UFC 306 hasn’t left the headlines ever since it was first announced by Dana White. Set to debut the UFC into the most immersive venue in the world, Noche UFC has the promise to take the fans’ entropy to the greatest heights. It marks the 705th UFC event with not just one, but two title fights. The main event will feature Sean O’Malley defending his belt against Merab Dvalishvili, while the co-main event will mark the final fight of TUF 32.

But there is more to the event than just the fights. Today, let’s take a look at some of the plans that have revolved around the Riyadh Season Noche UFC. So without wasting any more time, let’s dive right in!

Hollywood director and production team of UFC 306

Filmmaker Carlos Lopez Estrada and producer Valerie Bush will grace the Riyadh Season Noche UFC with their phenomenal work. Having worked with the superhit Disney animation movie ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’, Estrada has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2022 and has even won a Latin Grammy in 2012. He has also been involved in projects like ‘Frozen 2’, ‘Encanto’, ‘Wish’, and ‘Strange World’. At the same time, Bush is known for her work in ‘Didi’, ‘Fremont’, and many others. Bish and Estrada seemingly employed the resources their Antigravity Academy production had to offer.

The UFC has also brought in the Silent House Group, the production group that ensured the success of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. This team includes the CEO and Founder of the group, Baz Halpin, CCO and Head of Production, Linda Gierahn, President Mark Bracco, and the Coordinating Producer Vincent Richards. 

On top of that, UFC’s Chief Content Officer, Craig Borsari, revealed Glenn Weiss’ involvement in directing the show at the Sphere. Weiss has garnered quite a bit of fame by directing Oscars and Emmys. He is set to ensure that the audience at UFC 306 is greatly entertained. Some of the other names that will aid in the direction and production of the event are Tom Colbourne, Richard Cullen, and Jorge Gutierrez. Needless to say, the cinematic aspect is certainly set out to impress the fight fans. 

Even with so many big guns from Hollywood, UFC 306 has a hurdle to overcome. This will be the first time the MMA promotion to broadcast live events in 1080p. But the UFC can rely on the expertise that the Event Producer, Tim O’Toole, and Technical Operations Director, Gred Louw. Apart from the aforementioned teams, the in-house production crew including Tucker Greene, Zach Candito, and Chris Kartzmark, will take on the shared responsibilities of turning UFC 306 into a grand success.

Have you heard of the new ring girls the UFC hired for UFC 306? Let’s see who they are, shall we?

Who are the ring girls inside The Sphere for Noche UFC

Dana White has specifically aimed to please the Mexican and Mexican-American fight fans at Noche UFC. Being an event that will celebrate Mexican Independence Day in quite a bit of style, the UFC CEO has employed 8 new ring girls who have their roots attached to Mexico. 6 of them are Mexican-born models, while 2 are second-generation Mexicans. 

The new names that the UFC head honcho has hired to announce the rounds are Hannah Esparaza, Karla Espiritu, Valeria Galvan, Ayled Corenov, Daniela Houghton, and Ariadna Vidal. Although not much is known about the new ring girls, they are all professional models. And White hasn’t backed down from promoting the ring girls along with his fighters. But little did he know that this act would create an uproar in the fighting community. 

The MMA world has dived into a debate that claims the ring girls are attracting more attention than the fighters themselves. And the UFC co-creator and former producer, Campbell McLaren, wasn’t happy with it. He took to X and wrote, “The Mexican women in Combate are fighters. Not round card girls.”

Now, let’s shift our focus to the commentary and broadcasting team for the event. Let’s get right into it!

Commentary team of UFC 306: O’Malley vs Dvalishvili

Being one of the biggest events in the history of combat sports, the UFC simply couldn’t go on without Joe Rogan on the commentary team. But the leading step will be taken up by Jon Anik, as the play-by-play commentator. The cage side mics will also feature the former UFC champion, Daniel Cormier. In addition to the legendary trio, the commentary table will also witness Din Thomas. He will occasionally join the booth as the coach-analyst.

Needless to say, Bruce Buffer will be the one to announce the fights with his legendary voice. How can the UFC proceed to the main event without the iconic ‘IIIIIIIIT’S TIIIIIMMMEEE!’ in Buffer’s voice? And the roving reporter’s role will be indeed taken up by the longtime UFC correspondent, Megan Olivi. She will be the one to conduct the backstage interviews and report the real-time proceedings of Noche UFC. 

Dana White has maintained the hype around UFC 306. It’s not just the fights and Mexican-born ring girls that the UFC is planning to employ as an attraction for the Mexican audience. He has also planned to show a few immersive films at the Sphere.

Dana White and Co. Producing a short movie for UFC 306

The team has planned to entertain the fighting community with 6 short films that are set to be featured between the fights. No wonder, White claims that UFC 306 will be an unbelievable entertainment event for the combat sports fans. Talking to ESPN, the UFC CEO said, “There’s a movie that’s going to run in the Sphere, and there are chapters to this movie. So, before each fight, there’s a movie, and you will be focused on the Sphere and the screen, then the fighters will walk out, and then the fight is the star of the show.”

Right after the fight is concluded, the fans will get to see another movie, before a fight. These short films will let the entire world get a taste of the history of combat sports in Mexico, Mexican history, and the traditions that are followed in the country. White has dubbed the event as a ‘love letter’ to Mexico for its rich fighting culture.

Named ‘For Mexico, For All Time’, the film will be divided into 6, 90-second chapters. These will play throughout the PPV part of Noche UFC. No doubt, the UFC head honcho has a lot of expectations from the films. He even plans to leave the films at the Sphere to be showcased for the rest of the year. With a condition that the films receive positive feedback, of course. But that’s not all that White has planned.

What are the UFC’s plans for the Sphere?

Talking about the event, White said, “It’s the first time that entertainment and sports truly come together. I think the Sphere and what we’re doing (Saturday) is going to make some of these venues change their vision and how they build them.” The event will alternate between the 360-degree short films and the fights. These fights are planned to take place in immersive animated ‘worlds’.

The Chief Content Officer for the UFC claimed, “This is the first time we’re going to be telling a story that’s weaved throughout the night in between our live fight content.” Even the fighters seem to believe that UFC 306 is going to be one of the greatest treats the UFC has to give the fighting community. With two title fights and 8 high-octane matchups, the event is destined to be a grand success.

Are you excited to watch the story unfold at the Sphere? Who are you rooting for in the title fights? Let us know what you think of UFC 306 in the comments down below.