UFC 306 – Riyadh Season Noche UFC: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC 306 – Riyadh Season Noche UFC: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili
United States
Main Card • Final
Georgia
R5, 5:00
Title Fight
Kyrgyzstan
R5, 5:00
Title Fight
Mexico
Brazil
R3, 5:00
Argentina
R3, 5:00
Fight of the Night
R3, 5:00
Jamaica
Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
Chile
R1, 4:02
Performance of the Night
R1, 3:02
Performance of the Night
Myanmar
R3, 5:00
Early Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
China
Official Event Results
Title Bout
Title Bout
$50k FOTN
$50k POTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night ($50,000 each): Esteban Ribovics and Daniel Zellhuber earned Fight of the Night honors for their all-time classic lightweight slugfest, highlighted by an exhilarating Round 3 brawl.
Performance of the Night ($50,000 each): Ignacio Bahamondes earned $50,000 for dropping Manuel Torres twice en route to a decisive first-round TKO. Ketlen Souza collected $50,000 for scoring a violent left-hook knockdown and submitting Yazmin Jauregui via first-round technical submission.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOSS | $1,500,000 | — | — | $1,500,000 | |
| WIN | $500,000 | $500,000 | — | $1,000,000 | |
| WIN | $500,000 | $300,000 | — | $800,000 | |
| LOSS | $500,000 | — | — | $500,000 | |
| WIN | $150,000 | $150,000 | — | $300,000 | |
| LOSS | $250,000 | — | — | $250,000 | |
| WIN | $80,000 | $80,000 | — | $160,000 | |
| WIN | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $150,000 | |
| WIN | $40,000 | $40,000 | $50,000 | $130,000 | |
| LOSS | $100,000 | — | — | $100,000 | |
| LOSS | $50,000 | — | $50,000 | $100,000 | |
| WIN | $25,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 | |
| WIN | $50,000 | $50,000 | — | $100,000 | |
| WIN | $30,000 | $30,000 | — | $60,000 | |
| WIN | $30,000 | $30,000 | — | $60,000 | |
| LOSS | $45,000 | — | — | $45,000 | |
| LOSS | $35,000 | — | — | $35,000 | |
| LOSS | $35,000 | — | — | $35,000 | |
| LOSS | $35,000 | — | — | $35,000 | |
| LOSS | $20,000 | — | — | $20,000 |
*Purses are compiled from disclosed Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) guidelines, confirmed fighter contracts, and reporting. Estimates exclude discretionary locker room payouts, pay-per-view points, and UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance disbursements. Official post-fight bonuses were $50,000 each.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC 306
UFC 306 shattered the all-time gate record in UFC history ($21,829,245 with 16,024 fans), comfortably eclipsing the previous benchmark of $17.7 million set at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden.
UFC 306 served as the first live sporting event in the history of the $2.3 billion Sphere in Las Vegas, utilizing the arena’s 160,000-square-foot 16K interior LED display for a custom production costing over $20 million.
UFC 306 was the first event in UFC history to feature a title sponsor integrated into the official event name through Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (“Riyadh Season Noche UFC”).
The event established all-time promotional records for single-event merchandise sales, VIP hospitality packages, and total event sponsorship revenue.
Merab Dvalishvili captured the UFC Bantamweight Championship while capturing his 11th consecutive victory, tying the second-longest win streak in divisional history.
Valentina Shevchenko completed her trilogy with Alexa Grasso by earning a clean 50-45 sweep across all judges’ scorecards, becoming a two-time UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion.
Valentina Shevchenko logged 16 minutes and 4 seconds of ground control time against Alexa Grasso, recording the second-most control time in a women’s championship fight in UFC history.
Esteban Ribovics and Daniel Zellhuber traded 277 significant strikes in an instant classic, featuring a legendary Round 3 slugfest that was universally lauded as one of the best rounds of 2024.
