LAS VEGAS — There is just one more sleep until UFC 306 at the Sphere.
Of course, this event is headlined by Montana's own "Suga" Sean O'Malley and the weigh-ins are official, which means the main event is on.
The festivities leading up to the massive pay-per-view event have been building up the latter half of the week. After media day on Wednesday, Thursday featured the joint press conference with all of the fighters in attendance.
UFC public press conferences have been known to get rowdy from time to time, but Thursday's was quite tame by industry standards. With a large and pro-O'Malley crowd in attendance, the Suga Show took front and center.
"Yeah, it feels good to be back in Vegas," he said to kick things off. "You know, I've been counted out my entire career, and I'm still here. You know, bigger, better than ever. Feels good."
O'Malley and his bantamweight opponent, Merab Dvalishvili, traded a few barbs, including a quick shot from O'Malley at Dvalishvili teammate and friend, Aljamain Sterling, who O'Malley initially beat to win the title in Boston last August.
"Keep dreaming. Keep dreaming," Dvalishvili said. "Nobody knock me out yet. Nobody. Keep dreaming Sean O'Malley. You don't knock out (Marlon) 'Chito' Vera."
"I did knock out Aljo, though, didn't I? Didn't I?" O'Malley responded with a big cheer from the crowd.
"You lucky," Dvalishvili answered.
"I was lucky as (expletive)," O'Malley in turn said sarcastically. "I keep getting lucky. It's crazy. Every fight I get lucky. Somehow, someway, I get lucky."
"OK, try with me. Same thing," Dvalishvili said.
Other large topics of conversation centered around the UFC's debut at the Sphere, but also the theme of Noche UFC.
The event as a whole features a majority of Mexican fighters in honor and celebration of Mexican Independence Day, with many of them celebrating and hyping up the event both as a one-of-one opportunity, but also for its cultural significance.
Both O'Malley and Dvalishvili made weight Friday morning to solidify their title bout at the top of the card. O'Malley weighed in at 135 pounds on the dot, while Dvalishvili came in at 134.
Then, with the UFC Noche Sphere as the backdrop for the press conference and ceremonial weigh-ins, the excitement started to rise to a head in anticipation of Saturday night's fight.
The Montanan is at the forefront once again, with his superstardom being viewed as potentially generational should the outcome go his way on such a big stage.
"A lot of people believe that if you deliver a highlight reel finish on this stage, on this platform, that will catapult you into being the biggest superstar in the sport," MMA reporter John Morgan asked. "Do you agree with that assessment? And how do you get it done?"
"That is accurate. And, you know, I think I'm going to get it done the way I always get done," O'Malley answered. "I'm going to put this dude face first."
The early prelims for the UFC 306 fight card begin at 5:30 p.m. Mountain on Saturday, with the main card slated to begin at 8 p.m. Mountain live on pay-per-view.
