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Fighters On The Rise | UFC 306: O'Malley vs Dvalishvili
Shining A Spotlight On A Trio Of Ascending Talents Slated To Compete This Weekend At Riyadh Season Noche UFC
Saturday night, when the UFC rolls into Sphere for Riyadh Season Presents Noche UFC, there will be myriad elements and matchups that command attention and will serve as key talking points in the build to this weekend’s pay-per-view extravaganza.
From the twin championship fights atop the marquee and the one-of-a-kind presentation opportunities hosting an event at the state-of-the-art venue allows, to the critical battles at featherweight and bantamweight that will help clarify the title pictures in those two divisions, this weekend’s slate has a great deal to offer and be excited about as we count down the days until the festivities get underway.
But Saturday’s fight card also features a trio of emerging Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) alums that have started to find their footing inside the Octagon and begin working forward in their respective divisions, and this weekend, each will look to collect another victory that moves them further ahead and elevates their profiles.
Here’s a closer look at those talented up-and-comers in the latest edition of Fighters on the Rise.
Daniel Zellhuber
A member of the DWCS Class of ’21, Zellhuber touches down at UFC 306 looking to earn a fourth straight win as he steps in with fellow prospect Esteban Ribovics.
Zellhuber posted his 12th straight win to begin his career the night he earned his UFC contract, besting Lucas Almeida by decision in a bout where you could see the obvious upside of the long, rangy Mexican fighter. Things didn’t go his way out of the chute to begin his UFC tenure though, as he was out-worked and out-savvied by veteran Trey Ogden, halting his unbeaten run and leaving him to contend with something he’d never dealt with before — a loss.
RELATED: Zellhuber's DWCS Grad Showcase
To his credit, the 25-year-old has responded extremely well, earning a pair of victories over veterans Lando Vannata and Christos Giagos last year, before adding a third straight win to his resume by besting Francisco Prado in a Fight of the Night-winning battle in Mexico City back in February.
“The Golden Boy” has tremendous size for the division, standing six-foot-one with a 77-inch reach, and continues to work with Eric Nicksick and the team at Xtreme Couture to maximize those advantages and sharpen his long-range weapons. A finisher on the regional circuit, he’s managed just one stoppage in three UFC wins, but it was a slick anaconda choke finish that highlighted the dangers Zellhuber presents at all times because of his go-go-gadget limbs.
Daniel Zellhuber Interview | UFC 306
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Daniel Zellhuber Interview | UFC 306
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Ribovics was a year behind Zellhuber on the Contender Series, but has otherwise followed a similar trajectory — impressing and earning a contract before dropping his debut and turning things around. Last time out, the Argentinian lightweight landed a precise high kick on Terrance McKinney that put him out just 37 seconds into their fight, giving Ribovics a second straight victory.
This feels like the right time for this type of matchup for Zellhuber — a date with another dangerous and promising young fighter looking to work forward in the lightweight ranks, where a victory would surely bump him forward a step or two in the division, and a loss wouldn’t cost him much ground.
As with every developing fighter, the key to watch for this weekend are the improvements and advancements Zellhuber has made since his win over Prado in February. The physical tools are there, plus he works with an outstanding team that will always put him in the best position to be successful, but it all comes down to how well Zellhuber can build on his solid fundamentals and translate promise into positive results inside the Octagon.
Manuel Torres
Zellhuber isn’t the only intriguing lightweight DWCS grad slated to make the walk on Saturday night, as Torres enters with a little more buzz behind him after posting three straight stoppage wins to begin his UFC tenure.
Brandishing a 15-2 mark overall, Torres enters his matchup with Ignacio Bahamondes having won six straight, all by first-round stoppage, with the last three coming since he literally punched his ticket to the UFC. After dispatching Kolton Englund to earn his contract, “El Loco” dropped Frank Camacho and Nikolas Motta in his freshman and sophomore appearances inside the Octagon, and then began his junior year with a submission finish of Chris Duncan in February.
How To Watch UFC 306 Riyadh Season Noche UFC In Your Country
Torres is hell on wheels inside the cage — a demolition derby participant that willingly accepts he might get banged around a little while pursuing victory, happily welcoming the contact and showing a solid ability to deal with their impact while continually accomplishing his mission. Against both Motta and Duncan, he had to navigate early moments of getting buzzed in order to secure the finish — catching Motta with a hellacious elbow in tight, and dragging Duncan to the mat where he laced up a deep rear-naked choke to draw the tap.
Saturday’s matchup with Bahamondes is another quality matchup for Torres, as he is paired with someone that should be willing to trade on the feet while also presenting some unique challenges due to his size and reach. Though it hasn’t always been smooth sailing inside the Octagon for Bahamondes, he enters off a first-round knockout win and having earned four victories in his last five outings.
Manuel Torres Interview | UFC 306
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Manuel Torres Interview | UFC 306
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While there is a tendency to say that all-action fighters like Torres are likely to be capped in terms of how high they can climb in the division giving the high-risk nature of their style, we’ve also seen “all gas, no brakes” fighters like Justin Gaethje succeed at the highest levels. Now, that’s not to suggest that Torres is the next Gaethje, but rather to say he’s an explosive talent with an exciting style, and automatically putting a limit on how far he can climb in the 155-pound weight class would be foolhardy.
Running Down The UFC 306 Fighters Born In Mexico
And if he keeps dusting opponents in the opening round, we’re going to get a chance to find out where his ceiling actually rests much sooner than otherwise anticipated.
Raul Rosas Jr.
Rosas Jr. continues to be an ever-present fixture in this series as the still just 19-year-old talent makes his fifth UFC start this weekend when he takes on Aoriqileng in the Noche UFC opener.
After making history as the youngest fighter to appear on Dana White’s Contender Series and earn a UFC contract, Rosas Jr. continued his record-breaking ways by submitting Jay Perrin in his promotional debut, becoming the youngest fighter to collect a victory inside the Octagon. He dropped his sophomore outing to Christian Rodriguez in a fight where he started quickly, but faded hard, before bouncing back with a dominant finish of Terrence Mitchell at last year’s Noche UFC event.
State of the Bantamweight Division, September 2024
Earlier this year, the promising youngster took a step up in competition, facing off with TUF 29 bantamweight winner Ricky Turcios, registering an impressive second-round submission win to move to 9-1 overall. His performance in that contest was important to see and a reason to be excited about his prospects going forward, as Rosas Jr. showed more poise and patience while still playing to his strengths in the grappling department.
Saturday’s contest with Aoriqileng is another quality test for the teenager, as the Chinese veteran brings a considerable edge in experience, a solid all-around game, and plenty of punching power should Rosas Jr. make the mistake of spending too much time in the pocket with the proven finisher.
Raul Rosas Jr, Part 1 | Dana White’s Contender Series: Next Level
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Raul Rosas Jr, Part 1 | Dana White’s Contender Series: Next Level
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It's always difficult to convey how important these early-stage fights are for fighters like Rosas Jr. while also making it clear that — and I can’t stress this enough — he’s still just 19 years old and miles away from being the fighter he will be in his prime. His performance against Turcios was full of tangible improvements, and if he continues making advancements each time out, he has the chance to grow to become a factor in the 135-pound weight class.
For now, “El Niño Problema” is a fascinating prospect to watch and an intriguing character both inside and outside of the Octagon.
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!
