UFC 316 Set for Newark with Title Fights at the Top of the Card
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced that its next pay-per-view event, UFC 316, will take place on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. According to a report by Forbes, the event will feature two title fights at the top of the card, including a bantamweight title fight between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley.
As reported by Forbes, the main event of UFC 316 will see UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili (19-4) defend his title against Sean O’Malley (18-2-0-1), the man he took the title from in their previous encounter at UFC 306. Dvalishvili, a long-time training partner of former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, has been on a remarkable run, winning 12 consecutive fights, including a unanimous decision win over Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311.
In the co-main event, two-time women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Pena (12-5) will look to make a successful defense of her crown against former two-time PFL lightweight tournament winner Kayla Harrison (18-1). Pena, who earned her UFC contract by winning Season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter, has had a remarkable run in the UFC, including a shocking upset win over Amanda Nunes to become the bantamweight champion.
As per Forbes, the complete list of bouts for the main card of UFC 316 includes:
- Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley – Men’s bantamweight title fight
- Julianna Pena vs. Kayla Harrison – Women’s bantamweight title fight
- Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer – Middleweight
- Marlon Vera vs. Mario Bautista – Bantamweight
- Vicente Luque vs. Kevin Holland – Welterweight
Tickets for UFC 316 are available from Ticketmaster, with prices ranging from $380.90 (single seats – standard admission) to $3,900.50 (Official Platinum – Row 3, Floor).
According to Forbes, Sean O’Malley, who is currently ranked No. 1 in the official UFC bantamweight rankings, has had a remarkable rise in the UFC, earning a contract on the first season of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017. O’Malley has since racked up several impressive wins, including a knockout win over Thomas Almeida and a TKO win over Kris Moutinho.
Kayla Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medal winner in judo, has made a seamless transition to MMA, winning her first six fights in the PFL, including three submissions and two knockouts. Harrison, who is currently ranked No. 2 in the official UFC women’s 135-pound rankings, has impressed in her first two UFC fights, submitting Holly Holm and defeating Ketlen Vieira via unanimous decision.
The UFC 316 event marks the promotion’s first visit to Newark since UFC 302 in June 2024. With two title fights at the top of the card, including a bantamweight title fight between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley, this event promises to be an exciting and action-packed pay-per-view event.
For more information on UFC 316, including previews, odds, and predictions for the fight card, stay tuned for further updates.
Source: Forbes
