UFC CEO Dana White did it again.
He took to Instagram Live and set the MMA world ablaze with a set of announcements for new fights that immediately became the biggest combat sports news of the day.
According to White’s IG Live post, UFC 316 will take place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on June 7. In the main event, UFC men’s bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili will defend his title in a rematch against Suga Sean O’Malley.
In the co-main event, women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Pena will defend her title against Kayla Harrison.
Two Title Bouts Headline UFC 316
The rematch between Dvalishvili and O’Malley is one of the more highly anticipated fights of the year. Dvalishvili dethroned O’Malley at Noche UFC in September 2024.
While the win seemed clear to most, O’Malley was able to drum up some controversy afterward by insisting he’d won three of the five rounds. The chatter died down and Dvalishvili has since successfully defended his title against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January.
Meanwhile, O’Malley has been recovering from hip surgery and preparing himself for a second shot at Dvalishvili. The rematch could be even better than the first fight.
The co-main event has its own shine.
Pena is one of the few fighters in her division capable of selling tickets on the mic and in the Octagon. Harrison is a former Professional Fighters League champion, and two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo. If she were to dethrone Pena, she could argue she is the most decorated and accomplished combat sports in history.
Harrison’s biggest challenge thus far has been the scale.
She’s had some issues making 135 pounds. Though she has successfully made weight for both of her bantamweight fights with the UFC, it appears as if the strain has been harsh on her body.
The hope is that she can make the weight safely and enter the Octagon at 100 percent to determine which woman deserves to be the champion.
UFC 316: Additional Reported Matchups
As of now, four more bouts are reportedly signed for UFC 316:
- Mario Bautista vs. Marlon Vera (135 lbs)
- Johnny Walker vs. Azamat Murzakanov (205 lbs)
- Bruno Silva vs. Joshua Van (125 lbs)
- Serghei Spivac vs. Shamil Gaziev (265 lbs)
These fights span four weight divisions and feature a mix of ranked contenders and rising prospects. None of the matchups have been officially confirmed by the promotion, but all are expected to be finalized as part of the June 7 lineup. There are likely to be as many as eight more fights added to the card.
It seems like we’re destined to have at least six more added. So far, the card is stacking up to be a gem of the combat sports summer. Let’s hope everything stays in place and there is at least one more important fight added to the main card.
Stay tuned for more information on the card as it becomes available.
