Key points
- Merab Dvalishvili defeats Sean O'Malley by submission in Round 3 View post
- KAYLA HARRISON SUBMITS JULIANNA PENA IN ROUND 2 View post
- Joe Pyfer defeats Kelvin Gastelum by UD View post
- Mario Bautista dominates Patchy Mix to win Unanimous Decision View post
- KEVIN HOLLANDS CHOKES OUT VICENTE LUQUE View post
- President Donald Trump makes the walk to the octagon View post
- Joshua Van knocks out Bruno Silva in the third round! View post
- WHAT A KNOCKOUT FROM MURZAKHANOV View post
- Waldo Cortes Costa defeats Serghei Spivac by UD View post
- Andreas Gustafsson defeats Khaos Williams in brutal Unanimous Decision View post
- How to watch UFC 316 in Europe View post
- How to watch UFC 316 LIVE on ESPN+ PPV View post
UFC 316 has brought the octagon back to Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center for the UFC’s annual pay-per-view visit.
It’s a bantamweight title double-header, with Merab Dvalishvili defending his title against Sean O’Malley in the main event and Julianna Pena taking on Kayla Harrison in the co-main. Both fights have had fascinating build-ups, with the former seeing both men take more muted approaches.
However, the trash talk has been well and truly delivered by Harrison and Pena, who appear to have a true beef heading into their showdown. The ‘Venezuelan Vixen’ believes her credentials – including a win over Amanda Nunes – are being overlooked in favor of the two-time Olympic gold medalist.
Elsewhere on the card, Joe Pyfer and Kelvin Gastelum finally do battle after their UFC Mexico City fight was canceled hours before they were due to walk. Kevin Holland is also back for the third time this year against Vicente Luque.
Perhaps the most intriguing matchup of the undercard, however, sees Mario Bautista take on former Bellator champion Patchy Mix. He has been something of a boogeyman in the division and now finally tests himself in the UFC.
We’ll have all the live info for you throughout the night from Prudential Center on our live blog…
We now prepare for the post-fight press conference
Will Dana White complete the hat-trick of skipped media obligations this week or will he show up?
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Merab Dvalishvili defeats Sean O’Malley by submission in Round 3
‘Suga’ Sean forced to tap after a gruelling effort in the main event.
[Link]Merab Dvalishvili vs Sean O’Malley – Round 3
Right as the round starts they get into a firefight and boom, Merab lands the big takedown he’s needed. Long period of control for the champ here, not a lot of damage but definitely getting his work in. O’Malley gets taken down, he gets back up but down again.
Dvalishvili locks in a choke and boom, he gets the tap. Champ retains!
[Link]Merab Dvalishvili vs Sean O’Malley – Round 2
Merab lands clean early on, but then a big right hand lands for O’Malley in a counter. Another good shot for the challenger, Dvalishvili struggling to get to the legs for the takedown. Brilliant work at range from O’Malley. Big exchange at the end, they both scored big. That’s got to be an O’Malley round. Could be 2-0 but I have it 1-1
[Link]Merab Dvalishvili vs Sean O’Malley – Round 1
We are underway in Newark! O’Malley using his massive size advantage to pick off Dvalishvili at range, allowing the smaller man to come to him. He gets taken down, straight back up. He’s slipped twice looking for the kicks though. With a minute to go, Dvalishvili gets on top and lands some ground and pound. Razor close round, hard to score. Merab may have robbed it at the end.
[Link]Merab Dvalishvili makes the walk
Despite being an adopted New Yorker, the crowd across the water are not fans. Loud boos for the champion!
[Link]Sean O’Malley makes the walk – with a different tune!
Instead of his usual ‘Superstar’ entrance, he emerges to ‘Proud to be an American’
[Link]Welcome to all our new readers!
I’ve just noticed a big spike in readers on our live blog! What a win for Kayla Harrison, check out our on the bell report below.
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Here comes Amanda Nunes
Time for a face-off. “I’ve got the belt, she’s got the legacy,” what a line from Kayla Harrison!
[Link]KAYLA HARRISON SUBMITS JULIANNA PENA IN ROUND 2
With just seven seconds left in the second round Harrison locked in a kimura, forcing Pena to tap out quickly. She may have done damage there!
[Link]Julianna Pena vs Kayla Harrison – Round 1
Halfway through the round, Harrison gets Pena down, but she’s finding it hard to do much in her guard. Harrison does land a big one and OH Pena nails her with an up-kick. She was a grounded opponent. Referee stops it and takes a point from Pena! Drama in Prudential Center!
[Link]Joe Pyfer defeats Kelvin Gastelum by UD
You can’t complain about that result at all. Dominance from Pyfer. Gastelum may not be long for the UFC world.
[Link]The size difference here is massive
Pyfer looks like a decent sized light-heavyweight, and Gastelum looks as though he’s had to pile on the pounds just to make the middleweight limit. At that rate. Gastelum can’t allow himself to be getting hit as much as he is currently.
[Link]Gastelum down again at the end of the round
Looping shot from Pyfer, down goes Gastelum! Pyfer let’s him up and is pushing for the finish, it won’t come in this round.
[Link]GASTELUM DOWN INSIDE A MINUTE
Pyfer lands that big shot and Gastelum is down within the opening seconds. Recovers well, now back on his feet.
[Link]Kelvin Gastelum vs Joe Pyfer up now
No rest for the wicked. Two massive hitters in the middleweight division! Let’s see how this one goes.
[Link]Mario Bautista dominates Patchy Mix to win Unanimous Decision
30-27 across the board, completely fair scorecard. That was a disaster for the UFC newcomer.
