UFC 306 fight at the Sphere excites Las Vegas resident Daniel Zellhuber

Many Las Vegas residents dread driving through the Airport Connector because of its propensity for traffic jams, random construction zones and speed cameras.

Daniel Zellhuber (15-1), a rising UFC lightweight title contender, calls it one of the highlights of his day.

Zellhuber, 25, is scheduled to face Esteban Ribovics (13-1) in the main card of UFC 306 at Sphere on Saturday. Every night, he drives home from training and through the airport, which gives him a great view of the venue as he exits the tunnel.

“Every time I drive by, I see the Sphere,” Zellhuber said. “And sometimes the ‘Noche UFC’ ad comes up. I start thinking about how I’m going to fight there and how I’m going to be in the first event there. It’s something that I’m really excited about and dream about every day. I’m excited about this opportunity.”

The event, dubbed Riyadh Season Noche UFC, is the first live sporting event at the Sphere. The pay-per-view portion of the card begins at 7 p.m. UFC president Dana White has indicated that it could be a one-time deal due to production costs.

The show was billed as a celebration of Mexican culture during Mexican Independence Day weekend, making it even more meaningful to Zellhuber. The Mexico City native moved part-time to Las Vegas for the chance to take his training to the next level at Xtreme Couture, but he’s still proud of his roots.

“I think this event is for all people, for the real fighters,” Zellhuber said. “The people who wake up at 4 a.m. to be a gardener, a cook or a cleaner. I think they are the real heroes of this event and that’s why it’s happening. I fight for all Mexicans and I’m proud to be Mexican. Having the opportunity to represent my country (Saturday) is something that really makes me feel complete.”

That’s why Zellhuber has campaigned publicly and privately for a spot on this card. He’s excited to be a part of such an event and doesn’t want to treat it like just another fight.

Eric Nicksick, Zellhuber’s coach in Las Vegas, told him to appreciate those moments as he progresses in the sport.

“As a member of the first group of Sphere fighters, I’m going to have to take a moment to breathe in that energy and be happy to be here,” Zellhuber said. “I don’t like to be one of those fighters who goes out there trying to fight in anger. At the end of the day, I love my job and I’m going to enjoy every moment of it.”

Zellhuber has been able to enjoy his job quite easily lately. He has won three straight fights and earned two consecutive bonuses for his efforts.

Part of that success comes from training in Las Vegas, where his gym is filled with champions and contenders.

“That’s what I’m here for,” Zellhuber said. “I always knew I had the level, but here you get the chance to compete with other guys at that level every day and see world champions walk through the door every day, it makes you better and gives you that confidence.

“It was very helpful to me.”

Zellhuber’s only loss was a unanimous decision to Trey Ogden in his 13th professional fight. That came on September 17, 2022, almost two years to the day before he competed at Sphere.

He said his team helped him put the defeat into perspective and he has used it as fuel ever since.

“That loss changed my life,” Zellhuber said. “I’m still learning and every time I feel like I did something wrong, I go back to the loss and try to review what I did wrong. My team does a good job of reminding me why I lost and how I felt at the time. It was a great learning experience and I get to show that every fight.”

After his loss, Zellhuber should have no trouble concentrating. He recently got the word “focus” tattooed on the lower part of his neck.

“There’s a lot going on at every camp,” Zellhuber said. “Life doesn’t stop because you’re a fighter. So I think it’s really important to be able to stay focused during those moments. I want to wake up every morning, look in the mirror and remind myself to focus on what’s important.”

Contact Adam Hill at [email protected]. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.

To be continued

What: UFC 306

Or: Sphere

When: Saturday; pay-per-view begins at 7 p.m. on ESPN+

Main Card Battles

— Sean O’Malley (18-1) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (17-4), for O’Malley’s bantamweight title

— Alexa Grasso (16-3-1) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (23-4-1), for Grasso’s flyweight title

— Brian Ortega (16-3) vs. Diego Lopes (25-6), featherweight

— Daniel Zellhuber (15-1) vs. Esteban Ribovics (13-1), lightweights

— Ronaldo Rodriguez (17-2) vs. Ode’ Osbourne (12-7, 1 No Contest), flyweight