UFC is going all out for its debut at the Sphere in Las Vegas. UFC president Dana White announced on Friday that the promotion’s PPV event will feature a pair of title fights atop the marquee. Bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley will defend his crown against top contender Merab Dvalishvili while women’s flyweight queen Alexa Grasso will take on Valentina Shevchenko in a trilogy fight. It all goes down on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas — the same night as Canelo Alvarez’s latest boxing bout against Edgar Berlanga over Mexican Independence Day weekend.
O’Malley made the first defense of his 135-pound title in March when he outpointed Marlon Vera. “Suga” is unbeaten in his last seven appearances in the Octagon with the lone blemish in his UFC career being a TKO loss to Vera that has now been avenged. Dvalishvili, meanwhile, has become an unstoppable force against all opponents. After losing his first two fights in UFC, the native of Georgia has won 10 in a row and looked more impressive each time out. He’s coming off a decisive win over former two-division champion Henry Cejudo in February.