[Link]Patchy Mix is battered over the distance by Bautista
Three gruelling rounds for Mix. Three of the worst he has endured in his professional run of 22 fights. He had moments in the third but you’d have to imagine that’s 30-27 for Bautista.
[Link]Two bad rounds for Patchy Mix
Is this the worst fight Patchy Mix has had in his professional career to date? He hasn’t come close to winning either of these rounds. He needs something big in the third or he’ll be yet another Bellator champ who loses on their debut.
[Link]Patchy Mix struggles in his first UFC roun
The head movement there was npt very good. He got caught clean on the button twice by Bautista. He’s one of the best bantamweights in the world, but I am envisioning people who don’t know any better calling this a ‘fraud check’ if he doesn’t turn it around.
[Link]Mario Bautista vs Patchy Mix is our next bout
The crowd HATE Bautista after that Jose Aldo win. Imagine he stinks the joint out and beats Patchy!
[Link]Kevin Holland calls out Colby Covington after impressive win
He just tapped out Luque and now wants a wrestler on his record!
[Link]KEVIN HOLLANDS CHOKES OUT VICENTE LUQUE
WHAT A MOMENT! KEVIN HOLLAND DEFEATS VICENTE LUQUE IN THE SECOND AS HE LOCKS IN A D’ARCE ON BJJ BLACK BELT LUQUE IN HIS HOME STATE!
[Link]President Donald Trump makes the walk to the octagon
One of these days he may have to actually step inside to fight Elon Musk!
Joshua Van knocks out Bruno Silva in the third round!
Finally Bruno Silva relents to a big shot from Van and goes down! Huge win for Joshua Van! On to the main card.
[Link]Van round for sure in the second
This has been a fun fight, Silva down twice in round two but survives the onslaught.
[Link]Flyweights next
Bruno Silva vs Joshua Van. Expect, or in the case of this card pray for, fireworks.
[Link]WHAT A KNOCKOUT FROM MURZAKHANOV
HUGE stoppage from Azamat Murzakhanov as he lands a massive check left hook and floors Brendson Ribeiro. That might be a bonus winner!
[Link]Waldo Cortes Costa defeats Serghei Spivac by UD
What a win for Costa, he steps up on short notice and defeats Spivac. That will land him in the top ten next week.
[Link]Waldo Cortes Acosta has ripped his pants!
A little awkward, but he seems happy to fight on. Spivac piling on the pressure now.
[Link]Heavyweights up next
Serghei Spivac takes on Waldo Cortes Acosta in the big heavyweight clash. Should have been Shamil Gaziev.
[Link]Andreas Gustafsson defeats Khaos Williams in brutal Unanimous Decision
That was gruesome, Williams left in a pool of his own blood with multiple cuts atop his head. Dominant from the Swede! 30-27 on one scorecard, 30-26 on the other two indicating a 10-8 round. He has arrived in the UFC!
[Link]Khaos Williams is cut pretty bad!
That’s a nasty cut over Williams’ left eye. Gustafsson is gunning for the finish now, can he get it?
[Link]Khaos Williams and Andreas Gustafsson are stifling each other right now
Lots of dirty boxing, neither man getting the chance to land anything big clean.
[Link]Wang Cong calls out Jessica Andrade after her win
She wants to continue her run against Brazilian opposition, and now she wants the number nine in the division.
[Link]Wang Cong beats Ariane Da Silva by UD
Dominant performance despite a massive weight disparity. 30-27 across the board.
[Link]Good work from Wang Cong through three
These leg kicks are brutal and seemingly never ending. Da Silva forced to change stances and it is helping her do better in this one. Wang Cong surely did enough to win 30-27
[Link]Ariane Da Silva using her size against Wang Cong
We aren’t clear on the rehydrated weights, but she looks much bigger. However, Wang Cong catches her with a brutal leg kick that has her flopping around a bit.
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Ariane Da Silva vs Wang Cong up next
Da Silva missed weight by a comical amount yesterday. Let’s see how that effects her performance.
[Link]WOW! JOOSANG YOO FACEPLANTS JEKA SARAGIH IN 25 SECONDS
WHAT A MOMENT FOR JOOSANG YOO. Young Conor McGregor indeed!
[Link]Jeka Saragih vs JooSang Yoo up next
Big fight in the featherweight division is our third fight of the night.
Quillan Salkilld beats Yanal Ashmoz by UD
Big win for Quillan Salkilld, no doubt he won the first two there, but it feels harsh to not give Ashmoz something for that. Perhaps they’ll get Fight of the Night
[Link]Salkilld and Ashmoz having a blinding third round
There’s been so many twists and turns. If Salkilld survives, he should have enough to win. If not, Ashmoz will have pulled off a tremendous comeback. He’s landing big shots here, he has dropped Salkilld, but he’s also been taken down. Salkilld struggling with fatigue now. Salkilld survives.
[Link]Quillan Salkilld faces Yanal Ashmoz in our second fight of the night
Big reach advantage for Salkilld against Ashmoz. Another lightweight bout. Ashmoz from Jersey but not very well received here.
[Link]MarQuel Mederos beats Mark Choinski by UD
30-27 x 2 and a 29-28, hard to see where the round he lost was. Dominant win and Mederos moves to 11-1
[Link]MarQuel Mederos vs Mark Choinski goes the distance
Solid rounds from Mederos who didn’t look like the victim of any weight issues. G
[Link]MarQuel Mederos vs Mark Choinski kicks us off
We are underway on the early prelims. Mederos the last one to weigh in yesterday, let’s see how that effects him on fight night.
[Link]Welcome to the Bloody Elbow UFC 316 Live Blog
Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of UFC 316. My name is Donagh Corby and I am on the ground here at Prudential Center for the big bantamweight double-header. Keep in touch with us over @BloodyElbow on X.
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