Merab Dvalishvili successfully defended his Bantamweight title at UFC 316, submitting Sean O`Malley after a dominant performance. In the co-main event, Kayla Harrison secured a victory against Julianna Peña, setting the stage for an eagerly awaited clash with the returning legend Amanda Nunes.
Known as `The Machine,` Dvalishvili lived up to his moniker, showcasing exceptional cardio and relentless forward pressure. He consistently advanced on O`Malley throughout their bout at the Prudential Center in New Jersey on Saturday night, with notable attendees like former US President Donald Trump and boxing legend Mike Tyson witnessing the event.
O`Malley, who had previously lost his championship to Dvalishvili at UFC 306, demonstrated significant improvement since their last encounter. Despite managing to take their Las Vegas fight the distance previously, he was ultimately outmatched. Following that defeat, O`Malley recognized the necessity of making considerable lifestyle changes to achieve his peak fighting condition. The 30-year-old contender abandoned detrimental habits, including smoking, and even gave up his signature brightly dyed hair. Instead of vibrant, rainbow-like styles, O`Malley appeared with brown, braided hair for the fight, prompting his dedicated fans to don colorful afro wigs as a unique tribute.
In this rematch, O`Malley exhibited more agile movement, though he primarily fought defensively. Dvalishvili dominated the striking exchanges and successfully executed five takedowns, effectively utilizing his powerful ground game. By the third round, O`Malley was visibly exhausted, allowing Dvalishvili to capitalize on an opening for a north-south choke, forcing the tap and securing his retention of the bantamweight title.
This impressive victory extends the 34-year-old Georgian`s professional record to 20-4, marking his 13th consecutive MMA win – a remarkable streak that ties for the fourth longest in UFC history.
Harrison Secures Title Shot Against Returning Legend Amanda Nunes
In the highly anticipated co-main event, Kayla Harrison defeated women`s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña via submission with just five seconds remaining in the second round. Having become a champion in only three UFC fights, Harrison is now poised to make her first title defense against the legendary Amanda Nunes.
Amanda Nunes, widely considered the greatest female UFC fighter of all time, retired in 2023 but had previously indicated her willingness to return to face the winner of this bout. Harrison, a former Olympic judo champion, seized this momentous opportunity with three dominant victories at the start of her UFC career.
Before joining the UFC last year, the 34-year-old Harrison was a two-time $1 million prize champion in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) lightweight division. With an impressive MMA record of 19-1 and quick victories in her initial UFC bouts, her formidable reputation immediately positioned her as a top contender for a title challenge.
“I definitely want to fight Amanda. She`s the greatest of all time. I want to be the greatest of all time.”
— Kayla Harrison
Harrison directly challenged Nunes to enter the octagon. With encouragement from announcer Joe Rogan for security to open the cage door, Nunes, who is slated for induction into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer, stepped in. The two fighters then engaged in an intense staredown, confirming Nunes` intent to fight Harrison for the 135-pound belt, much to the crowd`s excitement. “We`re going to bring women`s MMA to a whole new level,” Harrison proclaimed.
In other notable fights on the card, Kevin Holland secured a submission victory over Vicente Luque, while Joe Pyfer defeated Kelvin Gastelum by unanimous decision in a middleweight clash.
