LAS VEGAS: The city of Las Vegas is gearing up to host the Riyadh Season Noche UFC at the iconic Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday.
This event will be the first-ever sports championship held at the Las Vegas Sphere as part of UFC events, and it also marks Riyadh Season’s debut as a sponsor in the United States.
Following the success of the Riyadh Season Card in Los Angeles, this event is granting UFC the prestigious title of naming partner for the first time to a sponsor, renaming UFC 306 to Riyadh Season Noche UFC.
The highly anticipated event features a bantamweight title bout, headlined by Sean O’Malley from the United States defending his title against Georgia’s Merab Dvalishvili.
The octagon will also feature an electrifying women’s flyweight title bout, as Mexico’s Alexa Grasso faces off against Valentina Shevchenko from Kyrgyzstan.
Additionally, the event will feature a featherweight bout between Brian Ortega from the United States and Diego Lopes from Brazil.
Raul Rosas Jr. from Mexico will face Aoriqileng from China in the bantamweight category. Another bout will see Irene Aldama from Mexico taking on Norma Dumont from Brazil in a women’s bantamweight bout.
In the lightweight category, Manuel Torres from Mexico and Ignacio Bahamondes from Chile will compete for the title. Edgar Chairez from Mexico will face Joshua Van from the United States in a flyweight bout. Another flyweight fight will feature Ronaldo Rodriguez from Mexico versus Ode Osbourne from Jamaica.
The event will also feature a women’s strawweight bout between Yazmin Jauregui from Mexico and Ketlen Souza from Brazil, with the event concluding with a lightweight fight between Daniel Zellhuber from Mexico and Esteban Ribovics from Argentina.
Riyadh Season previously hosted UFC Fight Night on June, 22, 2024, where Australian Robert Whittaker delivered a knockout victory against Russia’s Ikram Aliskerov in the main middleweight event at Kingdom Arena.
Iconic Sphere in Las Vegas to host Riyadh Season Noche UFC
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Iconic Sphere in Las Vegas to host Riyadh Season Noche UFC
Reed surges four shots ahead at Dubai Desert Classic
- Spaniard David Puig climbed into second following a birdie-birdie finish after a 66 left him at 10 under
DUBAI: Patrick Reed stormed into a four-shot lead heading into the final round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, thanks to a brilliant 67 on Moving Day.
The American held a narrow overnight advantage at nine under but was quickly challenged by Francesco Molinari on the front nine. Molinari, who led after 18 holes, opened with three straight birdies to reach double figures before Reed hit back with three birdies and two bogeys in his first seven holes to join him at ten under.
Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, then finished his front nine with a birdie to edge ahead and did not look back, picking up three further shots to climb to 14 under at Emirates Golf Club as he pursues a maiden Rolex Series victory.
“I think the biggest thing right now is the driving. I feel like I’m driving the ball a little better right now,” said Reed. “Once I saw putts go in this week, seems like the putter is back behaving doing what it’s supposed to, and allows me to free up the rest of my golf game.
“You’re always excited, showing up on Sunday with a lead. I feel like that’s what all of us live for as players, competitors, to have a chance to win on Sundays. I know it’s not going to be easy, it never is, and doesn’t matter how big of a lead you have.”
Spaniard David Puig surged into solo second following a birdie-birdie finish in a stunning 66 to reach ten under, with 2022 champion Viktor Hovland one shot further back alongside Englishman Andy Sullivan, who bounced back from bogeys at the eighth and ninth with three birdies on the back nine.
“It was a great day from start to finish,” said Puig. “We were a little behind, and seeing Patrick Reed and all the guys that are up there are really good players, so I knew I needed a good one. Still a little behind but it’s going really well. Hopefully tomorrow we have a good chance.”
Hovland, who carded a bogey-free 65, said: “It was very nice and steady today. Hit a lot of fairways. I know I played a wonderful round of golf today. Certainly no complaints about a bogey-free 65 out here. This place is no joke. If I get off the tee and in a decent position, I can really do some damage.”
Italian pair Molinari and Andrea Pavan were in a share of fifth at eight under, while Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and Spaniard Jorge Campillo sat at seven under.
Nicolai Hojgaard led the group at six under alongside South African trio Jayden Schaper, Hennie du Plessis and amateur Christiaan Maas, as well as French pair Julien Guerrier and Martin Couvra.
