Anik & Florian Podcast.” (transcription via MMAjunkie.com)
“O’Malley is a sharpshooter. If you go in there thinking you’re not going to get hit or you’re just going to do this or do that, I think that’s a huge mistake.”
UFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!
While Dvalishvili is the most dangerous wrestler O’Malley has faced thus far during his promotional tenure, the Georgian standout hasn’t squared off against someone with the standup prowess of the reigning champion.
The most peril Davlishvili has faced on the feet during his current 10-bout winning streak came against Marlon Moraes at UFC 266, when he was dropped in the opening stanza. It remains the only knockdown Dvalishvili has suffered during his UFC career to date.
Because of that experience, Long believes Dvalishvil will be aware of the challenges O’Malley presents.
“If I tell you how many times I worked on getting underneath the left hook with him [before the Moraes fight] – and that’s exactly the punch he got hit with. “I said, ‘You’re going to have to walk through fire at some point in this fight.’ That’s exactly what he did. It’s going to be kind of the same thing. Merab knows what he’s up against,” Longo said.
“I think O’Malley is really good. I don’t think O’Malley has ever faced anybody with the pressure of Merab, and I don’t think Merab’s fought anybody with the length and the accuracy and the power of O’Malley.”
Former Coach Says Dvalishvili Will ‘Have to Eat Some Punches’ to Beat O’Malley
Ray Longo has a pretty good handle on what type of skills Merab Dvalishvili brings to the table.
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This could make it cool gonna have to look into this to see if it's in a theater near me.
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Thanks bud, same here. Found this gallery https://www.ufc.com/gallery/photo-gallery-octagon-girls. Looks they they reaaly will introduce the 8 new ones at the sphere show. Look forward to the PbP thread.
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Wow that's rad. Let us know what it's like.
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Daniel Zellhuber Vows To Be First to Knock Out Esteban Ribovics at UFC 306
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SAYAN NAG SEP 9, 2024 COMMENTS
Daniel Zellhuber (15-1) is confident that he’ll hand Esteban Ribovics (13-1) his first knockout loss at UFC 306.
Zellhuber faces Argentina’s Ribovics on Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The Mexican has racked up a three-fight winning streak after suffering his lone career loss against Trey Ogden in his UFC debut in 2022. And self-confidence is one aspect Zellhuber has benefitted the most in from this winning streak. “Golden Boy” admits he even had doubts about whether he truly belonged in the UFC after his foiled debut. However, Zellhuber has since been growing in confidence to the point where he now promises to finish Ribovics for the first time at UFC 306.
“I feel that the most important thing that I’ve been finding is self confidence,” Zellhuber told UFC.com. “When you get to the UFC and your first fight is a defeat, that is in my case, I feel that that kind of breaks you mentally a little bit. But I feel that after I lost that fight I was struggling with the thoughts of maybe belonging here in the UFC. Now after three fight win streak, the way that I’ve been winning, the way that I’m evolving in the gym, with the training partners and everything, I feel that I’m just more dangerous and ever. Because I know who I am and I am confident in my skillset.
“I’m gonna be the first one to knock out Esteban Ribovics. And I’ve been visualizing this, I’ve been manifesting this and I know it’s gonna happen… that’s why I’m saying I’m gonna knock him out. It’s not because I’m trying to be cocky, it’s because I truly believe that I’m working to get that knockout.”
Meanwhile, Ribovics also suffered his lone career loss in his UFC debut against Loik Radzhabov at UFC 285 last year. The Dana White's Contender Series graduate has since racked up back-to-back wins, most recently against Terrance McKinney via a 37-second head-kick KO this past May.
If he gets past Ribovics, Zellhuber would preferably fight another unranked opponent before taking on Top 15 lightweights. However, “Golden Boy” will be ready for a ranked opponent if the promotion considers him deserving of one.
“I still don’t [want] a Top 15 [opponent] just because I’m 25 years old. But of course with this being said, I feel that after I win at the Sphere, I might just be one fight away or I might get a Top 15 right away,” he said. “With the UFC you never know. I’m just ready for whatever the UFC puts on the table. If they believe I’m already good for a Top 15, I might take the fight. If they give me one more fight, it’ll be good for me, it’s more experience.”
