UFC 316 bonuses: Title fight winners pad bank accounts with extra $50K
UFC 316 bonuses: Title fight winners pad bank accounts with extra $50K
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UFC 316: Kevin Holland post-fight interview
UFC 316 winner Kevin Holland spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters post-fight after his second-round submission of Vicente Luque.
The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday's card in New Jersey, including to each title fight winnerAfter UFC 316, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Newark. Check out the winners below.
Performance of the Night: Joo Sang Yoo
Joo Sang Yoo def. Jeka Saragih via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:28
Joo Sang Yoo (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) had one of the best UFC debuts in a long while when he took out Jeka Saragih (14-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) with a short left hook to the chin. Yoo barely had any windup and drilled Saragih on the button to send him with a faceplant to the canvas just 28 seconds into their lightweight fight on the prelims.
Performance of the Night: Kevin Holland
Kevin Holland def. Vicente Luque via submission (D'Arce choke) – Round 2, 1:03
Kevin Holland (28-13 MMA, 15-10 UFC) put together one of the best performances of his career when he submitted Brazil's Vicente Luque (23-11-1 MMA, 16-7 UFC) in the second round to open the main card. Luque had not been submitted in nearly 12 years.
Performance of the Night: Kayla Harrison
Kayla Harrison def. Julianna Peña via submission (kimura) – Round 2, 4:55
Kayla Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) was the most heavily favored title challenger in UFC history at nearly 8-1, and she showed why when she took apart women's bantamweight champion Julianna Peña (13-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) with ease for a second-round submission. The two-time Olympic champion brought Amanda Nunes out of retirement for a superfight.
Performance of the Night: Merab Dvalishvili
Merab Dvalishvili def. Sean O'Malley via submission (neck crank) – Round 3, 4:42
Merab Dvalishvili (20-4 MMA, 13-2 UFC) thoroughly dominated Sean O'Malley (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) to win the bantamweight title in their first meeting in 2024. In the rematch, it looked like a mismatch. Dvalishvili took O'Malley down with ease and eventually tapped him out in the third round to continue to assert himself as the best 135-pounder in UFC history.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
UFC 316 preview: If Sean O'Malley loses again to Merab Dvalishvili, is this the end?
It's a bantamweight showcase as the UFC heads back to New Jersey this weekend, with titles on the line in both the men's and women's 135-pound divisions. On the men's side it's a rematch, as 'Suga' Sean O'Malley tries to win back the title he lost at UFC 306 in September against Merab Dvalishvili. On the women's side, it's the ushering in of a new era, as Kayla Harrison — the Olympic judoka who has made it her mission to win a UFC title — arrives as a massive favorite to overthrow Julianna Peña. Or is it the dawn of a new era? Advertisement Let's jump right in with five burning questions heading into UFC 316. 1. Sean O'Malley gave up his favorite pastimes — marijuana, social media, masturbation — to better focus for this rematch. He's all in! Is this the end of the 'Suga Show' if he loses? Petesy Carroll: It would be the end of me full-stop, man. I'm kind of perplexed by it all. Certainly, two of these three things were foundational elements of the 'Suga' brand and then to add to that there's the abstaining from social media … I'm kidding. Well, kind of, is O'Malley getting into golf now or what's he doing to fill the void? Is he crocheting? Did he get a New York Times subscription and start playing Sudoku? Feels like he's treating this like a do-or-die fight. That said if he loses, I expect him to move up to featherweight and return to his old puffing, typing and … well you get the point, he'd start doing all of those things again, right? Chuck Mindenhall: Doesn't it feel 'Suga' Sean is forever, like, 26 years old? It's odd that he's now 30, which is right around that age when we like to say a fighter is 'peaking.' If he can clear the Merab hurdle, I think he'd skyrocket back into that star area he was in before being humbled at the Sphere, with all those vices he's sacrificing for this fight once again at the core of his being. Advertisement I also think he moves up to featherweight if he loses, as being behind the Merab eight-ball is a nihilistic situation. With guys like O'Malley, there are still plenty of options ahead, all of which I am sure he'd just assume avoid. What becomes