UFC 306, rebranded as Noche UFC to celebrate Mexican Independence Day on September 14 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, will feature a Mexican-heavy fight card with 10 bouts, including potential headliners like Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili and Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko, amid a massive financial investment by UFC CEO Dana White.
Plans are still coming together for UFC 306 in September. The event, rebranded as Noche UFC, celebrates Mexican Independence Day for the second consecutive year.
The card is set for Sept. 14 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. UFC CEO Dana White has hinted at a massive financial investment, describing it as a "one and done" event due to its high production costs.
While the full fight card remains under wraps, White did confirm the total number of bouts expected on the pay-per-view. Rumors continue to swirl about potential headliners.
"We’re going to 10 [fights]," White told The Pat McAfee Show on Monday. "There’ll be a main, a co-main, and obviously this card will be very Mexican heavy."
Speculation includes a possible bantamweight title fight between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili as the main event. UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso is also expected to defend her title against Valentina Shevchenko.
However, none of these marquee matchups have been confirmed yet. One interesting twist with UFC 306 is the seating arrangement.
The Sphere in Las Vegas features a 160,000 square-foot 16K resolution wrap-around screen inside. It typically seats between 18,000 to 20,000 people for an event.
Standard seats and luxury suites are available throughout the venue. Interestingly enough, there’s also room for fans to stand on the floor and witness the action up close.
"You’re going to have people in seats, people in suites," White revealed. "And then the bottom level where people are actually standing—standing room only."
Bleachers and additional seating will also be provided. White’s team is still working on the full rollout but he’s visibly excited about September’s production.
"I’m already $17 million into this thing," White said. "And we’re not anywhere near September yet."
"When I tell you guys I’m going to put on the greatest live sporting event in combat sports history—maybe even sports period—nobody else is going to spend that much money."