UFC 316 has concluded, marking the crowning of a new champion and featuring another champion solidifying their claim to all-time great status. The event, held Saturday in Newark, New Jersey, delivered several compelling moments.
In the main event, Merab Dvalishvili successfully defended his men`s bantamweight championship, defeating Sean O`Malley via submission in their highly anticipated rematch. With two successful title defenses to his credit, Dvalishvili`s standing among the sport`s all-time greats is rapidly improving, prompting discussions about his position in the division`s history.
Earlier on the card, Kayla Harrison made a significant impact, capturing the women`s bantamweight title by submitting Julianna Peña in the second round. This dominant performance immediately sets the stage for a potential superfight against the returning legend, Amanda Nunes.
With numerous significant developments arising from this latest pay-per-view event, a panel of experts reconvened to break down the most important topics from UFC 316.
Overall thoughts on UFC 316?
Martin: It surpassed expectations. Despite some initial grumbles about the lineup, the fights mostly delivered significant drama. While the main and co-main events unfolded largely as predicted, the manner in which they concluded was still captivating.
Lee: The top two fights truly delivered, with two legitimate potential all-time greats producing dominant performances. Several dark horse contenders stepped up, and promising prospects made their mark. Overall, it was a productive night for the UFC and served as a solid prelude to the more star-studded June 28 pay-per-view event.
Heck: It was one of the better cards of the year overall. Four out of the five main card bouts offered intriguing storylines, Kayla Harrison positioned herself for one of the biggest fights the UFC can make currently, and Merab Dvalishvili simply demonstrated he is a force.
Meshew: Surprisingly enjoyable! Granted, the main event title shot was still one of the most unwarranted in modern history, but the outcome was entertaining (a rarity for Dvalishvili). The rest of the card was similarly filled with meaningful and memorable performances. A very solid offering from the UFC.
Is Merab Dvalishvili already the bantamweight GOAT?
Meshew: Absolutely not, and frankly, I`m tired of this conversation. Every time a fighter wins a belt and manages just one defense, they`re instantly labeled the new GOAT. Dvalishvili has two defenses, and one was this quite questionable rematch that wasn`t earned. He may well reach that status eventually, but anointing him prematurely is absurd and disrespectful to long-reigning champions. Honestly, Merab might not even be ahead of Aljamain Sterling right now.
If Merab can defeat Cory Sandhagen, then we can at least begin the conversation. If he adds another title defense after that, he`s likely secured it. But there`s a vast difference between `if` and `does`. I`m old enough to recall when people were claiming Kamaru Usman was the welterweight GOAT, a claim you don`t hear anymore because Usman lost his subsequent fight. And that`s the key point: defending a belt is the hardest thing to do in this sport. That`s why Dominick Cruz having five title defenses is worthy of profound respect.
(Also, since everyone likes to highlight his current winning streak—which is indeed impressive—I`d like to point out that two of those victories were three-rounders. Those are NOT championship fights. Equating his wins over Henry Cejudo and Jose Aldo to title defenses is completely irrational.)
So please, for the sake of reason, allow a fighter to PROVE their GOAT status before rushing to crown them out of eagerness. If he`s as good as some believe, he will reach that level in due time.
Martin: Yes, he is the GOAT, and it fundamentally comes down to the caliber of competition he`s faced.
While it`s not ideal to elevate one fighter by diminishing another, the reality is Dvalishvili has faced tougher opponents throughout his journey to the championship and his subsequent title defenses compared to someone like Dominick Cruz. Make no mistake, Cruz deserves to be in the conversation, but many of his most significant wins in the WEC were against fighters who were essentially flyweights.
The clearest examples are Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez, who competed as bantamweights largely because the flyweight division didn`t exist at the time. Cruz also has a win over Ian McCall, another natural flyweight. Cruz`s most notable victories were against Urijah Faber (a legitimate win) and a debatable decision over T.J. Dillashaw.
Conversely, Dvalishvili has consistently fought and defeated top-tier contenders and former champions over the past few years, including Jose Aldo, Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, Umar Nurmagomedov, and now Sean O`Malley twice. The truth is, Cruz competed during the early days of the bantamweight division, whereas Dvalishvili benefits from competing in a remarkably deep division that is arguably the best in MMA right now. This is why he deserves the GOAT title, and each victory only strengthens Merab`s case.
