On June 7, 2025, Merab Dvalishvili solidified his reign as UFC bantamweight champion, defeating Sean O’Malley via third-round modified choke at UFC 316 in Newark, NJ. The event, attended by President Donald Trump, featured thrilling bouts, including Kayla Harrison’s title win in the women’s bantamweight division.
Dvalishvili (20-4) showcased his elite wrestling, exhausting O’Malley (18-3) to secure his 13th straight victory at 4:42 of round three. The rematch victory followed his September 2024 unanimous decision win over O’Malley. Post-fight, Dvalishvili called out Cory Sandhagen (18-5) for his next title defense, saying, “You’re the man, let’s go.”
𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙎𝙏𝙄𝙇𝙇𝙇𝙇𝙇𝙇𝙇𝙇𝙇𝙇𝙇𝙇
Merab Dvalishvili has defeated Sean O'Malley for a second time and remains the UFC Bantamweight Champion! 🇬🇪 🏆#UFC316 | LIVE on TNT Sports & discovery+ pic.twitter.com/GBvPrByZl0
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) June 8, 2025O’Malley, gracious in defeat, called the loss a “minor setback” and vowed a strong return, thanking fans for their support.
Harrison Claims Women’s Bantamweight Title
In the co-main event, Kayla Harrison (19-1) submitted Julianna Peña (13-6) with a second-round kimura, capturing the women’s bantamweight belt. Despite a grueling weight cut, Harrison dominated, later calling out retired champion Amanda Nunes (23-5) for a potential 2025 showdown. The two shared a face-off, electrifying the Prudential Center crowd.
𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙒𝙒𝙒𝙒𝙒𝙒𝙒𝙒𝙒
Kayla Harrison has defeated Julianna Peña to become UFC Bantamweight Champion! 🏆#UFC316 | LIVE on TNT Sports & discovery+ pic.twitter.com/KtMeegHSy4
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) June 8, 2025Other Notable Fights
- Middleweight: Joe Pyfer (14-3) outclassed Kelvin Gastelum (19-10) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-27), extending his win streak while Gastelum’s slump continued.
- Bantamweight: Mario Bautista (16-2) dominated Bellator alum Patchy Mix (20-2) in a unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27), halting Mix’s title hopes.
- Welterweight: Kevin Holland (28-13) submitted Vicente Luque (23-11-1) with a D’Arce choke at 1:03 of round two, reinforcing his contender status.
UFC 316 highlighted Dvalishvili’s bantamweight dominance and Harrison’s rise, setting the stage for high-stakes future matchups. For full results, visit ESPN or the UFC’s official website.
