UFC 306: Sean O'Malley aims to shine on the biggest stage

The Sphere in Las Vegas will be the venue for UFC 306, as Sean O'Malley headlines on his biggest stage yet as he defends his bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili.

In a highly anticipated match-up, the UFC have heavily invested in the showpiece event in the Sphere, on the weekend of Mexican independence.

In the main event at UFC 306, all eyes will be on one of the biggest superstars of the sport in O'Malley, who makes his second defence of his belt in one of his toughest challenges of his career.

Dvalishvili comes into the fight on a 10-fight win streak, with wins over former champions Petr Yan, Jose Aldo and Henry Cejudo.

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What makes this match-up so interesting is the clear advantages each fighter has. For O'Malley, his striking is one of the best in the sport.

He uses his footwork to create angles, and as Dvalishvili's close friend and former champion Aljamian Sterling found out at UFC 292, one mistake or misjudgement, O'Malley will take full advantage.

Standing across from him in ther octagon will be Georgian fighter Dvalishvili, who has some of the best cardio in the sport.

Dvalishvili will put on a pace from the first to the last second that is difficult for any fighter to match. His wrestling combined with his cardio allows him to shoot for takedowns with ease, and only becomes stronger as the fight goes on.

Nobody had dominated Henry Cejudo the way he did at UFC 298, particularly in the grappling department.

However, if he decides to strike with O'Malley, it could be a short night.

The start of the fight will be crucial for how this plays out. If O'Malley can keep his distance with his jab and kicks and hurt Dvalishvili early on, there could be