UFC 306: Dvalishvili Dethrones O’Malley and Complete Results
Merab Dvalishvili defeated Sean O’Malley to win the UFC bantamweight championship at UFC 306 on September 14, 2024. The event, presented as Riyadh Season Noche UFC at Sphere in Las Vegas, also saw Valentina Shevchenko regain the women’s flyweight title. Its spectacular setting framed a ten-fight card whose two championship contests were ultimately decided through sustained grappling pressure.
Dvalishvili dictates the championship fight
The main event had been promoted as a meeting of O’Malley’s precision striking and Dvalishvili’s relentless wrestling. Over five rounds, Dvalishvili repeatedly forced the champion to defend takedowns and work back toward striking range. His ability to keep returning to those exchanges limited the extended stand-up opportunities O’Malley wanted.
The judges awarded Dvalishvili a unanimous decision, scoring the bout 49–46, 48–47, and 48–47. O’Malley had moments to attack, but the challenger won enough rounds to take the belt. The result turned a long winning run and an established reputation for pressure into a championship breakthrough.
Shevchenko regains her title
The co-main event completed the Grasso–Shevchenko trilogy with a third different outcome. Grasso had won their first meeting by submission, and the second had ended in a draw. At Sphere, Shevchenko used repeated takedowns and effective positional work to win all five rounds on every judge’s card.
Diego Lopes also produced an important featherweight victory over Brian Ortega, taking a wide unanimous decision. Esteban Ribovics and Daniel Zellhuber supplied an intense lightweight contest that ended in a split decision, while Ronaldo Rodriguez overcame Ode Osbourne in the main-card opener.
The preliminary card and the Sphere spectacle
Norma Dumont defeated Irene Aldana by decision in the featured preliminary bout. Ignacio Bahamondes stopped Manuel Torres with strikes, and Ketlen Souza secured a first-round rear-naked choke against Yazmin Jauregui. Joshua Van and Raul Rosas Jr. added decision wins to complete the supporting card.
Sphere’s immersive presentation made this an unusual UFC occasion, with Mexican history incorporated into the screens surrounding the Octagon. The fighting results gave the production its sporting significance: both champions lost their belts, and several rising competitors earned meaningful victories.
Complete event results
- Merab Dvalishvili defeated Sean O’Malley — unanimous decision (49–46, 48–47, 48–47); won the bantamweight title.
- Valentina Shevchenko defeated Alexa Grasso — unanimous decision (50–45 on all three cards); won the women’s flyweight title.
- Diego Lopes defeated Brian Ortega — unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27, 30–27).
- Esteban Ribovics defeated Daniel Zellhuber — split decision (29–28, 29–28, 28–29).
- Ronaldo Rodriguez defeated Ode Osbourne — unanimous decision (29–28, 29–27, 29–27).
- Norma Dumont defeated Irene Aldana — unanimous decision (30–27 on all three cards).
- Ignacio Bahamondes defeated Manuel Torres — TKO (strikes), round 1, 4:02.
- Ketlen Souza defeated Yazmin Jauregui — submission (rear-naked choke), round 1, 3:02.
- Joshua Van defeated Edgar Chairez — unanimous decision (29–28 on all three cards).
- Raul Rosas Jr. defeated Aoriqileng — unanimous decision (29–28 on all three cards).
Sources
- UFC: main-card results and recaps
- UFC: preliminary results
- UFC: official scorecards
- Sphere: event presentation and venue announcement
Sources: ufc.com
Tags
MMA, Combat Sports