of "Suga" Sean O'Malley should he lose again to Merab Dvalishvili? (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) (Chris Unger via Getty Images) 2. Are you disturbed by the lack of heat for this rematch? Merab and O'Malley have been so respectful in the lead-up, haven't they? Chuck: The last time through was different, as O'Malley was holding the title and treating Merab like a nuisance to be dealt with … and we all knew he was much more than a nuisance. All the shots they were taking at each other felt more playful than anything else, strictly for entertainment purposes. I didn't sense a lot of genuine heat, outside of Tim Welch's contributions to the mix. Advertisement This time through it has been very quiet. Not just with the principals in play, but in general. I haven't heard anybody outside of the MMA spectrum mention that O'Malley is fighting this weekend, which is startling, no? Petesy: Let's be honest, 'Lack of Heat' could be title of a Netflix documentary about UFC's start to 2025. I don't know if it's anything to do with the switch up in dynamic between the lads as much as it's just fan fatigue at this point. Being a UFC fan in 2025 is like being in a semi-serious relationship. You're expected to give up a day of your life every week regardless of the stakes, intrigue or ability on display on these cards. When a genuinely good one comes along like this, I think it's just difficult for everyone to switch into the 'excitement' gear. I do think it's a really good card, but I can't remember the last time we were all frothing at the mouth for a UFC pay-per-view. It certainly hasn't been over the five months, and that's pretty sad. All in all, I guess it's that situation that I find more disturbing than anything else but replies on X would have me believe I'm a jaded old fool and I need to lose some weight, but that's beside the point. 3. What is Julianna Peña's path to victory over the massive favorite, Kayla Harrison? Petesy: I won't let Julianna Peña's disrespect of my nationality or her claims that I want to be pegged by Kayla Harrison color my opinion on this one, Chuck. But, let it be known that a lesser man would. Why would she makes such claims, you ask? Well, it's because I'm the only one on the entire hosting staff of "The Ariel Helwani Show" that picked — *checks notes* — the biggest betting favorite a challenger has ever been in the history of UFC, in this case Harrison, to have her hand raised on Saturday night. Advertisement Be that as it may, I think Peña can absolutely get the job done. We've witnessed her shock the world before against Amanda Nunes and if she can keep this fight standing and keep her lead hand in Harrison's face, the Olympic gold medalist might be left with a lot to do by the time the championship rounds kick in. Let the record show that I don't think that will happen, though. Chuck: Julianna really said all that? About the pegging? Damn, I must've missed that segment. One of the reasons she has been a two-time champion in this sport is because she takes little sleights like that and packs it into her resolve. Nobody carries a chip like the "Venezuelan Vixen," Petesy, and I admire that you stuck to your guns on this. My thing with Harrison is the same as always. How much will that weight cut take out of her in the end? She has now been living on a restrictive diet for well over a year and getting down to 135 pounds is a recurring hell. One of these times it will come back to bite her, and we'll hear about it afterward. Will that be this time? Advertisement I think Harrison will win this fight, because I think she'll get it to the ground and do work there. Yet, I will say Peña is a live dog. We saw Ketlen Vieira survive to see the scorecards with Harrison, which made her seem … less inevitable. If she can't get the fight where she wants it? Things might get interesting in a hurry. Patchy Mix (20-1, 2 KOs), former Bellator bantamweight championship, makes his UFC debut at UFC 316. (Photo by Matt Davies/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) 4. Of all the Bellator fighters who've come over to UFC, where do you rank Patchy Mix ahead of his fight with Mario Bautista? Chuck: We've seen some good ones come through from Bellator over the years, including Eddie Alvarez, Michael Chandler and Alexander Volkov back in the day, along with Patricio Pitbull, Aaron Pico and Michael 'Venom' Page more recently. I would place Patchy Mix right up there among the best of the bunch for one reason: He's very much still in his prime. Advertisement He is 31 years old and just hitting on all cylinders, having won seven fights in a row. He hasn't taken nearly as much damage as Alvarez and Chandler (who inflicted plenty of it on each other), and he's far more proven as a former champion