Still early in his career, Zellhuber is in no rush to get to the top of the ladder. Zellhuber believes that while fast tracking one’s career could land them in the Top 5, they often end up at a crossroads there. The Mexican prospect would much rather face a step up in competition one level at a time and build his experience.
“Nowadays everybody wants to do it fast, but I feel that it’s better to go step by step… I feel that Esteban is just one step above my last fight and then my next fight need to be one step [higher],” Zellhuber said. “I’m comfortable doing that way because that allows me to keep growing and keep learning and keep evolving. And I feel that that’s what you need to do in order to have a successful career here in UFC. Because if you start rushing into fights, you might be good and you might do it at Top 5 but once you’re in the Top 5, you can go back but if you can’t get past the Top 5 then you’re in a tough spot. That’s why I’d rather do it one step at a time.”
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SAYAN NAG SEP 9, 2024 COMMENTS
Daniel Zellhuber (15-1) is confident that he’ll hand Esteban Ribovics (13-1) his first knockout loss at UFC 306.
Zellhuber faces Argentina’s Ribovics on Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The Mexican has racked up a three-fight winning streak after suffering his lone career loss against Trey Ogden in his UFC debut in 2022. And self-confidence is one aspect Zellhuber has benefitted the most in from this winning streak. “Golden Boy” admits he even had doubts about whether he truly belonged in the UFC after his foiled debut. However, Zellhuber has since been growing in confidence to the point where he now promises to finish Ribovics for the first time at UFC 306.
“I feel that the most important thing that I’ve been finding is self confidence,” Zellhuber told UFC.com. “When you get to the UFC and your first fight is a defeat, that is in my case, I feel that that kind of breaks you mentally a little bit. But I feel that after I lost that fight I was struggling with the thoughts of maybe belonging here in the UFC. Now after three fight win streak, the way that I’ve been winning, the way that I’m evolving in the gym, with the training partners and everything, I feel that I’m just more dangerous and ever. Because I know who I am and I am confident in my skillset.
“I’m gonna be the first one to knock out Esteban Ribovics. And I’ve been visualizing this, I’ve been manifesting this and I know it’s gonna happen… that’s why I’m saying I’m gonna knock him out. It’s not because I’m trying to be cocky, it’s because I truly believe that I’m working to get that knockout.”
Meanwhile, Ribovics also suffered his lone career loss in his UFC debut against Loik Radzhabov at UFC 285 last year. The Dana White's Contender Series graduate has since racked up back-to-back wins, most recently against Terrance McKinney via a 37-second head-kick KO this past May.
If he gets past Ribovics, Zellhuber would preferably fight another unranked opponent before taking on Top 15 lightweights. However, “Golden Boy” will be ready for a ranked opponent if the promotion considers him deserving of one.
“I still don’t [want] a Top 15 [opponent] just because I’m 25 years old. But of course with this being said, I feel that after I win at the Sphere, I might just be one fight away or I might get a Top 15 right away,” he said. “With the UFC you never know. I’m just ready for whatever the UFC puts on the table. If they believe I’m already good for a Top 15, I might take the fight. If they give me one more fight, it’ll be good for me, it’s more experience.”
Still early in his career, Zellhuber is in no rush to get to the top of the ladder. Zellhuber believes that while fast tracking one’s career could land them in the Top 5, they often end up at a crossroads there. The Mexican prospect would much rather face a step up in competition one level at a time and build his experience.
“Nowadays everybody wants to do it fast, but I feel that it’s better to go step by step… I feel that Esteban is just one step above my last fight and then my next fight need to be one step [higher],” Zellhuber said. “I’m comfortable doing that way because that allows me to keep growing and keep learning and keep evolving. And I feel that that’s what you need to do in order to have a successful career here in UFC. Because if you start rushing into fights, you might be good and you might do it at Top 5 but once you’re in the Top 5, you can go back but if you can’t get past the Top 5 then you’re in a tough spot. That’s why I’d rather do it one step at a time.”
Daniel Zellhuber Vows To Be First to Knock Out Esteban Ribovics at UFC 306
Daniel Zellhuber (15-1) is confident that he’ll hand Esteban Ribovics (13-1) his first knockout loss at UFC 306.
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If you honestly thought Dana was talking about the fighters when he said this event was going to be the most incredible sporting event ever.
