Sean O’Malley, Merab Dvalishvili, Alexa Grasso, Valentina Shevchenko have new kits (Source: IMAGO/X)
UFC is unveiling exclusive fighter kits at Riyadh Season Noche UFC 306. The four top-bill title fighters and others will now rock custom Venum Sports kits. This includes Sean O’Malley, Merab Dvalishvili, Alexa Grasso, and Valentina Shevchenko as well.
O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) defends his title against title challenger Merab Dvalishvili in the Noche UFC main event in September. 14 at ‘Sphere’. Sean O’Malley is fresh off a violently earned decision win in his maiden defense at the UFC 299 PPV headliner. Meanwhile, this is the third consecutive time Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko will do battle for women’s flyweight glory. They capped off the last Noche UFC event as well.
Their first fight came in March 2023, with Grasso snagging a massive upset by submitting Shevchenko with a face crank in R4. The UFC’s first female Mexican champion debuted the Noche thematic tradition 6 months later. She defended her 125-pound title at UFC 285. ‘Bullet’ who recently co-coached the TUF: Season 32 with her has been waiting for another spirited opportunity at gold.
Meanwhile ‘Suga’ who recently won the 2024 ESPY for Best UFC Fighter Award has been keen on headlining the Madison Square Gardens Company ‘Sphere’. CEO and head honcho, Dana White has already ponied up $17B for the thematic Mexican Independence celebration after all. Now, the fighters will duel in fashion and function with new kits. As such, the matter has gone quite viral.
Fight fans react to UFC 306 new fight kits
Alexa Grasso and Sean O’Malley have already been brand value champions and true presenters of their weight class. The fighter out of Lobo Gym MMA already had her unique custom belt from Taller Jacobo y María Ángeles in Oaxaca last year. O’Malley too received his pink custom shorts lining up with the UFC 300 “Adrenaline Unrivaled” gear lineup. The Venum Sports Fight kits in April, right after his Miami PPV event headliner, went quite viral.
Subsequently, the top brass has lingered with the thematic lineup. Before UFC 304, English top crops Leon Edwards and Paddy Pimblett received thematic fight shorts and kits. Recently, before their UFC 305 pay-per-view (PPV) main event, Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya received new kits as well. Throughout Noche UFC 306, the UFC production team will incorporate Sphere’s stunning visuals and decals as part of a thematic representation.
With Saudi GEA funding for the rebranded event and brand outfitting, there will also be new stylistic details, rich Aztec representation, and Noche badge plates on the jerseys. Here’s what the MMA community thinks of it.
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— Adam O’Brien – bitcoinwell.com (@adamobrien_) August 15, 2024
This kit is so clean
— Tormatic it’s brodee (@itsbrodee) August 15, 2024
Not gonna lie the Noche kits hit hard. Hope we get more of these types of custom kits
— Josh (@JUchiha909) August 15, 2024
A live sporting event at ‘Sphere’ offers the opportunity to redefine professional competition. Along with the fame and fandom, Merab Dvalishvili, Valentina Shevchenko, and others down the card now have a chance to rank themselves with ingenuity and brand value. Consequently, fans have unanimously reacted as such. UFC 305’s kit showcasing was good. But the Mexican celebration is going to be one for ages.
