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In a night filled with high-stakes rematches and breakthrough performances, UFC 316 at Newark’s Prudential Center delivered major shifts in the bantamweight divisions on Saturday.
Dvalishvili defends title in tactical war
Merab Dvalishvili retained his UFC bantamweight championship with another unanimous decision win over Sean O’Malley, replicating his success from UFC 306. The Georgian champion relied on his trademark volume and grappling control, neutralising O’Malley’s striking rhythm across all five rounds.
Judges scored the contest 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47 in favour of Dvalishvili, who extended his winning streak to 11. Despite O’Malley’s improved takedown defense and sharper counters, he struggled to mount any sustained offense.
“I knew he’d come in better prepared,” Dvalishvili said post-fight. “But I’m the champion for a reason. No one outworks me.”
Kayla Harrison crushes Peña in co-main stunner
In a performance that signaled a seismic shift in the women’s bantamweight division, Kayla Harrison dismantled Julianna Peña to capture her first UFC title. The two-time Olympic gold medalist, now 3-0 in the promotion, secured a second-round TKO via ground-and-pound.
Peña had no answer for Harrison’s top control. The former PFL star took her down midway through the first round and never relinquished dominance. After a barrage of unanswered elbows in Round 2, the referee stepped in at 3:09.
“I came to the UFC for the toughest challenges,” Harrison said. “And I just proved I belong at the top.”
Main card highlights: Gastelum upset, Mix impresses
Elsewhere on the main card, Joe Pyfer shocked Kelvin Gastelum with a third-round knockout, shaking up the middleweight ladder. Patchy Mix outgrappled Mario Bautista in a high-paced bantamweight clash, while Kevin Holland edged Vicente Luque via split decision in a closely contested welterweight bout.
What’s next?
With Harrison’s emphatic arrival and Dvalishvili’s continued dominance, the bantamweight divisions now face intriguing title picture questions. A potential clash between Harrison and Amanda Nunes, should the latter unretire, is already being floated by insiders. Dvalishvili, meanwhile, may eye a superfight or await fresh challengers from the division’s younger crop.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Dvalishvili told the crowd. “Line them up.”
Credit: MMA Fighting
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