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Mexican Breakdown | UFC 306: O’Malley vs Dvalishvili
Riyadh Season Noche UFC Is Packed With Electric Talents With A Chance To Win One For Their Home Country
The UFC’s second annual homage to Mexican Independence Day has already shaped up to be a once in a lifetime sports and entertainment experience when Riyadh Season Noche UFC: 306 O’Malley vs Dvalishvili takes over Sphere Las Vegas Saturday September 14.
As you’d expect, some of the biggest stars of Mexican MMA will take center stage, with seven of the combatants actually born in "El Águila Real.” We’ll break down each of them below.
You might argue that a representative from Mexico could win each of the bouts in the 10-fight spectacle. Despite being born in the United States, both Brian Ortega and Raul Rosas Jr. have familial ties to Mexico. And despite being born on the opposite side of the planet in Tbilisi, Georgia, UFC 306’s main event challenger Merab Dvalishvili has endeared himself to fans south of the border in recent years. As a mere guest at February’s UFC Mexico City last February, he nonetheless received some of the evening’s loudest applause and has been lovingly dubbed “Mexican Merab.”
Order UFC 306: O’Malley vs Dvalishvili
That said, for the purposes of this piece, we’re going to focus on those seven who call Mexico home, and have the chance to be the pride of their nation at this historic event.
Alexa Grasso
Division: Women’s Flyweight
Birthplace: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Professional Record: 16-3-1
Streak: 5-0-1 in her last 6
The Scoop: The reigning champion will look to close out her trilogy with Valentina Shevchenko in emphatic fashion and keep the flyweight hardware firmly in her homeland. The setting of Sphere Las Vegas and its Mexican Independence Day theme should provide a further jolt of inspiration.
RELATED: Alexa Grasso Interview | Alexa Grasso vs Valentina Shevchenko 1 Full Fight
“It's going to be part of the history forever,” she explained. “These images, these videos, these photoshoots…those are beautiful things, and I just can't wait. I just can't wait to be there.”
Daniel Zellhuber
Daniel Zellhuber Interview | UFC 306
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Daniel Zellhuber Interview | UFC 306
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Division: Lightweight
Birthplace: Mexico City, Mexico
Professional Record: 15-1
Streak: Won three in a row
The Scoop: After dropping his UFC debut to Trey Ogden (the lone loss of his professional career), the Contender Series alum has rattled off three consecutive and thrilling wins, including a defeat of veteran Lando Vannata, an anaconda choke of Christos Giagos, and an emotional homecoming win over Francisco Prado last February at UFC Mexico City. He'll face his toughest task to date September 14 when he meets Esteban Ribovics, a man with an identical record coming off a brutal head kick KO victory.
Order UFC 306: O’Malley vs Dvalishvili
Ronaldo Rodriguez
Division: Flyweight
Birthplace: Jiquipilas, Chiapas, Mexico
Professional Record: 17-2
Streak: Won his last 6 in a row
RELATED: Rodriguez Interview
The Scoop: His nickname is “Lazy Boy,” but make no mistake, this flyweight is out there doing work. He submitted Denys Bondar in his promotional debut at UFC Mexico City earlier this year, and his pre-UFC résumé is littered with all manner of finishes, particularly some fierce TKO work. Another standout performance at Noche UFC vs Ode’ Osbourne and the 125-lb ranks will have yet another potential contender in their ranks.
Irene Aldana
Rise of Irene Aldana
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Rise of Irene Aldana
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Division: Women’s Bantamweight
Birthplace: Culiacàn, Sinaloa, Mexico
Professional Record: 15-7
Streak: 3-1 in her last 4
The Scoop: Mexico will take on Brazil when Irene Aldana brings her elite boxing to a meeting with Norma Dumont in UFC 306’s featured prelim bout. A solid win over Karol Rosa at UFC 296 reminded us why Aldana was a title challenger just a little over a year ago. If she can stitch together another bantamweight win streak starting at Sphere, she should once again find herself on the shortlist for title challengers at 135-lbs.
Manuel Torres
Manuel Torres Puts Camacho Away In The First Round | UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs Rakic
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Manuel Torres Puts Camacho Away In The First Round | UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs Rakic
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Division: Lightweight
Birthplace: Chihuahua, Mexico
Professional Record: 15-2
Streak: Won his last 6 in a row
RELATED: Manuel Torres Interview
The Scoop: It’s really, really important that whether you’re watching on pay-per-view or in the audience Saturday night that you’re sitting in your seat when the referee starts the fight between Manuel Torres and Ignacio Bahamondes. Only once in his 17-fight career has Torres breached the first round…and that was in 2018. Of late, the alumnus of Dana White’s Contender Series has literally been running through opponents, often before the two-minute mark. In a division dense with explosive talent, Torres has already established himself as must-see TV.
Yazmin Jauregui
Division: Women’s Strawweight
Birthplace: Guadalajara, Mexico
Professional Record: 11-1
Streak: 3-1 in her last 4
The Scoop: Following the lone loss of her pro career, Yazmin Jauregui got back to her winning ways at UFC Mexico City last February and reestablished herself as one of the brightest new talents in the 115-lb ranks. She meets Brazil’s Ketlen Souza, determined to rebuild another impressive win streak.
Édgar Cháirez
Division: Flyweight
Birthplace: Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
Professional Record: 11-5
Streak: 3-1 in his last 4
The Scoop: Yet another rising flyweight prospect, Édgar Cháirez joins several of his countrymen on the Noche UFC card who were last seen winning at UFC Mexico City earlier this year. That night, he only needed 2:17 to submit Daniel Lacerda, and now the former Combate Global champ is seeking a similar result against the similarly touted Joshua Van for the second bout of the evening at Sphere.
UFC 306: O'Malley vs Dvalishvili took place live from Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 14, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
