It seems that the UFC brass isn’t wasting any time giving fans something else to look forward to—UFC 316. Set for June 7, the event will mark the promotion’s 11th stop in Newark, New Jersey, with the Prudential Center once again playing host to what promises to be another electric night of fights. And even before the official fight week kicks off, it’s the main event that’s already stealing the spotlight: a high-stakes bantamweight title rematch between reigning champion Merab Dvalishvili and former titleholder Sean O’Malley.
Their first encounter went down at UFC 306, an event hyped for its groundbreaking venue—The Sphere in Las Vegas—but criticized for its underwhelming headliner. Despite the historic setting, the five-round bout left fans disappointed, as both fighters came under fire for a lack of action. Still, it was Merab’s relentless grappling that ultimately earned him the decision win and the belt.
O’Malley initially accepted the loss with grace, but his camp later cried foul, calling the outcome a “robbery.” The former champ also revealed he had been nursing a torn labrum in his left hip leading up to the fight—an injury he says he carried into the Octagon that night. The UFC took notice, and with demand still high, decided to run it back.
At the UFC 316 press conference, one journalist asked Dana White why this rematch was the right call. True to form, the head honcho shot back with a grin, “This is the fight people wanted to see—except for these six guys over here,” gesturing to a row of skeptical reporters and drawing laughter from the crowd.
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