Sean O'Malley wants to reclaim the bantamweight championship that Merab Dvalishvili took from him in their previous meeting. The rematch is set for UFC 316 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, where two bantamweight title fights will headline the card.
O'Malley (18-2, 1 NC) underwent surgery following his defeat to Dvalishvili at the Sphere, addressing an issue he dealt with during their first encounter. Now fully recovered, "Suga" believes he can defeat the champion when at 100% health.
Dvalishvili has been on an impressive run, securing his eleventh straight victory when he defeated O'Malley to capture the bantamweight title. The Georgian fighter didn't rest on his laurels, quickly adding a twelfth consecutive win against Umar Nurmagomedov in January.
In the co-main event, two-time bantamweight champion Julianna Pena (12-5) defends her title against Kayla Harrison (18-1). Interestingly, Pena has publicly accused Harrison of using performance-enhancing drugs, adding personal animosity to their championship clash.
Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, seems unfazed by Pena's trash talk. The former PFL star aims to demonstrate why she's considered one of the world's elite fighters since joining the UFC roster.
The full UFC 316 card features several compelling matchups. Kelvin Gastelum takes on Joe Pyfer in a middleweight bout, while Vicente Luque and Kevin Holland square off in a welterweight contest that could have significant divisional implications.
Fight fans can catch the early prelims and preliminary card on Disney+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the main card available via pay-per-view on ESPN+ beginning at 10 p.m. ET. The O'Malley-Dvalishvili rematch is expected to start around 12:45 a.m. ET, depending on how long the earlier fights last.
Can O'Malley make the necessary adjustments to reclaim his title? Or will Dvalishvili's relentless style prove too much once again? Newark's "The Rock" arena will hold up to 19,500 spectators eager to find out.