than, say, Pico. There's a good possibility that if Mix beats Bautista that he's catapulted into the top space to be challenging for a title, and I think he'll get his shot at some point in the near future. Petesy: I think he might be the best. There have been greats in the past, as Alvarez famously went on to claim the lightweight title after making the transition. Eddie was a year younger than Patchy when he made the move but I also think that he joined a lightweight division that wasn't as healthy as the current situation we see in the UFC's bantamweight class. That might be unfair to Eddie, as he had to get through Gilbert Melendez and Anthony Pettis before dethroning Rafael Dos Anjos, but I really feel this is one of the strongest bantamweight rosters of all time. If Patchy ain't the best, I'd have him second to Eddie, but I'm expecting big things from him. 5. What's one other fight on UFC 316 that is guaranteed to deliver? Petesy: Luque vs. Holland has chaos written all over it. And speaking of chaos, or a variation of the spelling, Khaos Williams and Andreas Gustafsson could be a banger, too. While we're on the topic of things that are guaranteed to deliver, the most exciting part of the whole damn night for me will be jumping on YouTube for a live show with you and the big homie Helwani for our 3PAC post-fight special! Yes, that was a blatant plug, and I can only apologize. See you there, Mith! Advertisement Chuck: Blatant plug, and I love it — no need to apologize. Glad to have the gang back together. I will see if I can get in a word edgewise with you two yappers, but one thing I know for certain we'll be discussing? The return of the great Kelvin Gastelum. I kid, of course. (How is Gastelum still appearing on these cards? His nickname should be the 'Cockroach,' because you just can't kill him.) There's a reason they put that Luque-Holland fight at the top of the PPV, and it's not because they are brilliant technicians, Petesy. With no real care about title shots or any of the worldly structures the UFC has put up, their whole mission is to tear it all down. It's a fight with next to no perceptible stakes, which is some serious Chris Leben territory. Action is the only goal. To live-for-the-now and to put on a show. I think this one delivers.
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
UFC 316 Results: Sean O'Malley Has Been Left With Just 1 Option
Sean O'Malley is in a tough spot. He trained hard, prepared, and did everything within his power to regain the UFC men's bantamweight title on Saturday night at the Prudential Center in New Jersey during the UFC 316 main event, but he fell to champion Merab Dvalishvili for the second straight time. To put it plainly, Dvalishvili is a nightmare matchup for any bantamweight, and O'Malley is not the exception. After having defeated O'Malley via decision in September 2024 at Noche UFC, Dvalishvili was even more dominant on Saturday. The champion successfully defended his title via third-round submission. Because O'Malley has now suffered back-to-back losses to Dvalishvili, he appears to be down to just one option if he hopes to advance his career and return to championship glory: O'Malley needs to move up to featherweight. As long as Dvalishvili is the champion at 135 pounds, it will be a long time before O'Malley gets another title shot. Cory Sandhagen and Petr Yan both seem more likely to get their title shot before O'Malley re-enters the conversation about the former champion's title contention. Does O'Malley want to wait years for another title shot? Probably not. O'Malley is still a star and a huge draw. The crowd in New Jersey was loud in favor of the Helena, Montana native. Finding a worthy dance partner ranked below him in the bantamweight division will be tough, and it doesn't make a ton of sense for O'Malley. Also, there is a chance he can walk right into a high-profile fight in the featherweight division. At 5-foot-11, the 30-year-old O'Malley is not too small for the 145-pound weight class. In fact, you could make the argument O'Malley might be the favorite to defeat at least 10 of the fighters in the featherweight rankings. There's also a plethora of interesting fights O'Malley could have in the featherweight division. O'Malley vs. any of these featherweight contenders is a main card fight on a pay-per-view card: Josh Emmett, Yair Rodriguez, Jean Silva, Lerone Murphy, Aljamain Sterling (rematch), or Diego Lopes. After the fight on Saturday night, a visibly dejected but highly respectful O'Malley said he was going to go home to his family to regroup. It should not come as a surprise if he announces plans to move up to featherweight ahead of his next fight. In case you missed it, here is a look at all of the results from New Jersey on Saturday night. Dvalishvili, Harrison, Kevin Holland and JooSang Yoo
