The main card for UFC 316 has been officially confirmed.
In just four weeks, the UFC returns to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ for UFC 316. This pay-per-view event is set to feature two significant title fights. In the main event, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is scheduled to defend his belt in a highly anticipated rematch against Sean O`Malley, the fighter from whom he originally captured the title. “Suga” O`Malley has not competed since his loss to Dvalishvili, but is nonetheless granted an immediate opportunity to regain the championship. Dvalishvili successfully completed his first title defense in January, earning a unanimous decision victory over Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311.
Serving as the co-main event, women`s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña, who recently reclaimed her title, will step into the octagon against former two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison. Peña secured her title with a split decision win against Raquel Pennington at UFC 307. Harrison, meanwhile, boasts a 2-0 record in the UFC and is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Ketlen Vieira on the same card. The winner of this bout is widely expected to be the welcoming opponent for Amanda Nunes, considered the greatest female MMA fighter of all time, upon her planned return from a two-year retirement.
Also featured on the main card, notable middleweight Kelvin Gastelum will face off against promising rising prospect Joe Pyfer in what is billed as the feature bout preceding the championship contests. Former bantamweight title challenger Marlon Vera is set to compete against fellow Top 10-ranked fighter Mario Bautista. The main card action is scheduled to commence with a welterweight clash between Vicente Luque and Kevin Holland.
UFC 316 is scheduled to take place on June 7, with the main card being broadcast live on ESPN+ Pay-per-view.
Marcus Blakely