A rematch between bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and former titleholder Sean O’Malley headlines the UFC 316 fight card on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. UFC CEO Dana White announced the news Tuesday via Instagram Live.
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Dvalishvili (19-4) captured the 135-pound championship by defeating O’Malley at UFC 306 last September. He successfully defended the belt at UFC 311 in January, defeating Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision.
O’Malley (18-2, 1 NC) hasn’t fought since losing the title to Dvalishvili. Following the loss, O’Malley underwent hip surgery, He became the bantamweight champion by knocking out Dvalishvili’s teammate Aljamain Sterling in August 2023. He’ll have the opportunity to avenge the previous defeat and become a two-time UFC titleholder.
O’Malley is the top contender in the division and both fighters are in the pound-for-pound rankings. Dvalishvili is ranked No. 4 on the pound-for-pound list while O’Malley sits in the No. 13 spot.
The event will mark the fight promotion’s 11th trip to Newark. The fight card also features a world title bout in the co-main event. Women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña puts her title on the line against Olympic gold medalist and No. 2 ranked contender Kayla Harrison in a highly anticipated match-up.
