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News - June 8, 2025

UFC 316 Results: Dvalishvili & Harrison Crown Champions in Newark Showdown

Merab Dvalishvili and Kayla Harrison clinch bantamweight titles at UFC 316; highlights include Holland and Yoo’s standout finishes in Newark.


Event Overview

UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2 took place on June 7, 2025, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The card featured two title bouts—bantamweight title defense by Merab Dvalishvili and a women’s bantamweight title fight with Kayla Harrison challenging Julianna Peña.


Main Event: Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2

  • Result: Merab Dvalishvili retained his bantamweight title, defeating Sean O’Malley via third-round submission (north-south / guillotine) at 4:42 of round three.
  • Significance: This marks Dvalishvili’s 13th straight win, his third UFC title defense, and places him alongside the likes of Jones and Nurmagomedov in undefeated streaks.
  • Post-Fight: Joe Rogan praised it as a “freakish” performance, and Dvalishvili has expressed interest in facing Cory Sandhagen next.

Co-Main Event: Harrison vs. Peña

  • Result: Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison submitted Julianna Peña via kimura near the end of round two (4:55) to win the women’s bantamweight title.
  • Notable Moment: Post-fight, Amanda Nunes appeared in the Octagon, signaling a potential megafight with Harrison.
  • Legacy: Harrison becomes a UFC champion after her Olympic and PFL credentials, earning a Performance of the Night bonus .

Other Main Card Finishes

  • Kevin Holland submitted Vicente Luque with a D’arce choke (R2, 1:03), adding another Performance of the Night bonus to his record.
  • Mario Bautista outpointed UFC debutant Patchy Mix via unanimous decision.
  • Joe Pyfer overcame Kelvin Gastelum by unanimous decision (29‑28, 29‑27, 30‑27).

Prelims & Early Knockouts

  • JooSang Yoo delivered a stunning KO in just 28 seconds over Jeka Saragih with a check left hook, earning buzz for “KO of the Year”.
  • Van, Murzakanov, Cortes-Acosta, Gustafsson, Wang, and others filled out the New Jersey prelims with decisive wins.

Bonuses Awarded ($50K each)

  • Performance of the Night: Merab Dvalishvili, Kayla Harrison, Kevin Holland, and Yoo Joo-sang.
  • No Fight of the Night was awarded.

Standout Storylines

  1. Dvalishvili’s Dominance: Cemented as possibly the greatest bantamweight ever with his third straight title defense.
  2. Harrison’s Arrival: Secures UFC gold impressively in just her third UFC fight, breaking into the upper echelons.
  3. Rising Talent: Holland, Yoo, and Pyfer showcased significant upside with notable finishes or performances.
  4. Debut Disappointment: Patchy Mix’s underwhelming debut underscores that Bellator champs aren’t automatic UFC stars.

What’s Next?

  • Dvalishvili may face Cory Sandhagen, aiming to widen his championship legacy.
  • Harrison has a blockbuster potential matchup on the horizon against Amanda Nunes.
  • Rising contenders will need to prove themselves in the increasingly competitive welterweight and bantamweight divisions.

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