“The Greatest Live Combat Sports Show” is what UFC head honcho Dana White announced on stage for UFC Noche. Without a doubt, UFC 306 is going to be a class apart from the other UFC events. This is because it is not only being held during the Mexican Independence weekend but also because The Sphere is the official venue for this grand affair. UFC has already spent more than a whopping $20 million, and the amazing fight cards are all set, with Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili being the cherry on top.

Despite all this hype, there are some secrets that the boss is keeping from us and even the fighters! Fans might be aware of some of the behind-the-scenes happening at UFC Noche, but there is more to it than meets the eye.

Merab Dvalishvili does not know what to expect inside The Sphere

During an interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, ‘The Machine’ revealed his mental state going into the fight next week and what he could expect. Surprisingly, he knew a minor amount of information about the production inside the venue and did not know what to expect. The Georgian contender with a 10-fight winning streak was unsure of what to anticipate from the venue, even though he was crystal clear about who to expect opposite him.

He explained during the interview, “Yeah, they didn’t tell me what would be inside and things like that. But one thing I know and I’m comfortable with: I will be there. Maybe it will be like a bright screen and everything. But Sean O’Malley, my opponent will be in the same situation.” Dvalishvili is sure about the fact that he will put his razor-sharp concentration on ‘Suga’. On top of that, rest assured, he knows he would be facing an opponent who is also unaware of the production inside The Sphere.

Both the fighters are in the same boat in terms of not knowing what to envision from the venue. Dvalishvili said, “We both will be in the same atmosphere, and we both will be focused on each other. I will have Sean O’Malley in front of me, and that’s what I’m going to focus on. I won’t be distracted by anything else. It’s going to be a different experience for sure, but like I said, we both will be in the same situation.”

Besides the main fighters not knowing the hush-hush affairs of the UFC 306 venue, the whole ordeal does not seem to be a smooth sail for UFC either. There have been many setbacks and revelations leading up to this historic event till now. You might expect the O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili tickets to sell out as fast as the costly tickets of a K-pop concert, but surprisingly, that did not happen.

The high price of the tickets, with the lowest starting at $3000, did not sit well with fans. On top of that, UFC 306: Riyadh Season UFC Night saw a setback when Canelo Alvarez booked Sep 14 at T-Mobile Arena for his fight against Edgar Berlanga. This is where The Sphere came in, and White had to spend more than $20 million for this event. Now to add more fuel to the fire, there is another issue that has been tossed up, and it relates to the backup fighter for O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili.

UFC 306 sees a massive setback amid Dana White’s promise of a grand event

A UFC event at The Sphere seemed like a dream a few months ago, but as Dana White announced the big news, this dream materialized right before our eyes. As the days come closer, White is announcing more exciting news about the grand event; he even hinted at a ‘storytelling’ format that would show the whole history of UFC making the main fight card of UFC 306, the start of the future. There are a lot of grand things planned for the day of the event, and the excitement is rising as we speak.

But wait! There is one teeny tiny problem that the boss tried to hide in all of the glitz and glamour. It seems like the promotion has failed to secure a backup fighter for this clash. A UFC match not having a backup fighter is not such good news because a high-intensity fight needs backup help. The boss has experienced the horrors of fighters in events getting hurt days or hours before the fight is going to start. These are the times when backups save the whole promotion.

Unfortunately, the fight between O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili appears to be without any backup fighters. Umar Nurmagomedov has also denied participating in this event. We know this because a fan asked the bantamweight contender to become the backup fighter for UFC Noche. Unfortunately, the Dagestani replied with a single “Not.”

However, why did the fan ask this question, and why is a backup fighter crucial, especially for this fight? This is because the Georgian had taken to social media to announce that he had sustained a minor injury near his eye during practice. This revelation infuriated the boss because the fighter revealed it and also shocked the fans. The boss called out the 135-pound title challenger for his serious lack of decision-making as he leaked the information about his injury.

So with all the little inconsistencies, do you think UFC 306 is going to live up to the expectations that are being set by the UFC CEO? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.