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
'For anyone who's felt hopeless' - Harrison wins UFC title
Kayla Harrison won a UFC title in only her third fight in the promotion [Getty Images] Kayla Harrison put in a dominant performance as she submitted Julianna Pena to win the bantamweight title at UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey. Harrison out-grappled fellow American Pena and controlled the action throughout before finishing the fight with a kimura at the end of the second round. Advertisement Victory adds a first UFC championship to her two Olympic judo gold medals and PFL world titles. In her post-fight interview, Harrison said she almost quit on Thursday after struggling during her weight cut. The 34-year-old's two PFL titles, in 2021 and 2022, were won at 155lb (11st 1lb) but she has fought at 135lb (9st 9lb) since joining the UFC last year. "This is for anyone who's ever felt hopeless, who's wanted to quit, who's wanted to give up. On Thursday I wanted to quit, I wanted to give up," said Harrison. "I'm referring to 135lb - only God can get that last pound off me, I'm not strong enough. You have to go to a bad place and the only way through is to have surrender and have faith." Advertisement After the bout Harrison faced-off with former double champion Amanda Nunes, who confirmed she would be coming out of retirement to challenge for the belt. The 37-year-old Brazilian, who retired in 2023, is a former training partner of Harrison and is widely considered the greatest women's mixed martial artist of all time. She is the only woman to become a two-division UFC champion and exited the sport with 23 wins from 28 bouts. UFC commentator Joe Rogan described a potential match-up with Harrison as "the biggest women's title bout in UFC history". "Yes definitely. We knew this is going to happen. Now we're going to do it," said Nunes. Nunes (left) and Harrison were former training partners at gym American Top Team [Getty Images] 'This is for all the single mums' Harrison said before the bout she was ready to become the "face of women's MMA" and came into the bout with Pena as a big favourite with oddsmakers. Advertisement Pena, meanwhile, was making the first defence of her second bantamweight title after beating Raquel Pennington by split decision in October. Harrison's world-class judo background has been the foundation to her success since transitioning to MMA in 2018 and it was on display as she took Pena down in both rounds. Harrison controlled the action on the ground in the latter half of the first, Pena being deducted a point for two illegal up-kicks, before securing another takedown in the second. After Pena avoided an arm triangle, Harrison switched to a kimura with seconds remaining in the round before securing the finish. Advertisement Following victory, Harrison dropped to her knees in tears in the centre of the octagon before sharing a prayer with Pena and paying tribute to single mothers. In 2020, Harrison adopted her niece and nephew when her stepdad, who was looking after the children at the time, died suddenly. "This is for my family, my two beautiful children I love you unconditionally," said Harrison. "This is for all the mums, especially the single mums. I know it's hard, I know what it feels like to be punished but you're not - you're being positioned. You have a place in those children's lives." Impressive Dvalishvili beats O'Malley again Merab Dvalishvili has won 13 consecutive fights [Getty Images] In the main event, Georgia's Merab Dvalishvili submitted American Sean O'Malley in the third round to retain his bantamweight title. Advertisement Dvalishvili beat O'Malley for the belt last year with a typically relentless display of grappling and mirrored the performance in the rematch. Although O'Malley defended well in the second round, he was taken down early in the third and Dvalishvili never looked back, controlling the action on the ground before securing a north-south choke. Victory was Dvalishvili's second defence of his belt and extended his winning streak to 13, the second-longest in the UFC among active fighters. Russia's Islam Makhachev holds the longest with 15. "I'm on top of the world. I came from nothing, I'm so grateful to inspire so many generations. It doesn't matter what you have if you know where you're going and you have a goal," said Dvalishvili. Advertisement On the undercard, former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix suffered a unanimous decision defeat on his UFC debut by fellow American Mario Bautista. Mix, who left the PFL in May after venting frustrations over a lack of fights, suffered his second defeat in 22 bouts while Bautista extended his winning streak to eight. More MMA from the BBC
