5 fights to make following Noche UFC 306: Sean O'Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Last night saw Noche UFC 306 take place at Las Vegas' Sphere. The show was a big hit, with plenty of great performances.
Noche UFC 306: Sean O'Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili saw two new champions crowned, as well as a couple of other breakout performances.
So what is next for the event's big stars? There are, naturally, plenty of options.
Here are five fights to make following Noche UFC 306: Sean O'Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili.
#5 UFC lightweight bout: Esteban Ribovics vs. Drew Dober
Last night's best fight came courtesy of lightweights Esteban Ribovics and Daniel Zellhuber.
The two men exchanged heavy, wild strikes for three straight rounds, culminating in a brawl for the ages in the third round. In the end, it was Argentina's Ribovics who got his hand raised.
So what should be next for 'El Gringo'? His stock is undoubtedly at an all-time high right now, so the UFC may as well capitalise on it by giving him another guaranteed firefight.
When it comes to an opponent, then, there's only one man for the job - veteran action hero Drew Dober.
Dober has been slowing down as of late, losing three of his last four bouts. However, he's still highly dangerous, and more to the point, highly exciting to watch.
If Ribovics could pull off a win over the veteran, then it might be fair to raise expectations around him. Overall, this would be the perfect test for the Argentine.
#4 UFC featherweight title: Ilia Topuria or Max Holloway vs. Diego Lopes
Featherweight contender Diego Lopes pulled off the biggest win of his UFC career last night.
He utterly dismantled former title challenger Brian Ortega with terrifying ease, beating him down over three rounds en route to a clear-cut decision win.
Lopes came into the bout ranked at No.13 in the 145-pound division, but should crash directly into the top three with this win.
Due to that, there's only one fight that makes sense for him next, and that's a title bout with the winner of the upcoming Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway fight, which is set to headline UFC 308 in October.
Regardless of the winner, Lopes is likely to provide them with a seriously stern test. Based on last night, his brand of slick grappling and brutally heavy striking is going to be very tricky for anyone to beat.
Realistically, at this stage, the only question around him is how he'll handle the big spotlight over five rounds. Naturally, after five straight wins in the octagon, there's only one way to find out.
#3 UFC flyweight title: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot
After a tremendous showing to defeat the only fighter to hold a win over her at 125 pounds, Valentina Shevchenko is once again on top of the UFC's flyweight division.
'The Bullet' was written off by some, perhaps due to wishful thinking and a want for a new era to begin in a division she'd dominated since 2018.
That won't be happening, though. Shevchenko thoroughly outclassed Alexa Grasso last night, meaning we're now back to where we were in early 2023, with the UFC looking for someone to test her.
Thankfully, they haven't got to look too far. Manon Fiorot, who acted as the backup fighter for last night's bout, has won seven fights in a row in the octagon.
More to the point, she's also a brutally heavy-hitting, accurate striker who might actually be able to test Shevchenko standing.
Whether she can fend off the takedowns that did for Grasso last night is another thing entirely, but she's earned her shot at this stage, and it's time to let her take it.
#2 UFC bantamweight bout: Sean O'Malley vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Noche UFC 306's big loser was Sean O'Malley. 'Sugar' came into the event both as the reigning bantamweight champion, but also as the fighter most likely to take Conor McGregor's mantle as the UFC's biggest star.
After losing his title to Merab Dvalishvili, though, O'Malley is in a tricky place. He didn't do enough to take an immediate rematch, but his star power won't have completely waned yet.
What he needs is a winnable rebound fight against an opponent who is tricky enough not to be considered a lay-up for him.
With that in mind, former flyweight king Deiveson Figueiredo might be his best option. 'Deus da Guerra' is unbeaten since moving to 135 pounds, winning three in a row and most recently besting O'Malley's old rival Marlon Vera.
The Brazilian's strong skills in all areas make him a threat to anyone at bantamweight, but his smaller size and lack of powerful wrestling also means 'Sugar' would be favoured to beat him.
A big win for O'Malley would put him en route to potentially regaining his title, therefore, this fight makes absolute sense, probably as a co-headliner to the next 135 pound title bout.
#1 UFC bantamweight title: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Last night saw a mild upset in the headline bout, as Merab Dvalishvili used his powerful wrestling, ridiculous pace and toughness to outpoint Sean O'Malley, claiming the bantamweight title in the process.
What's next for 'The Machine' following his big win? With any hope, his first defense is already set.
In early August, Umar Nurmagomedov clearly outpointed Cory Sandhagen, and was reportedly assured a title shot for his efforts.
Despite the star power of the former champ, then, Dana White and company ought to stick with the plan and run Dvalishvili vs. 'Young Eagle' next.
Not only has the unbeaten Dagestani earned his spot, but he'd also provide 'The Machine' with a truly fascinating test.
Dvalishvili has already outgrappled an Olympic gold medalist in the form of Henry Cejudo, but could he really outduel Nurmagomedov on the ground? Based on what we've seen from the cousin of the legendary Khabib, it'd be hard to say.
Overall, this fight between the white papakha and the black papakha, as Nurmagomedov said on X, would be a huge one. Hopefully the promotion can book it in the near future.