I don’t even know what to tell you.
It’s the first sporting event ever in that venue. Which is a huge deal. So if you add 2 + 2.. You should be able to end up with 4. But if you’re a “pink bald goof, bad”, or “U Fight Cheap” type. Well I can’t help you there either. They’ve spent $17M+ on the venue, and promotion. It’s a business in the habit of making money. And probably the only sports or entertainment business that made money the first year+ of Covid. Some leagues, and companies did zero events that first two years of Covid.
The first fight of the night is a Mexican prospect. You know.. On the Noche card. The Mexican Independence Card. You don’t even understand that part?
I think you’re missing more than passion.
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That’s the part that really annoys me. No ppv is worth $80 or whatever. But as a HUGE percentage of us don’t pay to begin with. People are bitching just for the sake of bitching.
This event is totally different than anything the world has ever seen before. But the lowbrows are just being hipsters hating on everything. While not using an ounce of logic, or wisdom.
This card sucks.. Every card including 298-300. That tells me all I need to know. The entitlement of newer generations for something that is free. Just boggles my mind. And makes this place a shittier place to hang out. And I’ve backed off a little lately. Trolling, and bitching all day long.
No self control by the kids these days. And dear diary posts all the time. Just watch it or not. The obsession with Dana is the creepiest thing I’ve seen on a daily basis.
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Get Off Yorick ! Didya actually go there? Cool AF either way !
Can't wait for this one, War Both !
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Dana White: The Sphere Is the Star of UFC 306
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SAYAN NAG SEP 9, 2024 COMMENTS
Dana White has never been so invested in the venue of a fight card as he is in the Sphere for UFC 306. It all started when White attended a U2 concert with Tom Brady at the Sphere in October 2023. The UFC CEO immediately started obsessing over the idea of hosting a sporting event at the venue — which ultimately led to UFC 306 being held at the venue on Saturday.
Sean O’Malley, who is one of the biggest active stars on the roster, puts his bantamweight title on the line against Merab Dvalishvili in the main event. Meanwhile, women’s flyweight champ Alexa Grasso defends her strap against Valentina Shevchenko in the co-main event of the card, which is also a tribute to the Mexican Independence Day. However, White emphasizes that the venue is the real star of the show at UFC 306. White is so impressed by the Sphere that he is even returning there for an Eagles concert on Sept. 27.
According to White, UFC 306 will feature a movie playing throughout with the fights as chapters of the film. However, what White isn’t sure about is whether his ambitious project can be executed to perfection. And he won’t have a chance to correct any potential wrongs in the future ,as it’s been already confirmed that the Sphere venture will be one-time thing.
UFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!
“What I don’t know is if this works… All I know is that I was at the Sphere that night watching U2 and I was blown away by the experience,” White recently told Grind City Media. “What I said too is that the Sphere is the star of the show… I’m going to the Eagles [concert], as soon as our event’s done, I’ll be at the Eagles Sept. 27… And you get to sit back and listen to U2, all the greatest songs and you’re watching the screen and every once in a while you’ll peek over and you look at U2.
“So, I said it’ll be fascinating to pull off a sporting event here. Where we’re basically doing movies, there’ll be a movie that night. And in between movies, we call them chapters of the movie, there’ll be fights. And you’ll see our thought process and how we laid it out and how we figured this would work that. But at the end of the night, we’ll know whether it does or it doesn’t.”
While it’ll be a whole different experience for those in attendance at UFC 306, White also wants the fans watching from home to feel some of it. To cater to the needs of both groups, White has hired renowned live event director Glenn Weiss, who has 14 Emmys to his name.
“So every Saturday night we put on an in-house live event and a television event that goes out to the world,” White said. “Two different types of shows, with two different groups of people running each one. That night we’ll have two more trucks. So you’ll have the greatest director in Hollywood right now that does all the award shows, [his] name is Glenn Weiss. He’ll be shooting both of those live in trying to make the people at home feel the experience at the Sphere. So all this stuff has to come together and be seamless on Sept. 14.”
