LAS VEGAS – Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili moved one step closer to determining who is the better man after their pre-fight duel at the UFC 306 press conference on Thursday.

O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) will put his bantamweight title on the line against Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in the main event of Noche UFC at Sphere (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews), and the historic nature of the card has brought additional attention to both men.

It was clear from the verbal exchanges during the press conference that both men are confident they can take home the title in convincing fashion, and their demeanor at the face-off reflected that energy.

O’Malley faced his title challenger shirtless, while Dvalishvili looked dapper in a red suit. They initially exchanged a few heated words, but then shook hands before posing for the crowd.

O’Malley will attempt to defend his middleweight (61 kg) title for the second time in this fight, while Dvalishvili will look to win gold and extend his winning streak to 11 consecutive fights in the Octagon.

Check out the video above to see O’Malley and Dvalishvili face off at the pre-fight press conference at UFC 306.

For more information on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.