Sean O’Malley will close the show for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s historic card at The Sphere on Saturday, but he won’t be distracted by the spectacle of it all.
“It’s a big fight feel,” O’Malley told TMZ Sports. “It’s the first combat sporting event at The Sphere for the UFC, possibly the last for the UFC. One and done, so it’s a big deal.”
UFC 306 is expected to feature plenty of new production elements at the one-of-a-kind venue, including a movie between fights and different worlds depicted on the massive LED screen during the bouts themselves. However, when O’Malley steps into the cage to defend his bantamweight belt against Merab Dvalishvili in the evening’s headliner, his focus will be only on his opponent.
“I’m gonna show up, get into an Octagon — the same Octagon I always step into — and do what I do,” O’Malley said. “The whole presentation, the whole show, I’m really not going to enjoy it like a bystander. For me, [I’m] laser focused, tunnel vision, kill Merab — that’s all that’s on my mind. I don’t really care about all that extra stuff. It’ll be cool for the fans, but I have a mission.”
UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!
Merab’s relentless gas tank and wrestling — he has the most takedowns in UFC bantamweight history by a considerable margin — would seem to make him a difficult task for the striking-minded O’Malley. The champion sees things differently, though.
“I would say stylistically I’m a nightmare matchup for Merab,” O’Malley said.
With that being said, O’Malley is also well aware of Dvalishvili’s skills and he respects the challenge that his opponent will present.
“He’s ranked No. 1. He’s on a 10-fight win streak,” O’Malley said. “The only reason he’s never fought for a title or was never the champion is because Aljamain Sterling was there. He’s as dangerous as it gets. Cardio machine. He doesn’t get tired. He’s been rocked a few times, but he’s got a good chin.
“He got rocked hard from Marlon Moraes and ended up finishing him. So he’s very durable. He’s got good cardio. He’s obviously skilled. He’s on a 10-fight win streak. He’s very, very dangerous.”
