UFC 306 is finally here. And you know what that means: It’s Sphere time.

Not since Fight Island has the UFC built so much excitement about the role of the venue and presentation at any of its events, and that turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. (No Octagon on the beach. No palm trees. Not even a real island.) But this? A UFC event in the immersive experience of the Sphere in Las Vegas? It promises to be very different, at least.

We’ll have to wait until Saturday to find out exactly what that means, but there’s plenty of excitement on this fight card. But maybe we shouldn’t get too confused by the crazy marketing ploy of a fight celebrating Mexican Independence Day… in Las Vegas… sponsored by Saudi Arabia.

Here’s what’s on the schedule for the UFC 306 main card:

Ronaldo Rodriguez vs Ode Osbourne

Who they are: Rodriguez is relatively new to the UFC, but he has fought a total of six fights, and the last three have come close to the finish line. He also has the nickname “Lazy Boy,” so that’s pretty memorable. Osbourne is in for the dreaded and often decisive three-fight losing streak if he can’t fight his way to a win here.

Why it is important: Rodriguez, who hails from Mexico, is a fighter on a winning streak. Now, in this event celebrating Mexican Independence Day, he faces an opponent on a losing streak. Here, a cynic might argue that this is a fight designed to give Mexico a win and pump up the crowd at the start of the pay-per-view. Osbourne is better than his recent performances suggest, but this is probably a case of win or be fired.

Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics

Who they are: This lightweight bout features a classic rivalry between Mexico and Argentina. Zellhuber hasn’t lost since his UFC debut. And hey, it can happen to anyone, because octagon jitters are a real thing. Ribovics suffered the same fate in his first UFC fight. Just like Zellhuber, it’s the only loss of his professional career.

Why it is important: These guys are at very similar stages in their respective careers. Just a couple of lightweights under 30 trying to make it in arguably the toughest division in the entire sport. Throwing them in a fight together there seems like a test to see who has the more promising talent at the moment.

Brian Ortega vs Diego Lopes

Who they are: Ortega is the former title challenger who is trying to maintain his position as one of the top fighters in the featherweight division by fending off these young thugs. Lopes is the guy with the emo haircut who is consistently overperforming in increasingly tough fights.

Why it is important: Every time Lopes fights and wins in the UFC, there’s always a feeling that “wait a minute, this guy might actually be good.” Ortega is significantly superior to the competition he’s faced so far, making this the toughest test yet for that particular hypothesis. If Lopes wins this fight, he’s likely a title contender. If not, fans might conclude that he’s just another fun guy in the 145-pound division.

Alexa Grasso vs Valentina Shevchenko

Who they are: Grasso is the women’s flyweight champion. Shevchenko is the woman she beat to win the title in the first place. That was a surprise loss in itself. Then they fought again and ended in a draw. Now Shevchenko goes into a UFC fight as the underdog for the first time since 2016.

Why it is important: Firstly, that shiny gold belt. But secondly, this is the trilogy fight in which Grasso can finally disprove all claims that she might have only gotten lucky once and doesn’t really deserve to be called champion. For Shevchenko, it’s a chance to show that her time at the top isn’t over yet. Or is it?

Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili

Who they are: O’Malley is the men’s bantamweight champion. He’s also the most popular fighter on this card and the driving force behind ticket and pay-per-view sales. Dvalishvili is a really dangerous challenger for him. He’s won 10 fights in a row and hasn’t looked the least bit out of breath. He’s one of those fighters whose engine is just set to a higher speed – and he knows how to use that as his own weapon.

Why it is important: O’Malley’s popularity has helped make the 135-pound title a big deal for the UFC. Here, he faces the kind of test he hasn’t really had to face yet. Dvalishvili is the kind of wrestling-based fighter who will constantly get to you and wear you down with pace and pressure. O’Malley would much rather keep him at a safe distance where he can use his reach and nifty strikes to great effect. Now it’s just a question of who will impose his will.