Merab Dvalishvili defeats Sean O’Malley to retain bantamweight identify at UFC 316

Merab Dvalishvili defended his bantamweight championship towards Sean O’Malley on Saturday in the primary tournament of UFC 316, and made it glance simple.

Dvalishvili turned into champion this previous September when he took the identify from O’Malley by the use of unanimous resolution at UFC 306. He advanced on his efficiency within the rematch, filing O’Malley within the 3rd around.

The opening around noticed Dvalishvili take O’Malley down two times – he had six general takedowns within the first assembly that required all 25 mins – and maintained height place for almost part the around. In Round 2, Dvalishvili applied some advanced placing talents, out-landing O’Malley 23 to 19 in vital moves in probably the most aggressive of the 3 rounds.

Dvalishvili, the UFC’s all-time takedowns chief, grew to become up the pace much more in Round 3 the place he landed 3 further takedowns on O’Malley, and peppered the challenger with non-impactful floor moves prior to latching onto O’Malley’s neck and forcing a faucet from a north-south choke with 18 seconds final within the around.

O’Malley had no longer fought since shedding the identify to Dvalishvili. The 30-year-old American is now at the first two-fight shedding streak of her profession.

The reigning champion selected to stick lively after profitable the belt and was once coming off a unanimous-decision win over Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January.

Cory Sandhagen is without doubt one of the simplest top-ranked contenders Dvalishvili has but to stand and is most likely the following challenger. Sandhagen was once cageside on the Prudential Center in New Jersey and Dvalishvili, who stated previous this yr he desires 4 identify defences in 2025, complimented Sandhagen all through a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.

The co-main tournament featured Kayla Harrison filing Julianna Peña to turn into the brand new ladies’s bantamweight champion.

Harrison had a dominant efficiency and locked in a fight-ending kimura in the second one around. The 34-year-old two-time Olympic gold medal winner in judo turned into simply the second one athlete ever to win each Olympic gold and a UFC championship becoming a member of Henry Cejudo.

Harrison may welcome former champion Amanda Nunes again to the game for her first identify defence. Nunes vacated the identify in 2023 however has since introduced she plans on returning to pageant to win again the identify.

In different leading card motion, Patchy Mix’s UFC debut didn’t move as deliberate.

The former Bellator MMA bantamweight champion was once extremely assured all week but was once a step in the back of Mario Bautista within the cage and misplaced a unanimous resolution to Mario Bautista.

Mix is a high-level submission artist however was once stiff and gradual at the ft in comparison to Bautista, who prolonged his profitable streak to 8 in a row and may well be yet another win from coming into the identify image.

Bautista set a brand new private file by means of touchdown 173 vital moves within the three-round contest; his previous file was once 129. Mix did his highest paintings within the ultimate around however misplaced the combat on all scorecards.

Joe Pyfer gained a call over Kelvin Gastelum, then again he stated afterwards he was once disillusioned in his efficiency. Pyfer dropped Gastelum in each the hole and shutting minute of the hole around however couldn’t to find the end and Gastelum were given more potent because the combat improved.

Kevin Holland kicked off the primary card with a submission win over Vicente Luque in the second one around in their welterweight matchup. The 32-year-old American has gained two in a row since losing backtrack to the 170-pound department after two consecutive losses at 185 kilos.

Holland compelled a faucet from Luque by means of locking in an anaconda choke early in the second one around and referred to as out Colby Covington following the win.

Luque was once coming off a 52-second submission win over Themba Gorimbo in December however has now alternated wins and losses over his previous 4 appearances. This weas Luque’s first submission lack of his 23-fight UFC tenure.

Azamat Murzakanov, Joshua Van and UFC newcomer Joo-sang Yoo have been a number of the giant winners from the initial card.