Lee: I don`t believe so yet, but I also lack a strong argument against it.
For a long time, Dominick Cruz has been the default answer, and deservedly so. In his prime, “The Dominator” was the undisputed king of 135 pounds, and his list of victories is impressive. People forget he was the only fighter to defeat “Mighty Mouse” between 2012 and 2017! Add his multiple wins over Faber and Benavidez, plus a questionable decision against Dillashaw, and he defeated almost every top competitor of his era (yes, there was the bizarre Cody Garbrandt loss), which is essentially all you can ask of a great. So, for now, I`m comfortable keeping him at No. 1.
The emphasis here is “for now,” because Dvalishvili`s current winning streak is absolutely phenomenal, and he hasn`t suffered the career interruptions that plagued Cruz. To preempt any backlash, I will state now: regardless of who Dvalishvili defeats next (as long as it`s not O`Malley again), I will finally place him at the top spot.
Heck: I`m not quite ready to call him the GOAT, but he`s definitely next in line.
Make no mistake, Dvalishvili`s win streak is incredible. He`s beaten multiple former champions, defeated Sean O`Malley for the title, submitted him impressively in the rematch, and handed the fighter many considered the division`s boogeyman his first loss in January. To suggest he`s not fully in the conversation is, in my opinion, absurd. I tried to approach this O`Malley rematch as if the first fight didn`t happen, but we cannot ignore that it took place only nine months ago, and O`Malley didn`t secure a win in between those bouts.
The gap in the Merab vs. Cruz debate has certainly narrowed, but despite his injuries and long periods of inactivity, Cruz undeniably shaped the standard of greatness for this division. He holds three UFC title defenses, one more than Dvalishvili, and championships hold significant weight for me in these discussions. That said, if Dvalishvili performs against Cory Sandhagen the way he just did against O`Malley, he will effectively become the bantamweight GOAT by that accomplishment alone.
How excited are you for Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes?
Heck: Extremely excited, and the faceoff following Harrison`s title win amplified the anticipation, making it one of the coolest moments of 2025 in a year that, frankly, the UFC needed them.
Despite the relative lack of buzz in the women`s divisions recently, Harrison`s arrival provides a much-needed boost. This fight has been years in the making, a matchup many believed was impossible when first dreamed up in fantasy scenarios. Now that it`s a reality, it stands as one of the top five biggest fights the UFC could promote right now.
Considering the promotional potential, Nunes` return from retirement, Harrison`s dominant title-winning stoppage, and ongoing discussions about a new TV deal, the opportunities to maximize this fight`s impact are endless. This could easily become the first women`s MMA fight to headline Madison Square Garden. It could headline a potential debut on Netflix if the UFC pursues that platform. And if Harrison wins, the conversations surrounding her combat sports achievements become incredibly intriguing. As someone who enjoys seeing the best compete against each other and appreciates a compelling narrative, this fight ticks every box and more.
Meshew: I`m absolutely pumped, and honestly, I didn`t expect to be.
Leading up to Saturday, I was confident Harrison would defeat Peña, but I was fairly indifferent about the potential Harrison-Nunes matchup that would follow. Then they faced off in the cage, and suddenly, I`m completely invested.
Bantamweight used to be the premier women`s weight class in the sport, and it`s currently struggling. I don`t know if this single fight will revive the division entirely, but it provides a significant boost, and it`s genuinely exciting to feel anticipation for a women`s bantamweight title fight again.
Martin: This is precisely the fight women`s MMA has needed, and now it`s up to the UFC to make it happen effectively. Ever since watching Harrison effortlessly control opponents at 170 pounds in the Olympics and hearing her declare her intention to do the same in MMA, I`ve been advocating for her as the future of the sport. Now, Harrison is finally a UFC champion, and the only person standing between her and potentially claiming GOAT status herself is the actual GOAT, Amanda Nunes.
Women`s MMA, and the bantamweight division in particular, has felt somewhat stagnant recently with little to generate excitement, but Harrison vs. Nunes is exactly the kind of matchup that can headline a major pay-per-view event, and we`d all willingly pay $80 to watch it unfold.
