UFC CEO Dana White, through an Instagram live session, announced two title fights for the forthcoming pay-per-view show, UFC 316. The UFC boss recently hinted about the potential announcement about the title fight - Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall - that enthusiasts want to see but once again left the fans in limbo. White confirmed that Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley will clash again for the Bantamweight title at UFC 316. The event will showcase a title fight in the co-main event as well. The Women's Bantamweight Champion Julianna Pena will take on Kayla Harrison at the event. UFC 316 is scheduled to take place on June 7, 2025, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
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UFC 316 Will Feature Two Title Fights
Merab Dvalishvili famously dethroned Sean O'Malley at UFC 306. The Georgian won via unanimous decision and ever since the culmination of the fight, the former champ O'Malley has been pushing for a rematch, claiming that he was better in the contest and did not lose in his opinion. Suga Sean has been granted with what he asked for and it will be interesting to note how he will approach Merab this time.
After beating Sean O'Malley, Merab Dvalishvili cemented his reign by successfully defending the title strap against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. Dvalishvili showcased extraordinary grit against Umar at the event and was adjudged the winner on the judges' scorecard.
The co-main event will feature the return of women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Pena. ‘The Venezuelan Vizen’ famously reclaimed the gold last October, with a controversial split-decision victory over Raquel Pennington. For her first title defense, Pena will meet the red-hot Kayla Harrison.
With that being the case, the wait for the fight announcement of Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall continues. There have been reports prevalent that state that both fighters have agreed on the terms, but nothing is official until Dana White disseminates the ultimate development.