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SAYAN NAG SEP 9, 2024 COMMENTS
Dana White has never been so invested in the venue of a fight card as he is in the Sphere for UFC 306. It all started when White attended a U2 concert with Tom Brady at the Sphere in October 2023. The UFC CEO immediately started obsessing over the idea of hosting a sporting event at the venue — which ultimately led to UFC 306 being held at the venue on Saturday.
Sean O’Malley, who is one of the biggest active stars on the roster, puts his bantamweight title on the line against Merab Dvalishvili in the main event. Meanwhile, women’s flyweight champ Alexa Grasso defends her strap against Valentina Shevchenko in the co-main event of the card, which is also a tribute to the Mexican Independence Day. However, White emphasizes that the venue is the real star of the show at UFC 306. White is so impressed by the Sphere that he is even returning there for an Eagles concert on Sept. 27.
According to White, UFC 306 will feature a movie playing throughout with the fights as chapters of the film. However, what White isn’t sure about is whether his ambitious project can be executed to perfection. And he won’t have a chance to correct any potential wrongs in the future ,as it’s been already confirmed that the Sphere venture will be one-time thing.
UFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!
“What I don’t know is if this works… All I know is that I was at the Sphere that night watching U2 and I was blown away by the experience,” White recently told Grind City Media. “What I said too is that the Sphere is the star of the show… I’m going to the Eagles [concert], as soon as our event’s done, I’ll be at the Eagles Sept. 27… And you get to sit back and listen to U2, all the greatest songs and you’re watching the screen and every once in a while you’ll peek over and you look at U2.
“So, I said it’ll be fascinating to pull off a sporting event here. Where we’re basically doing movies, there’ll be a movie that night. And in between movies, we call them chapters of the movie, there’ll be fights. And you’ll see our thought process and how we laid it out and how we figured this would work that. But at the end of the night, we’ll know whether it does or it doesn’t.”
While it’ll be a whole different experience for those in attendance at UFC 306, White also wants the fans watching from home to feel some of it. To cater to the needs of both groups, White has hired renowned live event director Glenn Weiss, who has 14 Emmys to his name.
“So every Saturday night we put on an in-house live event and a television event that goes out to the world,” White said. “Two different types of shows, with two different groups of people running each one. That night we’ll have two more trucks. So you’ll have the greatest director in Hollywood right now that does all the award shows, [his] name is Glenn Weiss. He’ll be shooting both of those live in trying to make the people at home feel the experience at the Sphere. So all this stuff has to come together and be seamless on Sept. 14.”
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That's a pick'em to me as well Jose.Who folks reckon wins in Aldana vs Dumont? Feels really pick'em to me.
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Yeah it's a great fight. Merab has won 10 in a row. He took down Cejudo with ease. OMalley has accuracy and KO power. He probably hasn't fought anyone as good as Merab. I think some will be surprised that Sean's takedown defense has improved. Who you got for this one nonoob? I'm leaning O'Mally by KO.Get Off Yorick ! Didya actually go there? Cool AF either way !
Can't wait for this one, War Both !
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O'Malley, unless Merab fights smart enough to avoid those KO hands for the first 2 rounds. After that, IF it goes that far, Merab will have a chance.
IF, and a big IF, it goes to the judges - Can't see any way that a decision will go against Sean.
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This has to be some added extra pressure for Diego, as well as some uncertainty for Grasso. Not ideal.
“We work together, we help each other, I teach her and learn from her, but we have no idea what we’re going to do. I’ll fight my fight, and then comes Alexa. We know how we come out of a fight, especially knowing how tough Ortega is.
“It could be a war and we both might come out bad. But I’m focused, it’s extra motivation to come out fine in this fight, to win quickly and rush to the locker room, change clothes and be in Alexa’s corner.”
“We work together, we help each other, I teach her and learn from her, but we have no idea what we’re going to do. I’ll fight my fight, and then comes Alexa. We know how we come out of a fight, especially knowing how tough Ortega is.
“It could be a war and we both might come out bad. But I’m focused, it’s extra motivation to come out fine in this fight, to win quickly and rush to the locker room, change clothes and be in Alexa’s corner.”
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Episode 2 - Merab Dvalishvili watches UFC Fight Night and continues his camp; Champ Sean O’Malley trains and colors his hair; Diego Lopes grapples; Daniel Zellhuber hits some golf balls; Brian Ortega arrives in Las Vegas and plays video games.
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