UFC 306 Fighters Talk About Fighting At Sphere

“It’s an honor to headline at Sphere. Conor (McGregor) wanted it. Ilia (Topuria) wanted it. I feel super privileged to be able to do that. I think my work over the last seven years I’ve been in the UFC has kind of led me to this, and I’m very, very excited to put Merab’s lights out.

“I have no idea what to expect. I really don’t. I talked to production a little bit. I talked to Dana (White) and Hunter (Campbell) a little bit, and they tell me how crazy it’s going to be, and you can let your imagination kind of go with what that is. It’s going to be different.”

UFC 306: Sean O'Malley Interview | Merab Dvalishvili Interview | O'Malley vs Vera Full Fight | Dvalishvili vs Cejudo Full Fight

Merab Dvalishvili:

“I’m sure the people that come are going to feel like they are fighting. It’s going to be a little bit different for us as the fighters, like when you are fighting with the screens and TVs, but I’m OK because it’s going to be the same thing for my opponent. For fans, it will be crazy. I was actually thinking — I wasn’t sure if I was getting to fight here or not — when they sell tickets, I was going to buy my own because I wanted to go to this event. Now, I’m fighting there. This is crazy. I’m the main event, but I want before, when I’m in the locker room, I want to watch somebody from the seats. Unfortunately, I will have to fight there. I won’t be able to see somebody or myself, but it’s blessed. Thank God for this. I think all the hard work I put in, now, it pays off. God has given me a big gift fighting at Sphere and on Mexican Independence Day.” 

Alexa Grasso:

“It’s huge. Mexico is growing so fast in MMA. We always shine in combat sports, and I think that’s something great. The UFC loves how we fight. We always go forward. This means a lot. It just keeps me thinking that I have to train harder. I feel proud and honored to be there.

“I think the experience is going to be huge because I’ve been there. I went to watch a show, and it’s amazing. It’s breathtaking. Now knowing there will be MMA fights in there with that experience, with those images, it’s huge. It gives me chills. It’s amazing.”

Valentina Shevchenko:

“For athletes to be in the first ever event in Sphere, it’s never happened before, it’s a huge event. It’s something with a very special meaning. It’s the same feeling when I fought in the first event after the pandemic in Jacksonville (at UFC 251), and the atmosphere in there, it was electrifying. So huge. And I expect something similar and even bigger to be in Sphere.

MORE UFC 306: Alexa Grasso Interview | Valentina Shevchenko Interview | Grasso vs Shevchenko 1 Full Fight | Grasso vs Shevchenko 2 Full Fight

“It’s very hard for me to imagine what it’s going to be and how it’s going to be because I know for sure, when I go into the fight, I have tunnel vision. I don’t see what’s happening around. I don’t see anyone’s face. I don’t see anything that’s happening. I barely hear people. So, it’s hard for me to imagine, but looking back, when you see how it was on tape, it’s going to show how big it was, and you understand how huge the event was.”

Brian Ortega:

“It’s one of the boxes you get to check off that you never even knew was a box. To fight at Sphere, first event, the craziness going on with the technology, it’s like a weird motivation. It’s a happy motivation to go in there. They gave us the VR goggles, and with those we got to see what it’s going to look like, how they’re going to show you (on the screen), so you almost feel like part of the company. Like, ‘All right, what is it going to look like? Where am I going to walk out from?’ To have that level of trust with the company, and to be able to do this was cool, and to see what they’re going to do with it, I have to just get excited the day of the fight and be like, ‘Hey, this is what we were talking about (earlier),’ and start looking at things they said are going to be there. It’s a beautiful event.”

Diego Lopes:

“It definitely is going to be something different. It’s never been done. I’ve never fought in a place like it. It’s definitely going to feel very different. I am aware that a lot of people also have a lot of expectations of this event. I do have expectations, as well, so it feels extra exciting because of that.”

Daniel Zellhuber:

“I don’t know what to expect because I still haven’t been inside Sphere, but I hear that it’s different because it’s not like the usual stadiums the UFC uses. It’s not like a regular venue. It’s way different. So, I don’t know what to expect. I know that it’s going to be awesome. It’s going to be different, especially with all the technology that is already in Sphere and all the stuff UFC is bringing to the table, I know it’s going to be a great event. I don’t know what to expect. Definitely, it’s going to be something crazy, but I don’t know what to expect.”

Ignacio Bahamondes:

“Wow. The pressure, everything, all the people — people are going to be super happy. The fights are awesome. The people are going to be really noisy. Fighters, we gotta be ready for that kind of stuff, and we gotta be mentally prepared. It’s going to be a great night. It’s going to be historic.”

READ: Last Time At Noche UFC 

Esteban Ribovics:

“I can picture the moment, but I know the moment is not going to be the same once it happens. I know it’s going to be unique. I have no idea what it’s going to be like, but I can picture it. I am just excited that it’s going to be different than all the rest of the events.” 

Manuel Torres:

“I think it’s going to be crazy. I think the fans are going to go wild, but so will I. I’m very excited.”

Ode’ Osbourne:

“I think it’s going to be an experience like nobody has ever seen or felt. People keep asking me, ‘How do you think the fighters are going to react to walking out to the screens?’ I think for us, it’s going to be tunnel vision. We’re really not going to notice. I mean, I won’t. That’s how it is, but the experience is going to be incredible. It’s going to be a Coliseum-type feeling.” 

Ronaldo Rodriguez:

“I’m really proud about it because it’s an event dedicated to us, the Mexicans. The ones who are willing to die on the line.”