UFC 306
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts promotion |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Art Davie, Rorion Gracie, Bob Meyrowitz |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas, Nevada , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Dana White (President) |
| Products | Mixed martial arts events |
| Owner | Endeavor Group Holdings |
| Website | www |
UFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili—also referred to as Noche UFC 2 and promoted under the sponsorship title Riyadh Season Noche UFC—was a mixed martial arts spectacle produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 14, 2024. The event took place at the Sphere located in Paradise, Nevada, within the Las Vegas Valley, United States.
Production
Marking UFC's second installment of the "Noche UFC" series, this event honored Mexico’s independence day by featuring predominantly Mexican or Mexican American fighters in all bouts except the headliner. With UFC’s customary venue, T-Mobile Arena, unavailable due to a booking by boxer Canelo Álvarez on the same date, the promotion opted to host its inaugural live sporting event at the Sphere.[1][2]
After experiencing a U2 residency concert at the Sphere, UFC founder Dana White lauded the venue’s cutting-edge technology and expressed ambitions to amplify that experience exponentially. The production was managed by television director Glenn Weiss alongside filmmaker Carlos López Estrada, who utilized the Sphere’s 16K resolution video capabilities. The main card unfolded through six segments that artistically narrated Mexico’s history, combining combat sequences with immersive visual storytelling.[3]
The overall production expenses soared to an estimated $20 million, a substantial increase compared to typical UFC pay-per-view events which generally cost around $2 million.[3] In a first for the organization, UFC secured a title sponsorship agreement, branding UFC 306 as "Riyadh Season Noche UFC" in collaboration with Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority.[4][3]
Due to the elevated costs and existing contractual commitments with T-Mobile Arena’s operator, MGM Resorts International, Dana White suggested that returning to the Sphere for future events was improbable. He characterized UFC 306 as a unique production while remaining open to exploring innovative concepts going forward.[3][4]
Fight card
The headline bout featured a UFC Bantamweight Championship clash between reigning titleholder Sean O'Malley and challenger Merab Dvalishvili.
The co-main event showcased a trilogy fight for the UFC Women's Flyweight Championship between current champion Alexa Grasso and former titleholder Valentina Shevchenko. Their rivalry began at UFC 285 in March 2023 when Grasso captured the belt via submission in the fourth round. Their subsequent rematch at UFC Fight Night in September 2023 concluded in a split draw. Both fighters also took roles as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Grasso vs. Team Shevchenko. Manon Fiorot was named as an alternate for this matchup.
A featherweight bout between ex-UFC Featherweight title contender Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes was included after being postponed from UFC 303 due to Ortega's illness.
Initially scheduled middleweight contest featuring former Legacy Fighting Alliance Middleweight Champion Anthony Hernandez versus Michel Pereira was shifted to headline UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Pereira.
In flyweight competition, Édgar Cháirez was set to face Kevin Borjas; however, Borjas withdrew for undisclosed reasons and was substituted by Joshua Van.
Bonus awards
The following competitors were granted $50,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: Esteban Ribovics vs. Daniel Zellhuber
- Performance of the Night: Ignacio Bahamondes and Ketlen Souza
Records set
This event achieved $21.8 million in ticket revenue, establishing a new UFC record for the largest gate and exceeding the former mark of $17.7 million set by UFC 205.
Additionally, UFC 306 broke records for the highest VIP experience sales, merchandise revenue at a UFC event, single-event ticket sales at the Sphere venue, and sponsorship income through its collaboration with Riyadh Season.