USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Sept. 17: New No. 1 in two divisions after UFC 306 title changes

Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings following UFC 306, which featured two titles changes at Sphere.

It’s not often two major championships change hands on the same night, but that’s what went down this past Saturday at UFC 306.

The historic event at Sphere in Las Vegas saw [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] claim the UFC bantamweight title from Sean O’Malley by unanimous decision in the main event, while [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] recaptured the women’s flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Alexa Grasso in their historic trilogy fight.

Dvalishvili and Shevchenko were both entered fight week as No. 2 in their respective divisions against the No. 1. That changed with the result, and now the new UFC titleholders have their rightful No. 1 spots.

There were also other results that impacted the rankings, such as Diego Lopes’ dominant win over Brian Ortega in the featherweight division.

Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings above.

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Sean O’Malley after UFC 306 title loss?

Sean O’Malley’s title reign ended after just 18 months at UFC 306, and now he has to prove he can patch up the flaw exposed in his game.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for new champ Merab Dvalishvili after UFC 306?)

[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]’s time as bantamweight champion came to a startling end Saturday when Merab Dvalishvili took his belt in the UFC 306 main event.

Unlike his previous loss to Marlon Vera, which he later avenged, there was no doubt about this one. O’Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) was outworked by Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) over five rounds in a unanimous decision defeat at Sphere in Las Vegas, showing his grappling still needs to improve in the performance.

O’Malley’s quick climb to the top meant he skipped over fighting many noteworthy, ranked names at 135 pounds. He’s going to have to go through some of them now if he ever wants the gold back, and there’s no shortage of intriguing matchups.

Who should be next for O’Malley? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future after UFC 306.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for new champ Merab Dvalishvili after UFC 306?

Merab Dvalishvili is champion after beating Sean O’Malley at UFC 306, but now undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov is coming for his belt.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Sean O’Malley after UFC 306 title loss?)

[autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] started a new chapter in bantamweight history Saturday when he claimed the title from Sean O’Malley in a one-sided UFC 306 main event.

Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) made his record-setting 10th consecutive win at 135 pounds the biggest one yet and used his superior grappling to shut down O’Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) over five rounds for a unanimous decision to claim gold at Sphere in Las Vegas.

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It appears the UFC already has decided on whom it wants to be first up to challenge Dvalishvili. Undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov was shown on the broadcast after the belt was wrapped around Dvalishvili, and all signs point to him being next.

Is it the right fight to make, though? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Dvalishvili’s future after his UFC 306 title win.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

UFC 306 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: O’Malley, Grasso net $42,000 for entering as champs

Sean O’Malley and Alexa Grasso got the biggest checks from the Promotional Guidelines Compliance program fro UFC 306, which paid $239,500.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 306 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $239,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC 306 took place at Sphere. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

The full UFC 306 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]: $42,000

[autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag]: $42,000

[autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Brian Ortega[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Esteban Ribovics[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Manuel Torres[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Ketlen Souza[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Yazmin Jauregui[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Joshua Van[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Edgar Chairez[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Raul Rosas Jr.[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Aori Qileng[/autotag]: $6,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $5,721,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $28,458,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Video: Watch UFC 306 post-fight press conference live stream on MMA Junkie

Check out a live stream of the UFC 306 post-fight press conference in Las Vegas, beginning immediately after the event.

LAS VEGAS – UFC 306 takes place Saturday at Sphere, and you can watch a live video stream of the post-event news conference here on MMA Junkie.

Expected to take part in the press conference are the winners of the top main card bouts, including the bantamweight championship fight of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili and women’s flyweight title trilogy bout of Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko. UFC CEO Dana White is also expects to answer questions from reporters and recap the event.

You can watch the press conference in the video above, which will go live upon the conclusion of the headlining bout.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Photos: UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins and faceoffs

The UFC 306 ceremonial faceoffs featured anger, respect and intensity ahead of Noche UFC.

Check out these photos from the UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins and fighter faceoffs, ahead of the pay-per-view event taking place at Sphere in Las Vegas (Photos by Ken Hathaway, MMA Junkie, Getty Images, Turki Alalshikh on X, UFC on X)

Video: UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-in faceoffs with Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes, more

UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins are complete, and the fighters came face-to-face one final time before Saturday’s event.

LAS VEGAS – UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins took place Friday, and the fighters came face-to-face one final time before Saturday’s event.

The weigh-ins took place outside Sphere, which hosts Saturday’s event (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+).

Check out the video above to see the athletes from all 10 scheduled matchups come face-to-face, and don’t miss the photo gallery below.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

UFC 306 faceoff: Sean O’Malley, Merab Dvalishvili have last staredown before Sphere headliner

Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili had their final bit of pre-fight interaction with one last staredown at UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] and [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] had their final bit of pre-fight interaction at UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins Friday with one last staredown.

O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) will put his bantamweight belt on the line against Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in the main event of Noche UFC (pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+) at Sphere in what UFC CEO Dana White has touted to be a one-of-a-kind fight card, which airs on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

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After both made weight earlier in the day, they engaged in the final staredown in front of fans and media. It was intense and both men were locked in. O’Malley looks to log a second consecutive title defense while Dvalishvili looks to capture gold and set the UFC record for longest winning streak in 135-pound history.

Check out the video above to see O’Malley and Dvalishvili face off at UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

UFC 306 faceoff: Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko final staredown for trilogy fight

What many hope will be the last faceoff between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko is in the books after UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins.

LAS VEGAS – What many hope will be the last faceoff between [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag] and [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] is in the books after Friday’s UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins.

After months of faceoffs, fights and a coaching stint on “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series, Grasso (16-3-1 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) and Shevchenko (23-4-1 MMA, 12-3-1 UFC) will look to bring a definitive end to their rivalry when they meet for the women’s flyweight title in the co-main event of the historic Noche UFC card at Sphere (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+).

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Grasso won the first fight by stunning upset submission at UFC 285 in September 2023. The trilogy ended in a split draw at Noche UFC in September 2023, but Shevchenko would’ve gotten the decision if not for a controversial 10-8 scorecard from judge Mike Bell in Round 5.

Check out the video above to see Grasso and Shevchenko face off for the final time before the first women’s trilogy bout at UFC 306.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Video replay: UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins

Check out a live video stream of the UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins from Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – UFC 306 ceremonial fighter weigh-ins take place Friday, and you can catch a live video stream of the proceedings here on MMA Junkie at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT).

The weigh-ins take place outside Sphere. The same venue hosts Saturday’s event (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+), which is headlined by two championship fights of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight belt, and Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 3 for the women’s flyweight title.

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Ahead of the event, athletes from the 10-fight card will square up for final staredowns in front of fans and media, with UFC CEO Dana White set to regulate the proceedings.

In addition to the video stream above, you can check out the official UFC 306 weigh-in results from earlier in the day.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.