Not your typical UFC scene. The octagon is dwarfed by the massive visuals at The Sphere.
Las Vegas has seen it all in the fight game. There aren’t many firsts left. But one more was checked off the list Saturday night at The Sphere when UFC presented a 10 fight card. Fans at The Sphere at UFC 306 saw two title fights. Merab Dvalishvili defeated Sean O’Malley. Valentina Shevchenko defeated Alexa Grasso.
The new high-tech venue in Las Vegas opened just a year ago. The first big production was a U2 concert. But the Madison Square garden Company made it clear when The Sphere was announced back in 2018 that this wouldn’t just be a concert venue. It’s got the world’s largest LED screen. Reports say the final cost to create The Sphere was $2.3 billion… which in terms of a price tag just beats out Allegiant Stadium… the venue built to host concerts and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Here’s a firsthand look at what it was like being inside The Sphere at UFC 304.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
A sold out crowd at The Sphere looks on.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The view from the top of The Sphere.
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Another stunning visual as columns rise around the octagon.
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An octagon girl prior to a fight between Sean O’Malley of the United States and Merab Dvalishvili of Georgia for the bantamweight title during UFC 306.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Ronaldo Rodriguez of Mexico fights Ode Osbourne of Jamaica during UFC 306.
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Pre-match visuals surrounded spectators under 3,000 tons of steel.
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The ringside view at UFC 306: Riyadh Season Noche at Sphere on September 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The general view inside Sphere during a celebration of Mexican Independence Weekend between fights during UFC 306: Riyadh Season Noche on September 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan (R) reacts after defeating Alexa Grasso of Mexico (L) to win the Women’s Flyweight title during UFC 306: Riyadh Season Noche at Sphere on September 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Sensory overload as if the massive LED screen was stimulating enough.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Sean O’Malley of the United States reacts after losing his bantamweight title to Merab Dvalishvili of Georgia.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The cage looks tiny.
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The sphere is 366 feet high and 516 feet wide. Capacity is just under 19,000.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Victory.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Maybe Sylvester Stallone can do one more Rocky movie at The Sphere. Imagine how that would look.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
An octagon girl holds up a sign for round 1 during UFC 306: Riyadh Season Noche at Sphere on September 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Hear Geno on the air weekday afternoons. Geno's passions include fat guy food, concerts, sports, travel to Europe and South America. He loves 80s and 90s music, from MTV hairbands to old school freestyle, alternative rock to TRL era jams. Geno's radio career began in his hometown of Portland, Maine. Since then he's been on the air coast to coast from Boston to Las Vegas, Tampa to California.
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