Monster Energy's Merab Dvalishvili Defeats Sean O'Malley to Defend UFC Bantamweight Title at UFC 316 in Newark

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4 days ago

34-Year-Old from Georgia Defends Title, Earns $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus
Kayla Harrison from Middletown, Ohio, Defeats Julianna Peña to Claim UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship, Receives $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus
NEWARK, N.J., June 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- One epic night, two UFC Champions! Monster Energy congratulates MMA athlete Merab Dvalishvili on defeating Sean O'Malley at UFC 316 and defending his UFC Bantamweight World Championship title in Newark on Saturday night. In the main event fight inside sold-out Prudential Center, the 34-year-old from Tbilisi, Georgia, dominated his challenger to earn a submission victory in the third round. The battle also earned Dvalishvili the UFC's $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus.
In the night's Co-Main Event, 34-year-old Kayla Harrison from Middletown, Ohio, earned a submission victory over Julianna Peña in Round 2 to claim the UFC Women's Bantamweight division World Championship title. Harrison also received the UFC's $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus for her victory.
UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs. O'Malley 2 was contested in front of a live crowd of 17,300 spectators inside sold-out Prudential Center. Featuring two title fights on the Main Card, the event was broadcast on ESPN as pay-per-view programming. The prelims streamed on the ESPN+ platform.
Still the Champion: Merab Dvalishvili Defends UFC Bantamweight Title Against O'Malley
Monster Energy's Merab Dvalishvili (20-4) stepped into the Octagon in Newark as the reigning UFC Bantamweight Champion. The Georgian had originally taken the belt from Sean O'Malley at UFC 306 in September 2024 and mastered his first title defense against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January 2025.
Saturday night's rematch marked the first UFC fight for American MMA star Sean O'Malley (18-3) since losing the title to Dvalishvili.
Right from the start, Dvalishvili pressured the challenger with an aggressive pace. Mixing takedown attempts and dangerous strikes, the champion kept O'Malley on the defense while evading heavy punches.
The second round saw O'Malley firing back and landing a hard left that failed to slow down Dvalishvili. Both fighters relied on their striking, with Dvalishvili causing the most damage, until the round culminated in a wild exchange of fists until the buzzer.
Round 3 unfolded with Dvalishvili using his notorious dexterity and high-frequency output to wear down his opponent. The dynamic shifted when the champion successfully took O'Malley to the ground, keeping him there despite resistance, and systematically began working towards the submission with unstoppable precision.
Although the challenger demonstrated textbook ground defense, Dvalishvili locked in a vicious North-South neck crank that caused O'Malley to tap out. Referee Jason Herzog stopped the contest at 4:42 of Round 3, declaring Dvalishvili the winner and undefeated UFC Bantamweight World Champion. Dvalishvili also received the UFC's $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus for the title fight.
"He was well trained, he was well prepared, and I knew that he was going to make changes because, hey, every time I lost, I made big changes and I learned from it," said Monster Energy's Dvalishvili upon his victory at UFC 316, adding: "But I'm getting better and better. I wasn't showing this technique, and I have more tools in my pocket that I'm still working on, and then little by little, I will show. Now it's my time."
What's next for "The Machine" after his second title defense? In his Octagon interview on Saturday night in Newark, Dvalishvili indicated American MMA fighter Cory Sandhagen as his next opponent. Stay tuned as the incredible story continues!
Welcome the New Champion: Kayla Harrison Submits Julianna Peña to Claim UFC Women's Bantamweight Title
In the night's Co-Main Event, rising UFC star Kayla Harrison (19-1) took her first shot at claiming the UFC Women's Bantamweight title. Previously, the 34-year-old from Middletown, Ohio, had defeated Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307 in October 2024 to earn her chance to fight for the belt.
Harrison's opponent, Venezuelan fighter Julianna Peña (13-6), had earned the UFC Women's Bantamweight title by defeating Raquel Pennington at UFC 307. She also previously held the title in 2021.
When Harrison and Peña collided in the Octagon, both fighters initially used strikes and kicks to cause damage. Halfway through the opening round, Harrison successfully took Peña to the canvas and began raining big shots from above. The fight was broken up, and the referee subtracted a point when Peña landed an illegal up kick from the ground.
Harrison increased the pressure in Round 2, wearing down the champion with clinches against the fence and ultimately securing a crucial takedown. Working from the top position, Harrison proceeded to lock in a tight triangle hold as Peña maintained her resistance, hoping to survive the round with only a few seconds on the clock.
Then it was all over quickly: Using her dominant position, Harrison captured Peña in a painful kimura arm lock that left the champion no choice but tapping out with only five seconds to go. And like that, Harrison was pronounced the winner and new Women's Bantamweight Champion by submission at 4:55 of Round 2. Her victory also earned Harrison the UFC's $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus.
"This is for anyone who has ever felt hopeless and wanted to quit," said Monster Energy's Harrison upon claiming the title at UFC 316. Speaking of her opponent, she said, "We prayed for each other. It's not personal. We're here to fight. This is a business, and I'm grateful to Peña for bringing out a better version of me."
Before making her UFC debut in January 2024, Harrison was the Women's Lightweight Champion in the PFL promotion in 2019 and 2021. Harrison is also the 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medalist in judo.
Right after claiming the belt, Harrison called former Bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes to the Octagon as her next opponent. "I feel like we knew this was going to happen," said Harrison, adding: "I have the belt; she has the legacy. Let's put it on the table." Stay tuned for more from the newly minted champion!
Monster Energy's elite UFC athletes include Jon Jones, Alex Pereira, Belal Muhammad, Dricus Du Plessis, Merab Dvalishvili, Valentina Shevchenko, Zhang Weili, Marlon Vera, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Brandon Moreno, Giga Chikadze, Johnny Walker, Sean Strickland, Dan Ige, Diego Lopes, Daniel Zellhuber, Derrick Lewis, Alexa Grasso, Raul Rosas Jr., Tatsuro Taira, Shara Magomedov, Patricio Pitbull, Maycee Barber, Aaron Pico, Patchy Mix, Jasmine Jasudavicius, and Kayla Harrison.
For more on Monster Energy's MMA athletes, visit www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok.
For interview or photo requests, contact Kim Dresser.
About Monster EnergyBased in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com.
CONTACT: Kim Dresser C: [phone] E: [e-mail]
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