UFC Noche: Merab Dvalishvili upsets Sean O’Malley to win bantamweight title

UFC president Dana White vowed to placed on the “biggest reside fight sports activities present anyone has ever seen” within the build-up to the occasion, as he complimented the Sphere on being “the star of the present”.

The occasion noticed glittering holograms of the fighters towering over the followers, whereas bouts performed out in entrance of elaborate backdrops, starting from flame-lit Aztec pyramids to a futuristic-looking Mexico Metropolis.

At different factors within the night time, animated marigold petals and confetti rained down on the viewers as movies paid tribute to the nation’s fight sports activities historical past.

O’Malley, 29, was chosen because the face of the formidable occasion however in Dvalishvili confronted an opponent who expertly nullified his harmful counter-striking type.

Within the opening seconds of the struggle Dvalishvili’s consideration unusually turned to O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch because the pair exchanged phrases, earlier than each being warned by referee Herb Dean.

Dvalishvili confirmed his early intentions through the use of fixed footwork to maintain O’Malley at vary, earlier than selecting his moments to safe finely-timed takedowns.

After controlling O’Malley on the bottom for a lot of the second spherical, the struggle noticed its second odd second as Dvalishvili repeatedly kissed O’Malley on the again throughout a submission try.

His actions introduced one other warning from Dean, as O’Malley responded angrily with a strike to the aspect of the top.

O’Malley had his finest spherical within the third, touchdown jabs and a knee, however Dvalishvili was solely momentarily discharged from his gameplan.

The Georgian noticed out the struggle in dominant trend, pressuring O’Malley and taking him down a number of occasions earlier than the top of the fifth spherical, to safe his first UFC title.