Merab Dvalishvili will defend his bantamweight title against Sean O’Malley in a rematch at UFC 316 on June 17, with Julianna Peña facing Kayla Harrison in the co-main event.
Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley are gearing up for another showdown. Their rematch is the main attraction at UFC 316, scheduled for June 17. The UFC has just dropped the official poster, featuring not only Dvalishvili and O’Malley but also co-main event stars Julianna Peña and Kayla Harrison.
In the spotlight, Dvalishvili aims to defend his bantamweight title for the second time. He first claimed victory over O’Malley at UFC 306, winning by unanimous decision. Since then, Dvalishvili has extended his winning streak to 12, including a victory over Umar Nurmagomedov.
O’Malley, on the other hand, has been out of action since that initial clash. After losing to Dvalishvili, he underwent hip surgery and has been vocal about wanting a rematch. Now, his chance has arrived.
Julianna Peña returns as the women’s bantamweight champion. She reclaimed the belt by defeating Raquel Pennington at UFC 307. Her opponent, Kayla Harrison, is a formidable force with two Olympic golds in judo and a stellar MMA record.
UFC 316 will unfold at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., airing exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view. The fight card is stacked, with the bout order still to be finalized. Get ready for an electrifying night of fights!