UFC 306 main card predictions & free betting picks | September 14

Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili UFC 306 Odds & Main Event Info
Main Event odds	O’Malley -138.89 at Bovada | Dvalishvili +115 at Bovada
When	Saturday, September 14 – main card from 7pm PDT
Where	Sphere – Las Vegas, United States
Watch Live	Pay Per View

The co-main event for UFC 306/Noche from the Sphere in Las Vegas this Saturday night is the third chapter in the Alexa Grasso versus Valentina Shevchenko story to decide the women’s flyweight title.

Other highlights include a much-anticipated clash between fan favourites Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes and a blockbuster between young stars Daniel Zellhuber and Esteban Ribovics.

Read on for tips and analysis.

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Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili

Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili

-138.89 at Bovada	UFC betting odds	+115 at Bovada
18-1-0	MMA record	17-4-0
29	Age	33
5’11”	Height	5’6”
135lbs	Weight	135lbs
72”	Reach	68”
USA	Nationality	Georgia

The long-awaited showdown between Sean Suga O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili is set for the main event at The Sphere. See the top UFC betting preview and best bets for the bantamweight title fight here.

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Alexa Grasso v Valentina Shevchenko

Alexa Grasso vs Valentina Shevchenko

-138.89 at Bovada	UFC betting odds	+115 at Bovada
16-3-1	MMA record	23-4-1
31	Age	36
5’5″	Height	5’5″
125lbs	Weight	125lbs
66″	Reach	65.5″
Mexico	Nationality	Kyrgyzstan

Alexa Grasso (16-3-1) secured the women’s flyweight title with a submission win over this opponent in March 2023 in a betting upset. The pair met again in a much closer contest in September of the same year and fought out a rare draw, meaning Grasso retained the belt. The 31-year-old will enter with the confidence she can close the trilogy with a win that confirms her champion status and opens new opportunities in the division.

Valentina Shevchenko (23-4-1) dominated the 125-pound division from 2018 until 2022 with eight successive title fights against all comers. The 36-year-old might have slowed slightly in recent years and has found a worthy replacement in Grasso. The Russian has competed in Judo, boxing, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, kickboxing, and professional MMA for over two decades, having emerged as one of the finest combat athletes of all time, but now nears the end of the road.

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Brian Ortega v Diego Lopes

Brian Ortega vs Diego Lopes

+165 at Bovada	UFC betting odds	-200 at Bovada
16-3-0	MMA record	25-6-0
33	Age	29
5’8″	Height	5’11”
145lbs	Weight	145lbs
69″	Reach	72.5″
USA	Nationality	Mexico

Brian Ortega (16-3-0) has fought sporadically since 2021 with just three trips to the UFC octagon. The 33-year-old came within seconds of submitting Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title in 2021, then suffered a shoulder injury to lose via TKO against Yair Rodriguez before avenging that loss in February 2024. Ortega is a BJJ black belt with eight submission wins and will be hunting takedowns to see off this threat with the top UFC sportsbooks offering +775 for the submission.

Diego Lopes (25-6-0) has rapidly evolved into a contender at lightweight since making his UFC debut in 2023 when called up as a late replacement for the injured Bryce Mitchell on just five days’ notice. The 29-year-old was gallant in defeat and has since produced four spectacular winning performances over increasingly tough competition to climb into the top 15. A win here will cement him as a legit title threat in 2025 if he is ready for the jump in grade.

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Daniel Zellhuber v Esteban Ribovics

Daniel Zellhuber vs Esteban Ribovics

-227.27 at Bovada	UFC betting odds	+185 at Bovada
15-1-0	MMA record	13-1-0
25	Age	28
6’1″	Height	5’10”
155lbs	Weight	155lbs
77″	Reach	69″
Mexico	Nationality	Argentina

Daniel Zellhuber (15-1-0) is a promising young talent at 155 pounds. The 25-year-old is riding a three-fight win streak and is still improving his list of MMA talents. The Mexican will attempt to capitalise on a sizeable height and reach advantage here against a dangerous opponent on a similar upward trajectory. Bovada has installed Zellhuber as a warm betting favourite in what appears to be a Fight of the Night contender.

Esteban Ribovics (13-1-0) earned his UFC contract via Dana White’s Contender Series where he landed an early first-round knockout to catch the boss’s attention. The 26-year-old has since fought three times, with two wins and a narrow loss to show for his efforts. The Argentinian has finished 12 of his 13 professional wins inside the distance and will be out to impress again with another aggressive showing.

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Ronaldo Rodriguez v Ode Osbourne

Ronaldo Rodriguez vs Ode Osbourne

-172.41 at Bovada	UFC betting odds	+140 at Bovada
16-2-0	MMA record	12-7-0
25	Age	32
5’6″	Height	5’7″
125lbs	Weight	125lbs
65″	Reach	73″
Mexico	Nationality	USA

Ronaldo Rodriguez (17-2-0) made his UFC debut in February with a dominant round-two submission win over Denys Bondar. The Mexican combines heavy standup strikes with an excellent ground game and both his professional losses have come via the scorecards. The 25-year-old is yet to tap his full potential and looks like a talent to watch as he builds his talent stack and gains exposure and experience.

Ode Osbourne (12-7-0) has struggled since 2022 with three losses and one win at UFC level. The 32-year-old fights for the finish but can leave himself exposed to counter strikes and submissions in this pursuit. He has bounced between weight divisions but will enjoy a size advantage if he can safely make the 125-pound limit for this flyweight bout.

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Sports betting tips

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