Lee: I didn`t *require* seeing this fight, but now that it`s seemingly happening, I eagerly await the official announcement.
Harrison executed her plan perfectly on Saturday after decisively defeating Peña, delivering an emotionally resonant post-fight speech, and then making the expected callout directly to Nunes, who was present to hear it. The timing is also ideal, with Harrison in her prime and Nunes returning from retirement, leaving the outcome genuinely uncertain. Has Harrison evolved enough to defeat the GOAT? Will Nunes` layoff benefit or hinder her? We get to find out; no more hypotheticals! MMA is exciting!
Who lost the most at UFC 316?
Lee: I`m glad I`m going first because I don`t see how there could be any other answer than Patchy Mix.
What. Was. That.
Was it Octagon jitters? An undisclosed injury? A terrible style matchup? Or was Mario Bautista simply that dominant (this is the explanation I hope is true)? Who knows?
Heading into his UFC debut, Mix was expected to avoid the fate of fellow former Bellator star Patricio Pitbull, but his performance was arguably worse. There was no sign of his dynamic grappling, he was vulnerable in the striking exchanges, and later in the fight, even after landing a couple of punches, he started showboating as if challenging Bautista. My friend, you were losing!
The second-biggest losers are pundits like us who have supported Mix for years. It was simply a bad night all around.
Heck: To start, it`s absolutely Patchy Mix, as AK already explained, and any other answer is incorrect. I said before this fight that we would learn Mix`s UFC ceiling in 15 minutes or less, and we did. As I`ve mentioned on our shows over the years, I`ve never been entirely convinced Mix was the best bantamweight globally, and Saturday confirmed he is among the sport`s top 10-15 bantamweights, but he won`t be winning a UFC title. There`s a significant difference between good, very good, and great, and Mix falls into the `very good` category.
I acknowledge Mix took the fight on relatively short notice. However, given the energy he projected and the confident statements he made all week, essentially `looking past` Mario Bautista as a mere stepping stone, that reasoning becomes less valid. When the contract is signed, a decision is made, and the consequences of that choice must be accepted.
That said, and to offer a different perspective (even if it`s incorrect), I`ll say Julianna Peña. At least in the short term, Peña`s future is uncertain after being so decisively defeated by Harrison. The trilogy fight with Nunes is highly unlikely now, as is a rematch with Harrison. Because the division lacks depth, Peña might find herself in a position similar to Katlyn Cerminara, where she has to fend off rising contenders rather than competing for the title herself.
On the positive side? Peña is a two-time UFC champion and will likely be a UFC Hall of Famer because of it. She holds one of the most memorable wins in UFC history, and despite her somewhat inconsistent overall record, no one can diminish those accomplishments.
Meshew: It was nearly Merab Dvalishvili, as during his walkout, he narrowly avoided being hit when part of the stands collapsed right next to him. Fortunately, he was unharmed, but I almost lost my mind considering how disastrous that would have been. So instead (and because we can`t all say Patchy), I`ll choose Tom Aspinall, who must have felt disappointed leaving Saturday night.
For nearly two years, Aspinall has been tantalized by the prospect of a fight with Jon Jones that still hasn`t materialized. On Saturday, even Dana White grudgingly admitted that Jones might be considering retirement. And if Dana White is admitting that, it strongly suggests this matchup is completely off the table.
Making matters worse for Aspinall, there were rumors last week about Francis Ngannou potentially being interested in returning to the UFC. Even if Aspinall missed out on Jones, a fight against Ngannou would have been massive. However, White completely dismissed that possibility, leaving Tom Aspinall likely facing Ciryl Gane next. Talk about a letdown.
Martin: While saying Mix suffered the biggest loss is certainly accurate based on performance, in reality, no one took a bigger hit at UFC 316 than Sean O`Malley.
Once positioned as a potential new face of the company with the possibility of reaching Conor McGregor-level stardom, O`Malley has now lost back-to-back fights to Merab Dvalishvili. The bantamweight title is completely out of reach for the foreseeable future, and all the external factors that generated interest—his colorful persona, bold trash talk, lifestyle, gaming, etc.—are now less relevant because he dialed them back to focus on his performance, yet still got submitted in the third round.
