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Noche UFC: Mexican Independence At The Sphere
Sat, Sep 14 / 10:00 PM EDT
Sphere, Las Vegas United States
It is finally here, fight week at the world famous Las Vegas Sphere! I don’t know exactly what this will be like.. but Dana has sunk millions into this card and has promised the show of a lifetime. A one hitter quitter of epic live events, all themed to celebrate the heritage of Mexican fighting. Who better to main event this love letter to Mexico than a white kid from Montana and a European? If Brad Pitt can star in a movie called “The Mexican”, so can O’Malley.
Without further ado, let’s get into the main event and the other two big fights on this card.
Bantamweight Title Bout
Sean O’Malley (18-1, C) vs Merab Dvalishvili (17-4, #1)
The story of Merab and Sean O’Malley dates all the way back to last year. Here is the loose timeline of events from my very questionable memory.
Spring 2023: Merab becomes ranked #1, but refuses to fight his friend and (at the time) current bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. Henry Cejudo gets the fight instead.
May 6th 2023: Aljo wins a close fight with “Triple CCC”. Sean O’Malley gets in the octagon to face off with Aljo as he’s next in line. True #1 contender Merab Dvalishvili is also in the cage and takes Sean’s jacket, which is very funny.
August 19th 2023: Sean O’Malley KO’s Aljo to become the world champion. Lupe Fiasco’s “Superstar” plays. The Gillys win a lot of money betting and Dana White cums his pants.
March 9th, 2024: Sean O’Malley ends up not fighting Merab as his first title defense, as he is protected by Dana White Privilege. Fights #6 fighter Chito Vera who was coming off being dominated by Cory Sandhagen, then a decision victory vs Pedro Munhoz. Chito gets dominated by O’Malley. Sean calls out Ilia Topuria.
Spring/Summer 2024: Sean realized a fight with Merab is inevitable before chasing double champ status.. accepts Merab fight finally. The two fighters make 100 skits about one another that are hilarious.
September 14, 2024: “Love letter to Mexican fighting” takes place, headlined by two white guys.
I guess my memory is pretty good after all..
Prediction
A year ago I would have thought this matchup is a nightmare for O’Malley. I have since realized his success is no accident, and Tim Welch is an amazing coach. There is no doubt they have something up their sleeve for Merab’s relentless pressure, who has shown to be susceptible to getting wobbled in the past.
Gambling Pick: O’Malley by KO (+190)
Although, I will be sprinkling in the champ to win by submission as well (+1800)
Woman’s Flyweight Title Bout
Alexa Grasso (16-3-1, C) vs Valentina Shevchenko (23-4-1, #1)
It is the third time these two are fighting, although we can’t really call it a rubber match since the last fight ended in a draw. Undoubtedly the two best fighters in this division, the UFC didn’t waste an opportunity to build this fight when they cast them as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter. I’d be lying if I said I watched after the disappointing season with McGregor and Chandler.. but I don’t need to see them on the show to look forward to this one.
Who doesn’t love Alexa Grasso? Currently as the only Mexican champion on the roster, this was a no brainer to slot her in as the co-main on Mexican Independence Day. Her and Shevchenko put on a show for us in thier first 2 fights, and there is no reason to doubt they will do it again.
Prediction
Valentina might be one of the scariest fighters on earth in Women’s MMA. Her kicks and takedowns cut through most competitors.. except for Grasso. It seems Alexa gets a little better at defending the takedowns and the ground attack every time we see her. I think Grasso puts a stamp on this trilogy with a big win in another closely contested fight.
Gambling Pick: Alexa Grasso (-122)
P.S. This is still one of the smoothest subs in a title fight
Featherweight Bout
Brian Ortega (16-3, #3) vs Diego Lopez (26-6, #12)
Connor vs Chandler was not the only fight that fell through on the UFC 303 this past June. Hours before the fight, Ortega pulled out of his scheduled bout against surging featherweight Diego Lopez. Dan Ige, who has since become an absolute legend, stepped in on a few hours notice and gave Lopez a run for his money.
Lopez ended up securing the win as well as banking some good will with Dana and the other matchmakers. Not only have they rescheduled the fight, but now the young fighter gets to perform at the one and only Sphere in Las Vegas. “Diego Lopez” sounds Mexican enough to me.
Prediction
As I did back in June, I struggle now with how this fight will go down exactly. Both fighters are such good grapplers, I just can’t wait to see those exchanges and who comes out on top (literally and figuratively). I lean towards Ortega just based on experience, and level of competition he has faced.
Gambling Pick: Ortega (+150)
Other Areas Of Intrigue
Raul Rosas Jr. - Unfortunately I think he wins and his catch phrase continues to be a thing.
Irene Aldana - I think she continues to get back into form with a big win in front of a pro Mexican crowd. The bad loss against Nunes getting smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror.
The Sphere - Dana White has said this week “The Sphere is the star”. Sean O’Malley has said Dana walked him through the show and said it’s gonna play like a movie. For the main card anyway, they will taking us through different "worlds", starting with the beggining of the fighting history of Mexico, and ending with the future of it.
No matter how you slice it, the venue for this event is going to be absolutely electric.
Well there you have it. Whip out the tequila, salsa, and kick back as the UFC looks to raise the bar once again to entertain us. This is not the most stacked card we have ever had, not even this calendar year. However.. I expect this event to put the UFC on the map with people who normally don’t pay as close attention. Don’t kid yourself - this is a landmark event, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us.