Diego Lopes picked up his fifth straight victory in the UFC in just 16 months, out-landing former title challenger Brian Ortega 106 to 63 in significant strikes to earn a 30-26 scorecard.
Ignacio Bahamondes scored two knockdowns inside 4:02 of Round 1 against Manuel Torres, becoming the only male fighter on the entire 10-bout card to secure a knockout victory.
Ketlen Souza scored a first-round knockdown and choked Yazmin Jauregui unconscious with a rear-naked choke in 3:02, picking up her first career $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
UFC 306 debuted six original short film chapters directed by Carlos López Estrada celebrating Mexican heritage, displayed seamlessly between bouts on Sphere’s colossal wraparound screen.
When and where did UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili take place?
UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili (branded as Riyadh Season Noche UFC) took place on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at the Sphere in Paradise, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili?
Merab Dvalishvili defeated Sean O’Malley via unanimous decision (49–46, 48–47, 48–47) after five dominant rounds to become the undisputed UFC Bantamweight Champion.
Who won the co-main event trilogy between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko?
Valentina Shevchenko defeated Alexa Grasso via unanimous decision (50–45, 50–45, 50–45), dominating with 8 takedowns and over 16 minutes of control time to reclaim the UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship.
What was the gate record set by UFC 306 at Sphere?
UFC 306 produced an official live gate of $21,829,245 with an attendance of 16,024 fans, becoming the highest-grossing live gate in UFC history.
Who won the post-fight bonuses at UFC 306?
Four fighters received $50,000 bonuses: Esteban Ribovics vs. Daniel Zellhuber earned Fight of the Night, while Ignacio Bahamondes and Ketlen Souza captured Performance of the Night awards.
How did Diego Lopes perform against Brian Ortega?
Diego Lopes put on a career-best performance, out-landing former title challenger Brian Ortega 106 to 63 in significant strikes to secure a dominant unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27, 30–27).
How much did the UFC spend on the production at Sphere?
UFC CEO Dana White revealed that production costs for UFC 306 exceeded $20 million, utilizing Sphere’s 160,000-square-foot 16K interior LED display for a unique six-part cinematic tribute to Mexican combat sports history.
Why was the event named Riyadh Season Noche UFC?
The event marked the first title-sponsored pay-per-view in UFC history through a landmark agreement with Riyadh Season and Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
Why was Esteban Ribovics vs. Daniel Zellhuber considered an instant classic?
The lightweight clash featured 277 combined significant strikes, culminating in a ferocious third round where both men traded heavy leather without backing down, earning unanimous praise as a Fight of the Year contender.
How did Ignacio Bahamondes defeat Manuel Torres?
Chile’s Ignacio Bahamondes caught Manuel Torres with a clean counter punch, dropping him twice before finishing him with strikes at 4:02 of Round 1 to claim a $50,000 bonus.
How did Ketlen Souza finish Yazmin Jauregui?
Ketlen Souza dropped Jauregui with a left hook and quickly transitioned to lock in a rear-naked choke at 3:02 of Round 1, rendering Jauregui unconscious for a technical submission victory.
Did Raul Rosas Jr. win his fight at UFC 306?
Yes. 19-year-old bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr. opened the card by defeating Aoriqileng via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28), relying on 7 minutes and 32 seconds of ground control.
What happened in the fight between Norma Dumont and Irene Aldana?
Norma Dumont landed 159 significant strikes and opened a severe cut on Irene Aldana’s forehead from an accidental clash of heads and strikes, cruising to a unanimous decision sweep (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).
Where was UFC 306 broadcast?
In the United States, the main card aired live exclusively on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View, with prelims broadcast on ESPNEWS and ESPN+, and early prelims streaming on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+.
Who were the commentators for UFC 306 at Sphere?
The landmark broadcast was called cageside by lead play-by-play voice Jon Anik alongside color analysts Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, with Bruce Buffer serving as the official Octagon announcer.
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