Super League stars go toe to toe with reigning UFC champion in Las Vegas

Super League stars Kruise Leeming and Matty Ashton had an encounter with UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili during their time in Las Vegas. The Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves stars are in Vegas as the build up continues to March’s clash between the pair at the Allegiant Stadium.

Leeming and Ashton were pictured at the Grand Prix last weekend, with the pair being welcomed as special guests. They then made their first trip to the stadium they’ll be playing in to take in an NFL match as Las Vegas Raiders faced off against Denver Broncos.

However, the pair have now been to visit the UFC’s Performance Institute in Sin City, where they got inside the Octagon and faced off against each other. The pair were then joined in the cage by Dvalishvili, who is fresh from winning UFC gold against Sean O’Malley at the Sphere in September.

The Georgian is one of the toughest fighters on the roster, but he was all smiles in images posted by Super League on social media, with Ashton seen going through the motions with the grappling specialist.

Dvalishvili, nicknamed ‘The Machine’, even commented on Super League’s post, with three robotic arms.

🦾🦾🦾 https://t.co/TBO3AoV3qd

— Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil) November 29, 2024

Wigan and Warrington will go head to head in Nevada on March 1, with the game being the first of four due to be played at Allegiant Stadium that day. The Super League round three clash will be swiftly followed by Canberra Raiders versus New Zealand Warriors before the Australian Jillaroos take on England Women in a Test match.

NRL champions Penrith Panthers wrap up the night when they take on Cronulla Sharks. It will be the second time professional rugby league has been played in Las Vegas following the success of the NRL’s trip in March 2024. A crowd of 40,746 piled into the Allegiant Stadium earlier this year and that is expected to grow next time around.