Fight fans in Las Vegas, Nevada have some great options this weekend (Sat., Sep 14, 2024).

Between the high-profile UFC 306 event at The Sphere and Cinnamon Alvarez‘s last title defense versus Edgar BerlangaA lot of high profile faces will be punched in honor of Mexican Independence Day.

However, all those individual battles seem relatively small compared to the overarching battle of promotion versus promotion and sport versus sport. Despite the politeness and UFC CEO Dana White‘s promise to praise Canelo during the UFC 306 broadcast makes no mistake: a showdown between powerful players in combat sports is taking place for dominance of Mexico’s Independence Day market.

Historically, September 16th is a big day for boxing. It makes perfect sense that Canelo Alvarez—the biggest star in boxing, Mexican or otherwise—would schedule a title defense that weekend. UFC is the new kid on the block, having had an incredibly successful inaugural Noche UFC event last year. The card was so much fun that White promised there would be more to come, and he went MASSIVE by booking The Sphere for the sophomore event.

While UFC has historically been consistent in its efforts to grow promotional traction in Mexico, the event is ultimately a costly and exciting move by a company that has recently had little regard for spending money or taking risks. With this specific and heavy investment in UFC 306 and The Sphere, the stakes may have been raised more than anyone initially realized.

Take, for example, the declining seat prices for UFC 306. Tickets that were initially selling for $3,000 are now available for around $500. As of this writing, the event has not sold out. Many believe this slowdown in ticket sales is due to Canelo’s bout in “Sin City” being a cheaper, or arguably more attractive, alternative.

Then there are the strange bedfellows the UFC is getting involved with regarding this event. Why is their Mexican martial arts celebration sponsored by Riyadh? White hate Oscar De La HoyaSo what is “Golden Boy” doing in the presence of Noche UFC? Another established figure in boxing promotion, Turkish Alalshikhwill also be in the audience at UFC 306 instead of cheering on boxing.

The explanation is personal.

Both De La Hoya and Alalshikh have a beef with Canelo and are motivated to see his event struggle. Whether that grudge against Canelo translates into further UFC 306 success remains to be seen, but the bad blood is certainly enough to send boxing promoters to the cage.

Ultimately, this weekend’s duels will have significant implications for the sports of boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA). However, one interesting aspect here is that it doesn’t feel like either sport is putting its best foot forward to conquer the Mexican market. Alvarez vs. Berlanga is fine and will likely produce the Canelo win that people want to see, but it’s not the most sought-after matchup available for the superstar. Likewise, UFC 306 is a good card, not a great one. Despite the hyperbolic promises, UFC 299 and UFC 300 earlier this year were more loaded with talent and name recognition. Ultimately, the UFC sells the spectacle of The Sphere more than any single Mexican athlete or even the fight card itself.

Regardless of who wins this year, we can expect a rematch in 12 months without any reservations.

LIVE! Watch UFC 306 PPV At The Sphere on ESPN+ here!

UFC NIGHT IN THE ATMOSPHERE! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will stage a one-of-a-kind pay-per-view (PPV) spectacle in honor of Mexican Independence Day during its Riyadh Season on Saturday, September 14, 2024, an unlikely mashup culminating in the Bantamweight main event between the reigning champion, Sean O’Malleyand sliced ​​and diced No. 1 contender Merab DvalishviliIn the championship co-headliner of UFC 306, the current holder of the Flyweight title, Alexa Grassowill settle her score with fellow Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 32 coach Valentina Shevchenko in the final fight of their epic 125-pound trilogy. UFC 306’s PPV main card (watch it here) will also feature Brian Ortega in return for Diego Lopes, Raul Rosas Jr. in return for Aoriqilengand much more! It’s a must-see action movie from “Sin City!” UFC 306’s start time is scheduled for 6:30pm ET (Preliminary round card) and 10:00 PM ET (PPV main card).

Don’t miss a single second of the epic action!

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, detailed coverage of the entire UFC 306 Fight Card right herestarting with the early ESPN+ Online ‘prelims’ matches, scheduled to begin 7:30pm ET (simulcast on ESPNews at 8:00 p.m. ET), prior to the start time of the pay-per-view (PPV) main card at 10:00 PM ET (also on ESPN+).

For the latest and greatest news and notes on UFC 306: “O’Malley vs. Merab,” be sure to visit our extensive event archive. here.