This is the risk of booking these kinds of immediate rematches, as O`Malley is now essentially stuck in limbo with two losses to the reigning champion. Unless he goes on an extraordinary winning streak through the division, he likely has to wait for Merab to lose the title before he can re-enter the title picture. O`Malley can still be a draw, but he lacks rivals like McGregor had with Nate Diaz or Dustin Poirier to maintain significant public interest in his fights without a title belt. O`Malley still possesses some star power, but he needs to find a compelling opponent for his next fight, or he risks becoming one of the biggest `what ifs` in UFC history.
Who won the most at UFC 316?
Martin: The answer is Mario Bautista, and any other choice is simply wrong.
No fighter became more universally disliked for merely winning a fight than Bautista did after his controversial victory over Jose Aldo. Call it contentious, call it a dull performance, but Bautista won. Somehow, that turned him into public enemy No. 1 overnight.
Fast forward to UFC 316, and all the attention was on Patchy Mix making his highly anticipated UFC debut. He was already being framed as a potential title challenger to Dvalishvili, partly due to their friendship and training relationship. Unlike Aljamain Sterling, Mix had stated he had no issue putting friendship aside to pursue the UFC championship. All that changed after Bautista thoroughly dominated him for 15 consecutive minutes.
Aside from a few scattered strikes that caused some damage, Bautista systematically picked Mix apart, leaving him bruised and bloody while delivering a harsh welcome to the former Bellator champion. Bautista looked outstanding, and while some may remain upset about the Aldo fight, credit must be given for a job exceptionally well done on Saturday.
Lee: Waldo Cortes-Acosta, step right up, because you are realistically just one good win away from competing for the UFC heavyweight title.
The confusion surrounding Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall will be resolved one way or another by the end of this year, and at some point, the division will need fresh contenders for the title picture. Cortes-Acosta currently boasts the longest winning streak in the heavyweight division (read that again… yes, it`s true). He`s likely to face a top 10 opponent next. If “Salsa Boy” can dance his way to a victory over someone like Sergei Pavlovich or Ciryl Gane, you can be absolutely certain he`ll be fighting for a belt!
Consider yourselves warned.
Heck: I`m going with Kevin Holland, because not only did he steal the show, he stole the entire day.
It began with an incredibly vague tweet that sent the MMA social media community into a frenzy.
Whether it was Holland himself or someone else managing his social media, it was a brilliant move. Nearly 2 million impressions for five words that meant absolutely nothing. So many people misinterpreted it to mean his fight with Vicente Luque was canceled, and Holland became the primary topic of discussion for hours leading up to the event.
Then the fight started, and Holland delivered a dominant performance against Luque, submitting him in the second round. Afterward, he followed it up with a perfect callout of Colby Covington.
Holland has quietly built one of the most successful careers in the modern era of prize fighting. He fights frequently, has stepped up to save UFC cards on multiple occasions, and has earned a considerable amount of money doing so. While many fighters aspire to be massive superstars and compete for world titles and the associated glory, Holland`s primary goal seems to be earning substantial paychecks as often as possible, and he does it while being incredibly entertaining. Holland`s “Trailblazer” nickname is fitting, as he`s certainly charting his own path, and more fighters could potentially benefit from following his example.
Meshew: Amidst all the talk about “Is Merab the GOAT?” and “Can Kayla become the GOAT by defeating Amanda?”, nobody is discussing the most significant event that occurred on Saturday: a true GOAT emerged, Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro!
A multiple-time BJJ world champion and a pioneer of early 2000s MMA, Shaolin now serves as an MMA referee. On Saturday, he did something almost unheard of—he deducted a point from Julianna Peña! Even competent MMA referees are often hesitant to deduct points from fighters unless the foul is outrageously blatant and repeated (which is illogical), but not Shaolin. Peña landed a couple of illegal upkicks on Harrison, and Ribeiro immediately stepped in and docked her a point. It was fantastic. These are championship-level fighters; they know the rules regarding illegal techniques. Ribeiro simply performed his job perfectly.
All hail Shaolin, the new GOAT referee. May his tenure behind the cage be long.
