Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili 2 tops UFC 316 with women’s title fight in co-main event

Kayla Harrison will challenge Julianna Pena for the women’s bantamweight belt in the chief support bout

The main event and co-main event of UFC 316 are official, with two bantamweight title fights topping the bill in New Jersey.

In the headline bout, Merab Dvalishvili will defend his 135lb belt against Sean O’Malley – the man he dethroned in September – while Julianna Pena puts the women’s version of the title on the line versus Kayla Harrison.

The event will take place in Newark’s Prudential Center on 7 June, as Dvalishvili makes his second defence of his belt, while Pena defends her title for the first time in her second reign.

In September, Dvalishvili won a comfortable decision against O’Malley to take the men’s title, before retaining it with a comeback points win over Umar Nurmagomedov in January.

“Sugar Sean”, 30, has not fought since losing the belt, with fans divided over whether the American is worthy of a rematch with the Georgian champion, 34. O’Malley won the gold with a knockout of Aljamain Sterling in 2023, and he retained it just once, outpointing Marlon Vera in a rematch. At the time, Vera was also seen by many as an undeserving challenger.

Merab Dvalishvili (top) dominated Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 (Getty Images)

Julianna Pena is a two-time women’s bantamweight champion in the UFC (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Pena regained the women’s bantamweight title with a narrow decision against Raquel Pennington in October.

Previously, Pena held the gold between December 2021 and July 2022. The American, 35, shocked all-time great Amanda Nunes with a submission to win the belt, before losing it on points in their rematch.

Compatriot Harrison, a former PFL champion, joined the UFC last April with a submission of ex-UFC title holder Holly Holm. The 34-year-old then outpointed Ketlen Vieira at the same event where Pena regained the 135lb title, UFC 307.