UFC 306 storylines: How Sphere, Suga Sean will shape a historic event - ESPN

At first glance, the UFC's approach to celebrating Mexican Independence Day this coming weekend seems perplexing.

UFC 306, which takes place Saturday at Sphere in Las Vegas, is headlined by a fight between an Irish-American from Montana and a New Yorker transplanted from the Republic of Georgia. And to add to the quizzically all-over-the-map motif, the event is sponsored by an arm of the government of Saudi Arabia.

Branding and marquee toppers aside, though, there will indeed be a Mexican theme permeating the second annual Noche UFC (ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. ET). Before the main event between men's bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley and Merab Dvalishvili, all nine of the evening's other bouts will feature a Mexico-born or Mexican American fighter. The co-main event pits women's flyweight champion Alexa Grasso — out of Guadalajara in the Mexican state of Jalisco — against former titlist Valentina Shevchenko, to complete a trilogy that's already full of twists.

Beyond the competitive stakes, the overarching ambiance of the night promises to visually and aurally transport fans south of the border. This first sporting event at Sphere, the cutting-edge entertainment venue that opened last year just off the Las Vegas Strip, will take full advantage of the mind-numbing technology built into the humongous round structure. Throughout the night, the UFC will use the 160,000-square-foot wraparound LED screen and concert-quality sound system to tell the story of combat sports in Mexico.

«This is basically a love letter to the Mexican people and their culture,» CEO Dana White said a few weeks ago on «The Pat McAfee Show.»

Championship fights. Breathtaking production. Big-time stakes. There will be storylines swirling all around the