Merab Dvalishvili, Sean O’Malley Rematch Set For UFC 316

Merab Dvalishvili, Sean O’Malley Rematch Set For UFC 316

UFC CEO Dana White has announced the UFC 316 main and co-main event. The headliner features a rematch for the UFC bantamweight title between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley. The co-main event will be a women’s bantamweight title fight between Julianna Peña and Kayla Harrison. The event will take place on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

NEWS FROM THE BOSS 🚨@MerabDvalishvil vs @SugaSeanMMA and @VenezuelanVixen vs @KaylaH is LIVE June 7th from @PruCenter, New Jersey!

[ #UFC316 | @Visit_NJ ] pic.twitter.com/oozWoRiJQq

— UFC (@ufc) April 1, 2025

Dvalishvili and O’Malley first fought at UFC 306. It was the main event for one of the most anticipated cards of the year. In the fight, Dvalishvili used his grappling to earn a decision victory to take the bantamweight title from O’Malley.

In the aftermath of UFC 306, O’Malley had hip surgery for a torn labrum. The injury occurred approximately 10 weeks before the bout. The rematch will show if the injury hurt O’Malley’s defensive grappling capabilities. The alternative is the harsh reality that his grappling skills are not up to par for the championship level.

In the time since their fight matchup, Dvalishvili defended the bantamweight title against Umar Nurmagomedov. That extended his win streak to 12 and helped him take another step closer to becoming the great bantamweight to compete in the UFC.

O’Malley is being given the rematch without getting back in the win column. That is likely a result of the UFC’s need for superstars and the promotion’s belief O’Malley can be a part of the solution.

The co-main event will be a massive bout for the women’s bantamweight division. It has long been suggested that Harrison is the best fighter in the division, but now she has a chance to prove that as she fights for UFC gold. Meanwhile, Peña is attempting to a complete another massive upset and add a title defense to her resume.

How Long Will Merab Dvalishvili Rule The Bantamweight Division?

The UFC 316 bout card was being created before the addition of the main and co-main event. The other currently booked fights on the card include Mario Bautista vs. Marlon Vera, Johnny Walker vs. Azamat Murzakanov, Joshua Van vs. Bruno Silva, and Serghei Spivac vs. Shamil Gaziev.

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